Whirlwinds in funny places - From RAF News Jan '67

[F3]

Back in the day RAF Whirlwinds found themselves in some funny places as illustrated by these pics from RAF News (same edn but different items). Knew it was a versatile helicopter but these are extreme locations. Note the last one is actually indoors!

Whirlwind XP344 CFS atop Welsh mountain '67 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Whirlwind 202 Sqn. on N.Sea oil rig '67 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

Whirlwind @ International Boat Show '67 by Michael Britton, on Flickr

[Sparts99]

I think I saw the Boat Show one. It was in Earls Court, the Whirlwind was hung by the rotor head off the ceiling, it wasn't 'flying' as such. I seem to recall seeing a Wessex similarly hung at a Royal Tournament in the same venue.

[johnwickenden]

I seem to recall a Wessex at the Royal Tournament in the mid 1970s too...but I was very young...I thought I had imagined it.

[Cessna954]

Great photos.

I recall a Whirlwind being lowered from the Earls Court rafters at a Royal Tournament, and my log shows XP404 on 28th July 1984, along with Harrier GR1 XV279.

We went by coach from Reading, and it broke down going home!

Neil

[paddyboy]

Hi Mick

The pilot must have had fun dropping onto that rig

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[C24]

The picture on the hill would have been a common training routine. We would quite often park with the starboard wheels on a slope with the disk missing the ground to drop off people from the cabin.

Descending into a clearing between large trees was the one to make you sweat.

Stay safe

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these. Many years back I had several old copies of RAF news and there were always lots of interesting shots like these, including the RAF doing the day job. Sadly all my copies disappeared into the recycling bin over forty years ago. I do still have all my copies of the RAF yearbook going back to the early sixties, buried up in the loft where the wife can't find them. I know there's some excellent shots in some of them.

[F3]

Thanks for sharing these. Many years back I had several old copies of RAF news and there were always lots of interesting shots like these, including the RAF doing the day job. Sadly all my copies disappeared into the recycling bin over forty years ago. I do still have all my copies of the RAF yearbook going back to the early sixties, buried up in the loft where the wife can't find them. I know there's some excellent shots in some of them.

Whatever you do hang onto them. I've a collection going back to the late '50s. Trouble with with the 60s + early 70s ones is that they were printed on poor quality paper whereas by the 80s they had graduated to semi - gloss. I'm all too familiar with the problem of keeping things out of the wife's way!