Yeovil (Westland) Sightings Summer 2020

[mjcmerlin]

Monday 29th 1000-1130
ZZ513 Wildcat HMA
ZZ Wildcat on compass base

Tuesday 30th 1200
Only air ambulance noted

Wednesday 1st July 1300-1330
ZZ Wildcat Ground run
ZZ378 Wildcat HMA 09 runway end
ZH829 Merlin HMA2A(AEW) 09 Runway end
ZH831 Merlin HMA2A(AEW) Took off whilst I was at 09

Both bagged Merlins still by the rotor rigs

[mjcmerlin]

Friday 3rd July 1030-1400

ZH831 Merlin HMA (AEW) Flew as WHE05
ZH829 Merlin HMA (AEW) 09 end of airfield
/W Merlin 3i Outside for mk4 conversion
ZZ415 Wildcat HMA Flew as WHE06
ZZ513 Wildcat HMA Flew as WHE02
ZZ378 Wildcat HMA 09 end of airfield
ZZ404 Wildcat AH Ground run
ZH853 LYNX MK95A

[John Fletcher 54]

Monday 6 July c.1100

ZH831 Merlin
(ZJ137)/W Merlin
ZZ415 Wildcat (flew)
ZZ404 Wildcat (flew later)
ZZ378 Wildcat (top end)
Also 2-GIGI A109 (flew)

[mjcmerlin]

Tuesday 7TH July

ZJ137\W Merlin Mk3i For mk4 conversion
ZJ995\AD Merlin Mk4A
ZH829 Merlin MK2 (AEW) 09 Runway end
ZZ378 Wildcat HMA 09 Runway end
ZZ(415) Wildcat HMA
2-GIGI A109 Flew as WHE04

Wednesday 8th at 1400 (did not visit main site)

ZH829 Merlin MK2 (AEW) 09 Runway end
ZZ378 Wildcat HMA 09 Runway end

[Malcolm]

Wednesday 8th at 1400 (did not visit main site)

ZH829 Merlin MK2 (AEW) 09 Runway end
ZZ378 Wildcat HMA 09 Runway end

16:15L The Portugese Lynx ZH583 flew between 16:15L and 16:45L - I think as "WHE05".
17:38L Something pinging in the hangars as [43C7E7], and "ABCDEF" in the callsign box. Last hex I have is [43C7E4] which is/was ZZ109. If the sequence is followed that would make [43C7E7] ZZ112?

[mjcmerlin]

Thursday 9th July 1030

0279(ZZ110) AW101 MK612 in Wash Bay
ZH829 Merlin mk2 AEW 09 runway end
ZJ995-AD Merlin MK4A
ZZ378 Wildcat HMA Towed into hangar
ZZ Wildcat
ZH583 Lynx
2-GIGI A109 Flew as WHE02

[raameagle]

An update at 1400L

AW101 0279 still outside but on main apron, tower end.
Merlin ZH829 still parked at the 09 end.
Lynx ZH583, Merlin ZJ995 and an AAC Wildcat all on main apron.

Regards

Mark

[busterg4]

An update at 1400L

AW101 0279 still outside but on main apron, tower end.
Merlin ZH829 still parked at the 09 end.
Lynx ZH583, Merlin ZJ995 and an AAC Wildcat all on main apron.

Regards

Mark

Was there whilst ZH583 was flying.

0279 was put back inside circa 1630
ZJ995 not seen, so presume back away.
ZH829 still there
ZH583 landed 1645ish
ZZ393 was the AAC Wildcat, still on the ramp when we left.
(ZJ137)/W also on the ramp

The first hangar was wide open, but unable to identify any others from the pathway as they were too low.
At least two more Merlins, grey c/s
One Wildcat, dark green c/s
2nd hangar - another grey Merlin

[Malcolm]

One Wildcat, dark green c/s

AFAIK the only Wildcat ever noted in dark green c/s is/was ZZ400, the first prototype. However, that's been wfu for several years, and was GI at either Lyneham or Yeovilton. Several Lynx AH1/7/9's have been seen ay Yeovil over the years, and one of these would be a more likely candidate. Unless they're starting to repaint the Army Wildcat AH1's?

[busterg4]

To be fair we could only see the top of it, so could quite easily be a Lynx!

[Kevin Brewer]

Noted at 13.10 today
0279 taken from spray rig back to main hangar behind flightline.
ZJ995/AD, Merlin HC.4A on the flightline.
Lynx Mk.95A ZH583 about to depart.
A.109 2-GIGI plus unidentified UK Wildcat on the flightline.

[Cessna954]

To be fair we could only see the top of it, so could quite easily be a Lynx!

Potentially it could be the green AW149 demonstrator CSX81890 that has been based at Yeovil. I haven't seen mention of it on the ramp at Yeovil since last summer, but that's not to say it's not tucked up in the flight hangar. A few images of the colours it wears.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25034864@ ... 1-2eTJYKB/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25034864@ ... 1-2eTJYKB/

Neil

[Freeman Lowell]

To be fair we could only see the top of it, so could quite easily be a Lynx!

Potentially it could be the green AW149 demonstrator CSX81890 that has been based at Yeovil. I haven't seen mention of it on the ramp at Yeovil since last summer, but that's not to say it's not tucked up in the flight hangar.

Neil

It would certainly be interesting to confirm where that airframe is now. From the angle that Buster would have looking from it would have been v.difficult to count the rotor blades, but may have been possible to see if it had a coloured cowling on the rotor head or not...
Freeman

[busterg4]

Definitely not the AW149, the main rotor cap was shaped like a tophat, hence my Lynx/Wildcat speculation.

[Kevin Brewer]

An update to my post yesterday, a drive around to the western end revealed Merlin HM.2 AEW, Crowsnest fit was parked near the site of the new building, and confirmed the continued presence of the two white-bagged EH-101s down by the west gate. All three were easily visible from Bunford Lane.

[mjcmerlin]

Monday 13th 1000 -1130

ZZ415 Wildcat HMA
ZZ404 Wildcat AH
ZZ393 Wildcat AH
ZH583 Lynx Compass Base
ZH829 Merlin MK2 (AEW) 09 Runway end
Merlin Mk2 (AEW) Flew this morning from approx 0600-0900 working on airfield (Locals not happy)
0279 AW101 Mk612 In hangar Still no main rotors
2-GIGI A109

[Malcolm]

Merlin Mk2 (AEW) Flew this morning from approx 0600-0900 working on airfield (Locals not happy)

Think this was ZH831 - it had the orange probe under the nose.

And too right about the locals not being happy - When I heard it running I got up to see it in-case it was something on delivery

[mjcmerlin]

Tuesday 14th 1030

ZZ415 WILDCAT HMA
ZZ404 Wildcat AH
ZH583 Lynx
ZH831 Merlin mk2a
ZH829 Merlin Mk2a 09 Runway end
2-GIGI A109

Wednesday 15th

ZH583 LYNX Flew as WHE02
ZH829 Merlin Still 09 Runway end

0279 AW101 MK612 Still minus rotor blades in flight test

[Pogo]

ZZ393 was towed up the side this afternoon approx 3pm minus rotors

[eagle driver]

Zh583 Lynx Was noted on ADSB flying late afternoon