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the sikorsky s-58 (ff 8 mar 1954) entered usn service late 1955 as the hss-1. this looked a good bet for the uk admiralty, which had been searching for a machine with sufficient power and endurance to be able to complete all three phases of anti-submarine warfare; hunt for, find and then destroy submarines. westland obtained a licence to build the s-58 in 1956. one s-58 was bought and modified with a 1100shp napier gazelle turbine engine, which ff 17 may 1957. 2 pre-production airframes built, ff 20 jun 1958 which became the wessex has.1.
the has.3 (a 1600shp gazelle mk 165 engine) and hu.5 (twin couled gnome turbine engines) were improved has.1s for the rn.
westland also produced the mk.31 for the ran (27), the mk.52 for iraq (12), mk.53 for ghana (2), the mk.54 for brunei (2) and the mk.60 as a civilian version of the raf hc.2 for bristow helicopters to serve offshore platforms in the north sea. 
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| Derivatives and Versions of this model: | | |
| Model | Year | History | | wessex hc.2 | 1964 | The Wessex HC.2 was an improved version of the Wessex HAS.1, designed for battlefield tactical support. To achieve the lift required (armed troop ...
| | | wessex hcc.4 | 1969 | Based on the robust and highly versatile RAF Wessex HC.2, the HCC.4 was given a VVIP interior, and had a special navigation systems fit, which in ...
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| Organisations / Units with this Model: | | |
| Construction Numbers of this Model: | | |
| C/N | Version | Built | History | | wa122 | wessex hc.2 | 1963 |  XR497 : dd 28 feb 1963. SAR duty at RAF Valley with 202 Sq by 1977. 22 Sq by Aug 1979 still by Sep 1986, 72 Sq/F by Mar 1998 still Sep 1999, wfu and sold to Uruguay AF.
 076 : ex RAF XR497. dd 20 Jun 2002, in service with EA5 by Sep 2002.
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| wa130 | wessex hc.2 | 1963 | 081 : To Uruguay Jan 1998. Delivered 20 Feb 1998.
XR505 : First flew 1 Oct 1963, delivered 18 Oct 1963 . SRCU/N by 1964, 18 Sq/BS by 1976, 2FTS/WA and named Aries by Dec 1983 still with 2FTS Sep 1992. wfu and stored at RAF Shawbury.
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| wa131 | wessex hc.2 | 1963 | XR506 : ff 30 Oct 1963, dd 23 Dec 1963. 18 Sq/H by Jun 1968 still by Feb 1970, 72 Sq/AV by Sep 1974, 72 Sq/V by May 1984 still Feb 1999, to 9343M GI 1 SoTT RAF Cosford, to DARA Shawbury by Mar 2000.
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wa134  | wessex hc.2 | 1963 | XR509 : ff 13 Dec 1963, dd 6 Jan 1964 . 18 Sq/N by Apr 1965 still Jun 1968. w/o 16 Oct 1981, to 8752M, scrapped Dec 1992.
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| wa135 | wessex hc.2 | 1963 | XR510 : ff 19 Dec 1963, dd 6 Jan 1964. HOCF/BZ by Sep 1970, w/o 12 Nov 1970 with HOCF as /BZ, in mid air collision with XT679/BU at RAF Odiham.
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| wa139 | wessex hc.2 | 1964 | XR517 : ff 22 Jan 1964, dd 3 Feb 1964. /G by Jun 1968. 72 Sq/AN by Sep 1972 still Sep 1978, 72 Sq/N by May 1984 still 1987, to DARA Fleetlands 11 Feb 1997. Sold.
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| wa143 | wessex hc.2 | 1963 | XR521 : First flew 16 Apr 1964 as HC.2, delivered 30 Apr 1964. Eventually to 2 FTS, wfu and stored at RAF Shawbury.
082 : To Uruguay Jan 1998. Delivered 20 Feb 1998.
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| wa144 | wessex hc.2 | 1964 | XR522 : ff 22 Apr 1964, dd 1 May 1964 . 78 Sq/O by 1965, HOCF/BW by Sep 1970, 84 Sq A Flt/Spades by May 1984, 28Sq/I by 1987, 28Sq/A by Sep 1996. Sold 1997.
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| wa148 | wessex hc.2 | 1964 | XR526 : ff 24 Aug 1964, dd 23 Sep 1964. w/o 27 May 1970 with 72 Sq, to RAF Odiham as 8147M, RAE Farnborough, G.I. Sherborne, Yeovil. Sold.
