Westland Wessex HAS1 XS876

[billydog]

I found this old Navy airframe tucked away in the corner of an industrial estate in Norfolk today. After much knocking on doors and ringing of bells, i couldnt find out who owned it, so if the owner is reading this, or somebody knows who owns it, i hope you dont mind that i took a few photos!


P1260405 by jut73, on Flickr

P1260404 by jutward, on Flickr

P1260403 by jutward, on Flickr

Justin.

[paddyboy]

I think it is beyond salvation Justin, but still nice to see

Cheers

Uncle P

[Lowfly11]

If i'm correct the PO tail code is Royal Naval Air Station Portland in Dorset.

[blakey]

I think it is beyond salvation Justin,

Bet the chaps at NAM would get it looking nice again

Great find tho Billydog

[Mike]

If i'm correct the PO tail code is Royal Naval Air Station Portland in Dorset.

Yup, it's ex Portland - I spent many a summer there as a youngster, saw plenty of RN Whirlwinds and Wasps there too.

[Lowfly11]

If i'm correct the PO tail code is Royal Naval Air Station Portland in Dorset.

Yup, it's ex Portland - I spent many a summer there as a youngster, saw plenty of RN Whirlwinds and Wasps there too.

..Thanks for the reply Mike..what a sorry sight the Wessex looks could make a good restoration project for a museum..doesn't look that bad on the outside.Regards Tim

[Mike]

XS876 is quite a recent one, the ones I saw at Portland were all XM and XP serials !

This one was in a museum - it was at East Midlands airport, not sure when it left though.

[paddyboy]

Hi Justin

Me and SWMBO had a day out in Cambridge today via the ol' railway

It was blinkin' hot, and on the way back, what should I see from the train, but your chopper!

I think there were more than a few funny looks, when I exclaimed something along the lines of
'Ann, look, there's Justins chopper, i'm sure it is'

The worst look was from your aunt, and it was defo in my direction

Please tell me it was the old Wessex, right near the Norwich/Cambridge line, or I will have some serious explaining to do

Cheers

Uncle P

[billydog]

Hi patrick.
Yep, you are spot on there, 'my chopper' is right next to the railway line!
I spotted it on a trip over to Norwich a few months ago, which is what led me to go and investigate.

Please re-assure Ann that your comment is all above board and ligitimate!

Justin

(p.s. I assume you came through Bury St Edmunds on the way back? If so, the first stop after Bury, Thurston, is where i live now!)

[paddyboy]

Thanks Justin

I thought the ol' mincers were on the blink for a while there

Best regards

Uncle P

[wessex has mk 1]

Hi this helicopter was from 771 squadron H.M.S. Osprey air station at Portland. I worked on this plane in the early seventies before leaving the fleet air arm. It was a search and rescue aircraft . I found this plane in 2010 at Donnington and the buyer wanted £3000.00 for it at the time , if i had the money and space i would have purchased it. The aircraft had been in the sea so everything was seized and rotting.

[Rob68]

I,m a tad behind with my Flickr stream and was looking for info on XS876 from 2010. I can see it was at EMA and displayed at Fairford in 2003 In the 100 Years of Flight Exhibition and was last known of at Koropi Kalivia, Greece, google maps have a storage yard but I cant find much out about this place or if it still there, anyone know?