Helidays - Weston Super Mare 25th July 2009

RAF Griffin HT 1 ZJ241 "L" c/n 36146 belongs to the SARTU at RAF Valley has floatation gear - delivered to the RAF in 1997

This years Helidays took place from Friday 24th July to Sunday 26th July 2009. The beach lawns along the sea front at Weston Super Mare, Somerset, England, UK become at temporary heliport.

The show features a number of visiting helicopters that spend the weekend on static display - alongside them are day visitors that fly in and out. The beach lawns are surrounded by roads, houses, people and lamp posts so pilots must exercise caution and skill whilst flying.

Robinson R44 Raven II G-CECX c/n 11390 built in 2006 departs from Beach Lawns

This years event was rather spoilt by the poor weather on the Friday and Sunday - Saturday started fine but by mid afternoon the wet weather was back again. All the pictures here were taken on Saturday 25th July.

Saunder Roe Skeeter AOP 12 G-SARO was built in 1962 as XL812 for the Army - roaded in following type being grounded by the CAA

G-BXTV homebuilt Bug helicopter registered in 1998 - roaded in on a trailer - has this ever flown ?

G-BAXS Bell 47G-5 c/n 7908 was built in 1969 operates from Fairoaks

The Army Air Corps Historic Flight flew in Scout AH 1 XT626 coded "Q" which was delivered to the Army Air Corp in 1966

G-RUZZ Robinson R44 Raven II c/n 10082 was bult in 2003 - it is based in Oxfordshire

G-OHMS Aerospatiale AS 355F1 Twin Squrrel c/n 5194 was built in 1982 and is based at Bristol Airport operating with Western Power Distribution WPD on electricity power line inspections

ZR322 is one of three RAF Agusta A 109E operating with 32 Sqd based at RAF Northolt for VIP flights - c/n 11664 and delivered to the RAF in 2006

RAF 32 Sqd badge on the side of A 109E ZR322

G-GJCD Robinson R22 c/n 0966 was built in 1989 - it is now 20 years old and has flown over 5500 flight hours

G-OTJS Robinson R44 Raven II c/n 12305 built in 2008 is based up in Humberside

Brantly B2B G-AWDU c/n 481 was built in 1968 - this type reminds me of an ice cream cone ! There are only 6 examples on the current UK register - this example is based in Oxfordshire.

Belgian Army A 109BA H-45 with anti tank system - this helicopter was delivered in 1994 and is based at Bierset near Leige

Chipmunks at Yeovilton

RNHF Chipmunk T 10 WK608 coded "906"

A tour at RNAS Yeovilton in June 2009 found three DHC 1 Chipmunk aircraft on the base. Two of these Chipmunks belong to the Royal Navy Historic Flight ( RNHF ), the third is a privately owned Chippy painted in Porteugese Air Force colours.

WK608 Chipmunk T 10 is active with the RNHF. It offers the Historic Flight pilots an opportunity to gain training hours in a tail wheel aircraft similar to the vintage Sea Fury and Swordfish they operate. It is currently the only Chipmunk still flying with the Royal Navy.

This aircraft has construction number C1/0617 and was delivered new to the RAF in 1952. In 1966 it was transferred to the Royal Navy and flew for many years from the Roborough airfield at Plymouth as part of the Britannia Royal Navy College ( BRNC ) before passing on to the RNHF at Yeovilton.

The RNHF also has Chipmunk T 10 WB657 coded "908"- this was seen stored unairworthy in large south side hanger at RNAS Yeovilton. It was delivered new to the RAF in 1950 and has c/n C1/0096.

Chipmunk G-BARS painted as "1377" of Port AF

Also based and airworthy at Yeovilton is Chipmunk 22 G-BARS. This is flown painted in Portuguese Air Force colours as serial "1377" - note that the Port AF did indeed operate Chipmunks but not this particular aircraft ( Port AF Chipmunk serials were 1301 to 1376 - "1377" is spurious ).

G-BARS was built in 1952 as a Chipmunk T 10 for the RAF with serial WK520. After 21 years service it was sold to the civil market and became G-BARS on 26.2.1973. The civilisation process would have included replacing the cartridge starter system. G-BARS was originally owned by Hawker Siddeley at Hawarden as part of their social flying club. After passing through various other owners it arrived at Yeovilton in 1998 in the possession of well known warbird pilot John Beattie.