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| wa172 | | 1964 | XS498 : Wessex HU5C. d/d to RN 1964, 848 Sq/T-A by 1965, 845 Sq, 847 Sq/C-S by 1969, 707 Sq/WQ-VL by Mar 1976, Wroughton store by Mar 1982, to NASU Yeovilton by May 1982, to 772 Sq (/623-PO, not carried) in low-vis c/s by 28 May 192. To 848 Sq D Flt as attrition replacement June 1982 and sent to Falklands on mv Astronomer, arriving early July 1982. Returned via Devonport late July 1982 and transferred back to 707 Sq. At RNAY Fleetlands marked as 707 Sq/ZK by Jun 1984. To RAF 84 Sq/Jokerby 1991. HMS Sultan (AESS Gosport) as G.I A2641, to Predannack 19 Jul 1999 still there Jan 2000, to Ground Aviation, Hixon, Stafford. Some parts used in XT601.
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| wa195 | wessex hc.2 | 1965 | XS676 : First flew 15 Feb 1965 as HC.2, delivered 24 Mar 1965. Eventually to 2 FTS, wfu and stored at RAF Shawbury.
083 : To Uruguay Jan 1998. Delivered 20 Feb 1998.
083 : w/o march01 crash at sea during a rescue
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| wa198 | wessex hc.2 | 1965 | 084 : To Uruguay Jan 1998. Delivered 20 Feb 1998.
XS679 : First flew 28 Apr 1965 as HC.2, delivered 5 May 1965. Eventually to 2 FTS/WG, wfu and stored at RAF Shawbury.
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| wa199 | | 1964 | G-ASWI : Wessex 60, ex G-17-1, to G-ASWI /H.84, to VR-BDS, to G-ASWI, to VR-BDS, to G-ASWI, UK C of A expired 27 Oct 1981.
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| wa200 | | 1963 |  N7-200 : Built at Yeovil, f/f 9 Aug 62, d/d RAN 4 Sep 62. Initially wore code 880, later coded 810. Served with 816 Sq/810 during 1984. Boost Pump Failure 25 Mar 84 and returned to Nowra for rectification. Embarked on HMAS Tobruk in 1985. Wfu 31 Dec 89, converted to components for spares. Airframe located at Nowra in open store Jan 97. Disappeared by 2002.
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| wa267 | | 1966 | XS887 : dd 6 Apr 1966. 829 Sq Fife Flt/403-FI, Yeovilton Station Flight/18-VL by Sep 1973. 772 Sq/514-PO by Jul 1975, to RNAY Wroughton. To A2690, at SAH Culdrose by May 1984 ?, pres. Flambards Theme Park, Helston, by Jul 1983 still there Feb 2000, still there Apr 2006 marked as /403-FI.
XS887 private owner: Aquired by the Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group and moved to Aeroventure, Doncaster, UK on the 8th December 2007, (see helicopter-preservation-yhpg.org.uk). the aircraft is now on display and restoration is underway.
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| wa274 | | 1965 | XT452 : HU.5 built at Yeovil. d/d 4 May 1965. 707Sqdn/S-CU by Jul 1971. Sold to Bangladesh 1973.
 WA274 : ex UK RN XT452. In service late 1973. wfu 1994.
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| wa281 | | 1965 | XT459 : Wessex HU.5 d/d 6 Jul 1965, 847 Sq/B-S by 1969, 846 Sq/VB-A by 1972, 848 Sq/VJ by Aug 1976. 845 Sq/(Y)B by Mar 1982, Delivered to Ascension Island by Heavylift Belfast as an attrition replacement. To 845 Sq D Flt/(Y)B May 1982, to 845 Sq C Flt/(Y)B Jun 1982, tail sliced off on 24 Jun 1982 following landing accident. Airlifted to mv Atlantic Causeway by Chinook 12 Jul 1982 and arrived Devonport 27 Jul 1982. To NASU-VL 29 Jul 1982. 845Sq/D by May 1984, crashed and w/o 7 Nov 1983 at Setermoen, Norway.
