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aerospatiale sa330 puma

in Royal Air Force

Del'd: 56 - 1971 to present

History of this Model in this Organisation:

Puma development by Aerospatiale in France was well under way when a collaboration agreement for a battlefield transport helicopter was signed at governmental level in Feb 1967. The flight control system was jointly developed and Aerospatiale delivered a pre-production SA330E to Yeovil in 1968 as a pattern airframe for the first production order by Westland at its Hayes plant. (All RAF Pumas are shown under Aerospatiale).

An inital order for 40 was placed with Westland. The SA330E Puma HC.1 is powered by twin Turbomeca Turmo IIIC4 engines, in a side by side mount, above the cabin. It is a versatile airframe with many roles, including battlefield mobility for troops and supplies, CASEVAC and support for Harriers in forward operating bases. Part of the Support Helicopter Force, most Pumas are now committed to the UK Joint Helicopter Command. A further batch of 8 units was built at Westland's Weston-super-Mare plant and delivered between 1980 and 1981. One ex-Argentine SA330L was included in the inventory and a further 6 ex-SAAF SA330H make up the 2004 force. A small number have been written off.

Units with this Model in this Organisation:

Years	Units	bold : Current Base of the Unit
1997/02	72 squadron	RAF Aldergrove
1993/98	27 squadron	RAF Odiham
1992/94	18 squadron	Laarbruch / Niederrhein Gütersloh
1981/93	1563 (tactical support) flight
1972/93	240 operational conversion unit	RAF Odiham
1971	air training squadron	RAF Odiham
1971/now	33 squadron	RAF Benson RAF Odiham
1971/now	230 squadron	RAF Aldergrove Gütersloh RAF Odiham RAF Wittering

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Roles of this Model in this Organisation:

Roles

casualty evacuation (casevac)

heavy assault

military transport

Construction Numbers of this Model in this Organisation:	Help Us

C/N	Mod	Built	ID In this Organisation	In other Org

1061	sa330e	1971	XW202: RAF Puma HC1 in 1997 27(r)Sqn.
1068	sa330e	1971	XW203: Also allocated Fairey series c/n F.9750. ff 23 Mar 1971, dd 5 Apr 1971. Lost control and crashed nr N. Whitchurch and w/o 15 Nov 1974 while with 33 Squadron
1080	sa330e	1971	XW205: Also allocated a Fairey series c/n F.9752. ff 22 Apr 1971, dd 5 May 1971. w/o 30 Jan 1978 with 33 Squadron, when a detatched cabin door struck tail rotor during exercise in Voss, Norway
1091	sa330e	1971	XW207: ff 18 May 1971, dd 2 Jun 1971 to RAF, to 33 Sq/CD by Aug 1972 to Jul 1983, 1563 Flt/CD Belize by Sep 1983, 33 Sq/CD by Oct 1984 to 1989, 1563 Flt/CD Belize by 1990, BFME/E by 1991, 33 Sq/CD by 1992 still 1993, 230 Sq by 1994 still 1996, 33Sq by 1997. Crashed near Catterick, en route Leeming - Benson 19 Apr 2000. To Eurocopter at Marignane (under rebuild Mar 2004), returned to 33 Sq by Jun 2004.
1106	sa330e	1971	XW211: RAF Puma HC1 in 1992 /CH 33Sqn.
1111	sa330e	1971	XW212: RAF Puma HC1 in 1997 27(r)Sqn.
1116	sa330e	1971	XW213: RAF Puma HC1 in 1997 27(r)Sqn.
1148	sa330e	1971	XW220: RAF Puma HC1 in July 1991 /CZ 33Sqn.
1157	sa330e	1972	XW222: RAF Puma HC1 in 1992 /BX 18Sqn. ; 1993 /BX 18Sqn.
1161	sa330e	1972	XW223: RAF Puma HC1 in 2009 230Sqn.
1166	sa330e	1972	XW224: RAF Puma HC1 in 1990 /DH 230Sqn. ; July 1991 /DH 230Sqn.
1175	sa330e	1972	XW226: RAF Puma HC1 in July 1991 230Sqn. ; 1999 /AA 230Sqn.
1178	sa330e	1972	XW227: RAF Puma HC1 in 1997 27(r)Sqn.
1185	sa330e	1972	XW229: RAF Puma HC1 in 1990 /DB 230Sqn. ; 2003 33Sqn.
1205	sa330e	1972	XW233: RAF Puma HC1 in 2009 230Sqn.
1216	sa330e	1972	XW236: RAF Puma HC1 in 2009 33Sqn.
1218	sa330e	1972	XW237: RAF Puma HC1 in 1992 /CR 33Sqn.
08		1968	XW241: RAF type:SA330E from 2007 preserved Farnborough museum	XW241: f/f 30 Jul 1968, as SA 330A and became F-ZJUX. Converted to SA 330E pre-production airframe, prior to delivery to Westland at Yeovil on 10 Oct 1968 for use as a pattern airframe for the RAF Puma HC.1, to be built at Hayes.
1622	sa330e	1980	ZA934: RAF Puma HC.1 ZA934/BZ 33sqd w/o 08aug07 near Catterick, UK
1591	sa330l	1978	ZE449: ex argentine coast guard PA-12 was converted to Puma HC.1 in 2001 and participate on operation Iraq Freedom in 2003 with 33 squadron	PA-12: captured by the british in malvinas/falklands war
1310	sa330h		ZJ954: ex SAAF 144. conv Puma HC1. RAF 33 sqd	144: to UK as ZJ954
1363	sa330h		ZJ955: ex SAAF 148. conv Puma HC1. RAF 1563 Flight	148: to UK as ZJ955
1374	sa330h		ZJ956: ex SAAF 172. conv Puma HC1. RAF 1563 Flight	172: to UK as ZJ956
1474	sa330h		ZJ957: ex SAAF 169. conv Puma HC1. RAF 1563 flight	169: to UK as ZJ957
1420	sa330h		ZJ958: ex SAAF 173. spares?	173: to UK as ZJ958
1378	sa330h		ZJ959: ex SAAF 184. spares?	184: to UK a ZJ959

26 C/N found in this Organisation