Seeking him here
With a non-standard 'Raspberry-Ripple' paint scheme and a nose mounted trials-based experimental 'optical' system, 'Sikorsky' built Westland Sea King HAS.1 XV371 making an approach to Shoreham back in July 1981.
Four original 'SH-3D' Sea King airframes were built by Sikorsky as the basis of Westland's licence built Sea King production for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
All four were then shipped to the UK, XV370 being delivered already fitted with the standard General Electric T58 Engines and on arrival was flown from the docks at Avonmouth to Westland's factory at Yeovil.
The remaining three arrived at Yeovil engine-less and were roaded there being subsequently fitted with Rolls-Royce Gnome Engines, all to become the trials airframes.
Westlands were tasked by the Navy to design and upgrade the airframes, as although externally similar to the US built Sea King, the UK versions were inwardly a very different machine to the standard Sikorsky built SH-3 variants that the US Navy operated.
Of the four airframes acquired, after their initial use at Westlands, the first XV370, spent most of it's subsequent life with the ETPS at Boscombe Down ending up with the AES at HMS Sultan as an Instructional Airframe. XV371 spent it's life with the RAE at Bedford, XV372 was written-off in an accident in January 1969 and XV373 found it's way to the gunnery ranges at Foulness.
The Westland version of the Sea King was widely exported to, amongst others: Australia Belgium, Egypt, Germany, India, Norway, Pakistan and Qatar.
Scanned 35mm Transparency
Seeking him here
With a non-standard 'Raspberry-Ripple' paint scheme and a nose mounted trials-based experimental 'optical' system, 'Sikorsky' built Westland Sea King HAS.1 XV371 making an approach to Shoreham back in July 1981.
Four original 'SH-3D' Sea King airframes were built by Sikorsky as the basis of Westland's licence built Sea King production for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
All four were then shipped to the UK, XV370 being delivered already fitted with the standard General Electric T58 Engines and on arrival was flown from the docks at Avonmouth to Westland's factory at Yeovil.
The remaining three arrived at Yeovil engine-less and were roaded there being subsequently fitted with Rolls-Royce Gnome Engines, all to become the trials airframes.
Westlands were tasked by the Navy to design and upgrade the airframes, as although externally similar to the US built Sea King, the UK versions were inwardly a very different machine to the standard Sikorsky built SH-3 variants that the US Navy operated.
Of the four airframes acquired, after their initial use at Westlands, the first XV370, spent most of it's subsequent life with the ETPS at Boscombe Down ending up with the AES at HMS Sultan as an Instructional Airframe. XV371 spent it's life with the RAE at Bedford, XV372 was written-off in an accident in January 1969 and XV373 found it's way to the gunnery ranges at Foulness.
The Westland version of the Sea King was widely exported to, amongst others: Australia Belgium, Egypt, Germany, India, Norway, Pakistan and Qatar.
Scanned 35mm Transparency