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| wa283 | | 1965 | XT461 : Wessex HU.5 dd 5 Aug 1965, to 845 Sq/F-B by May 1966, 846 Sq/D-CU by May 1970, 846 Sq/XD by Jul 1971. 846 Sq/XD-VL by Sep 1973. 848 Sq/VA by Aug 1976. 846 Sq/VR-B by 1979. 845Sq/W by Apr 1984, 771 Sq/825-CU by Aug 1987, w/o 16/10/1987 with 771 Sqdn when ditched in Mounts Bay near Porthleven (Cornwall, UK) following engine failure.
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| wa290 | | 1965 | XT468 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 31 Oct 1965, 847 Sq/H-S by 1969, 737 Sq Tidespring Flt/332-TS by 1975, 771 Sq/530-CU by 1979, 845 Sq/(Y)D by Mar 1982, airlifted to Ascension Apr 1982. Was airborne when mv Atlantic Conveyor was sunk by Exocet and transferred to 848 Sq D Flt 25 May 1982. Returned to Yeovilton Aug 1982 for 845 Sq. 845Sq D Flt/YD by May 1984, to RNAY Fleetlands by Jun 1984, 772Sq/628-PO by 1987, RNAY Wroughton, to AES Lee-on-Solent as A2757 25 Jun 1991 still Jan 1993, to A2667 1993, to AESS HMS Sultan Gosport by Feb 1997 and had rear fuselage of XT460 fitted, to SFDO-CU, to G.I. Predannack on 17 Jan 1998, still Jul 1999, Aug 2005, Apr 2007.
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| wa291 | | 1965 | XT469 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN Nov 1965, 848 Sq/E-A, 847 Sq/E-S by 1969, 848 Sq/VE-B by Sep 1973. 772 Sq/514-PO by Jul 1976, 772 Sq/624-PO by Mar 1982, 847 Sq B Flt/XN 6 May 1982, returned to UK on 27 Jul 1982, to 771 Sq 1 Aug 1982, to 16MU Stafford as G.I. 8920M 10 Dec 1986 still Jan 1994, pres. Stafford.
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| wa292 | | 1965 | XT470 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 6 Dec 1965, 847 Sq/G-S by 1970, 845 Sq/L-H by Sep 1973, still 1976. 845 Sq/(Y)A, RNAY Wroughton, to AAC 7REGT Netheravon 10 Jul 1984. Dumped Netheravon by Oct 1988 and perished Netheravon May 1995. Some parts to International Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare by Dec 1990.
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| wa293 | | 1965 | XT471 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 19 Jan 1966, 847 Sq/F-S by 1969, Fleetlands 1976, 771 Sq/524-CU 1979 to Mar 1982, 847 Sq B Flt/XW by 7 May 1982, to 848 Sq D Flt/XW as attrition replacement Jun 1982. Returned to UK aboard HMS Hermes on 21 Jul 1982. To 707 Sq 22 Jul 1982. 707 Sq/ZF by Sep 1984, RNAY Wroughton to AAC 9REGT Dishforth 21 Jul 1992. Dishforth dump by Jun 1994 still Nov 1995. Perished Dishforth Jul 1998.
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| wa300 | | 1966 | XT478 : HU.5 built at Yeovil. d/d 24 Mar 1966. Sold to Bangladesh 1973.
WA300 : ex UK RN XT478. In service late 1973. wfu 1994.
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| wa304 | | 1966 | XT482 : d/d 5 May1966 to RN. To Culdrose 8 Jun 1966, 707 Sq/Q by Jun 1967, and still by Jul 1971. 707 Sq/WQ-VL by Sep 1973. At RNAY Fleetlands Jun 1976, 771Sq/527-CU by Feb 1980, NASU-CU by Dec 1980, 771Sq/527-CU by 1981, NASU-CU by Mar 1982, NASU-VL by Apr 1982, 707Sq/WL by May 1982, 847Sq A Flt/XL by May 1982 on RFA Engadine to South Atlantic, 845Sq Det/D-A by Sep 1982, 707Sq/ZM-VL by May 1984, 771Sq by Jul 1985, NASU-VL by Aug 1985, RNAY Wroughton by Sep 1986, to AES Lee-o-S by Nov 1985 to A2745, to A2656, left Lee-on-Solent on 23 Feb 1994 for FAA Museum Yeovilton, still there Sep 2005.
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| wa307 | | 1966 | XT485 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 2 Jun 1966, 847 Sq/K-S by 1969, 848 Sq/VT-B by Sep 1974. 771 Sq/522-CU 1979 to 1982, 772 Sq/621-PO by May 1984 still 1987, to AES Lee-on-Solent 23 Mar 1988 as A2769 still Jan 1993, A2680 by 1993 still Oct 1995, to AESS HMS Sultan Gosport /-PO by Jun 1996 still Jan 2000, still Apr 2007.
