FighterControl

Life in the slow lane today with some of the one-time local "iron-chickens", aka the Westland Whirlwind from 202 Sqn D Flt. Before the long-lived and last RAF SAR helicopter the Seaking, these Whirlwinds provided SAR cover in this part of Scotland. I think there may have been some Westland Wessex in the interim, but the later Seaking was a real step-change in capability. If I remember correctly the RAF ones took over from RN Whirlwinds in the same role, but I have no photos of these that I can find.

Whirlwind HAR10 RAF Ser XJ724- RAF Lossiemouth 1970s by Alan M, on Flickr

Whirlwind HAR10 RAF 202 Sqn Ser XP404- RAF Lossiemouth 1970s by Alan M, on Flickr

Whirlwind HAR10 RAF 202 Sqn Ser XD165 - RAF Lossiemouth 1970s by Alan M, on Flickr

Whirlwind HAR10 RAF 202 Sqn Ser XJ724 - RAF Lossiemouth 1970s by Alan M, on Flickr

Whirlwind HAR10 202 Sqn Ser XP404 - RAF Lossiemouth 1970s by Alan M, on Flickr

Gotta love a Whirlwind - such a pretty little helo! Thanks for posting another lovely set.

Only the Sea King in my time visiting Lossie, so great to see this classic helo.
Cheers.

Ah, the old helipads next to Drainie Rd. I could be wrong but I don’t think the Wessex were ever based at Lossie, and 202 D Flt went straight from Whirlwind to Sea King, although I do believe some 202 Sqn Sea Kings were commandeered just after the Falklands and temporarily replaced be Wessex but not the D Flt ones. I stand to be corrected though.

Ah the Whirlwind, that bright yellow coloured chopper sparked a life long passion for aviation in me, seeing one land at Aberdeen's Woodend Hospital when i must have been around 10 years old back in the early Seventies and getting right up close saw me hooked and then my Dad took me down to Fred Whytes model shop in Aberdeen for the Airfix kit and the rest is as they say is history. Suberb stuff your posting up Alan it really is history at its finest

Sneaked in 4 F104s behind the second shot of XP404!

Hi Ken,

That photo wasn't an observation test but you passed anyway!

Hi Retro11,

Thanks for your kind comments. The Whirlwind was one of those aircraft that you saw around all the time locally and took for granted, then suddenly it was gone, just like the Seakings three decades or so later.

Another sadly missed type, I think the last time I saw one flying at a show was in 1981 at St Athan. Thanks for sharing these.

Hi Alan

Can remember those at Coltishall back in the 60’s/70’s

What a racket when on the inside

Thanks for another super post

Paddyboy

I remember the ones in the red scheme at Shawbury, probably some of the last ones in service?

Brilliant!