By 12.07 this aircraft had accumulated over 8,344 flight hours.


LINK to photo of G-BARS while based at Hawarden in the 1970s

Yeovilton 7.7.09 - Air Show Preview Day

Sea Vixen XP924 arrives on Tuesday 7th July 2009 at Yeovilton, Somerset as part of the Press Preview event held as a warm up for the Air Show planned for Saturday 11th July 2009.


A small static display was arranged and a couple of practice displays were flown too. The static included the above Royal Marine Lynx AH7 from 847 NAS alongside a Royal Navy Lynx HMA8 - look at how the basic design has evolved when comparing the two airframes.




The based Royal Navy Sea King HC4 helicopters were busy preparing for the impressive mass helicopter aerial assault demo that is the finale of the Yeovilton Air Show each year.





The only airworthy Sea Vixen XP924 arrived at Yeovilton from its home base at Bournemouth Hurn airport. This truly magnificent aircraft is now operated as jet warbird registered as G-CVIX and painted in the colours of 899 Sqd when operating from HMS Eagle.



This year the Sea Vixen has a new display pilot, Lt Cdr Matt Whitfield of the Royal Navy. Lt Cdr Whitfield is based at Yeovilton and usually flies Hawk T1 aircraft.




With this year marking 100 years of Naval Aviation the show organisers were keen to attract historic Royal Navy aircraft - one of the stars is the Seafire F Mk XVII SX336 ( G-KASX ) owned by Tim Manna - this machine was built in 1946 by Westlands at nearby Yeovil. A total of 232 Seafire MK XVII were built.

The aircraft is powered by a Rolls Royce Griffon VI engine with a four bladed propeller. The derelict airframe was rescued from a scrap yard in 1973 - after many years of storage a full restoration project started in about 2000 with first flight post restoration in May 2006.



SX336 is the only airworthy Seafire in the UK - Seafire MK 47 VP441 flies in the USA registered as N47SF - two very rare aircraft.




Also present was Douglas AD-4N Skyraider G-RADR - this large single enginned aircraft was built in 1948. The Skyraider did see service with the Royal Navy in the 1950s & 60s but not this particular airframe ( you can see a Royal Navy Skyraider in the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton ) . This aircraft was delivered to the US Navy as Bu 126922 in about 1952. It was later sold to the French AF in 1960 as serial "42" before passing onto the the Gabon AF in the mid 1970s.

It arrived back in France as a civilian warbird in the mid 1980s being registered as F-AZED - I saw this at Duxford in 1992 & 1993 painted in a dark blue US Navy c/s as 126922 coded "JS-937 ". It was registered in the UK as G-RAID in 1993 and painted in its current US Navy colours as 126922 coded "AK-402" of VA-176 operating from USS Intrepid. After a sale it was re-registered as G-RADR in 2003 - it certainly is a beast of a design.


Parked in the static area was one of the Black Cat team aircraft, Lynx HAS 3 XZ250 coded "631" - the Black Cats operate as a pair with one Lynx HAS 3 and one Lynx HMA 8 operated by 702 NAS based at Yeovilton.



Also shown was G-BYXK Grob 115E Tutor owned by VT Aerospace but operated by 727 NAS based at Yeovilton - these basic trainers assess the skills of potential pilots prior to moving onto the Slingsby T67.

The Air Show will be held on Saturday 11th July and among the aircraft expected to attend are the Frecce Tricolori team, the Royal Jordanian Falcons, plus displays from a French AF Rafale ( UK debut display ) and F-16s from Belgium and the Netherlands.

Among the static aircraft due are a French Navy E-2 Hawkeye, German Navy Atlantic, Spanish Navy EAV-8, French Super Etendards and Lynxs from Portugal and France - all good stuff lets hope they arrive.

A variety of Sea King helicopters will be present to celebrate 40 years of service with the Royal Navy.

The show will also feature the Fly Navy 100 mass formation flypast plus of course the dynamic Commando helicopter air assault demonstration - I hope you enjoy the show.

For full details of the latest aircraft due to appear please click here


With thanks to the Yeovilton PRO team.