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| wa460 | | 1965 | G-ATBY : Wessex 60, G-ATBY, to VR-BDT Mar 1970, to G-ATBY Dec 1970, 5N-AJM Feb 1975 and subsequently w/o in Nigeria.
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| wa461 | | 1965 | G-ATBZ : Wessex 60. To G-ATBZ Mar 1965, to G-17-4 in 1981, to G-ATBZ. Withdrawn from use in 1982 and stored at Bournemouth (Hurn) from 1984 until 1987.
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| wa462 | | 1965 | G-ATCA : G-ATCA, (PH-THA ntu), lifted 1 millionth Ford Cortina from the Ford Dagenham plant to Belgium for export, G-ATCA w/o 9 Sep 1972 crashed and lost in fire at Rhoose (Cardiff/Wales).
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| wa463 | | 1966 | G-ATCB : Wessex 60, to G-ATCB, to ZS-HSL Apr 1975, to G-ATCB Mar 1976, to 5N-AJP Oct 1977 and subsequently w/o in Nigeria.
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| wa477 | | 1966 | XT755 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 5 Jul 1966, 847 Sq/D-S by 1969, stored, 771 Sq/523-CU by 1979 to Mar 1982, NASU VL, 847 Sq B Flt/XX by 13 May 1982, arrived on mv Atlantic Causeway in Falklands 1 Jun 1982 and returned to UK via HMS Engadine on 30 Jul 1982. To NASU VL by Aug 1982. 845 Sq/(Y)V, RNAY Wroughton, to 1 SoTT Halton as G.I. 9053M 22 Jan 1991 still Jul 1992. To Phoenix Aviation by Oct 1993, scr. Bruntingthorpe Jan 1996.
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| wa482 | | 1966 | XT760 : Wessex HU.5 d/d 10 Oct 1966, 847 Sq/A-S by 1969, 846 Sq/VS-B by Jul 1979. Fleetlands by Mar 1982, 707 Sq May 1982, 848 Sq C Flt/WV on RFA Olwen Jun 1982, 848 Sq C Flt/WV by Sep 1982, 845 Sq/WV by Oct 1982 and returned to UK Dec 1982, 845 Sq/J by Apr 1984, to RNAY Fleetlands by Jun 1984, 772 Sq A Flt/418-PO by 1987, to AES Lee-on-Solent 28 Feb 1991 as A2669, RNAY Wroughton, to RNEC Manadon (HMS Thunderer) /418 on 25 Jun 1991. To ETS-CU 6 May 1992, to AES Lee-on-Solent 16 Dec 1992 still Sep 1995. To AESS HMS Sultan Gosport by Feb 1997 and fitted with rear fuselage from (HC.2) XT604. Used in Horsea Lake by HMS Excellent (RN Portsmouth Diving School) by 1997.
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| wa483 | | 1966 | XT761 : Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 20 Oct 1966, 845 Sq/J-A by 1969, 847 Sq/J-S by 1970, 848 Sq/VU by 1976, 771 Sq/521-CU by Mar 1982, 847 Sq May 1982, 845 SQ D Flt May 1982 and airlfted to Ascension by Heavylift Belfast. Coded 845 Sq /YP by Dec 1982 and returned to UK by Heavylift Belfast 19 Dec 1983. 845Sq D Flt/YP still May 1984, RNAY Wroughton, to A2767 AES Lee-on-Solent 12 Apr 1988 still Jan 1993, to A2678 1993 still by Oct 1995, to HMS Sultan Gosport by Jun 1996 still summer 2005. To Fleet Air Arn Museum Historic Flight (ground use).
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| wa503 | | 1966 |  G-630 : Wessex Mk.53 Delivered 1966. Sold to Bristow as G-BGER.
G-BGER : ex G-630. To VH-BHI Mar 1979 on a Bristow contract in Australia. Restored to G-BGER, then 5N-ALO, G-BGER and N252HL. Sold to Uruguayan Naval Air Service in 1994.
065 : From Bristow Helicopters in part exchange for SH-34J (which was retired from ANU in 1988) in May 1994. Fitted with auxilliary fuel tanks for longer endurance.
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| wa504 | | 1966 | G-631 : Wessex Mk.53 Delivered 1966 ?. Sold to Bristow as G-BGWT.
G-BGWT : ex G-631. Became G-BGWT Aug 1979. De-reg Jan 1990 on export to USA and became N250HL of Hi-Lift Helicopters. Sold to Uruguayan Naval Air Service in 1991.
063 : From Bristow Helicopters in part exchange for Navy SH-34J in Aug 1991. Fitted with auxilliary fuel tanks for longer endurance.
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| wa528 | wessex hc.2 | 1966 | XT601 :
XT601 : ff 13 Mar 1966, dd 18 Jun 1966, Wessex SAR Flt. Muharraq by Dec 1967, 72 Sq/AH by Jul 1977 still Sep 1978, to 22 Sq A Flt by Sep 1983, to 22 Sq C Flt by Sep 1996, to 9277M G.I. Odiham (composite with XS498).
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| wa530 | wessex hc.2 | 1966 | XT603 : First flew 10 Jun 1966 as HC.2, delivered 29 Jun 1966. Eventually to 2 FTS, wfu and stored at RAF Shawbury.
085 : To Uruguay Jan 1998. Delivered 20 Feb 1998.
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| wa531 | wessex hc.2 | 1966 | XT604 : ff 7 Jul 1966, dd 2 Aug 1966 to RAF. Wessex HAR.2 78Sq, Muharraq SAR Flt, 78 Sq, 103 Sq. 22 Sq A Flt by May 1984, SARTU by Jul 1993. Last flew 1995 with 9000+ hours (thanks M Lindsey). To DARA Fleetlands by Jan 1999. Sold Mar 2000.
XT604 m lindsey: To Air & Ground Aviation (Staffordshire). Acquired by M Lindsey 2002 and moved to East Midlands Aeropark by Jun 2003. Still there Oct 2004.
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| wa547 | wessex hc.2 | 1967 | XT679 : ff 8 Mar 1967, dd 31 Mar 1967. w/o 12 Nov 1970 with HOCF as /BU, mid air collision with XR510 HOCF/BZ at Odiham.
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| wa563 | | 1966 |  AMDB-106 : To Brunei Jan 1967. Replaced by Bell 212 1971.
G-BAWJ : ex Brunei Govt. To Bermuda 1971 as VR-BEA, possibly with Bristow Helicopters to service overseas contract. Then to PK-HBV, G-BAWJ, VR-BEA, 9M-ASW, VR-BEA, G-BAWJ Mar 1977, 5N-AJN Dec 1978, G-BAWJ, N251HL, before going from Bristow to Uruguay Navy.
064 : Replaced ex USN SH-34J with the same serial in Aug 1991. wfu 1997 (for spares ?).
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| wa623 | wessex hc.2 | 1968 | XV728 : Sold Jun 1998 from DARA Fleetlands to Newark Air Museum and arrived by road 18 Aug 1998 for preservation, still there Jun 2005.
XV728 : f/f 25 Apr 1968, d/d 10 May 1968 to RAF. To 18 Sq, to CFS, to 2FTS by 1981, to 72 Sq/A by 1983 still 1987 (named Argonaut). Last flight to DARA Fleetlands 20 Feb 1997, clocking up 12,031 flying hours, sold Jun 1998 to Newark Air Museum.
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| wa627 | wessex hcc.4 | 1969 | XV732 : First flew 17 Mar 1969, delivered 25 Jun 1969 to RAF for the Queens Flight. To 32 (The Royal) Sqdn 31 Mar 1995, DARA Shawbury on 28 Apr 1998 being stored for RAF Museum, pres. RAF Museum Hendon by Oct 2003.
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| wa628 | wessex hcc.4 | 1969 | XV733 : First flew 13 May 1969, delivered 30 Jun 1969 to RAF for the Queens Flight. To 32 (The Royal) Sqdn 31 Mar 1995 until 1998. DARA Shawbury on 13 Mar 1998. Purchased by The Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare in Nov 2001. This was the first time the Heritage Lottery Fund had ever been used to purchase a helicopter. 15 Nov 2001 delivered to the Museum. To become the second Queens Flight helicopter (a Whirlwind HCC.12 is there) in the collection
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| wa695 | | 1969 | AMDB-101 : Replaced Whirlwind of the same serial. Airframe later became VR-BEB in 1971, then PK-HBW, G-BBCE and 5N-AJK, when it was written off (date ?).
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43 C/N found.
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