The Question time # 169 clue was a section from this photograph.
We are looking at the Westland Wessex 60 Series 1 9G-DAN (c/n WA739) and the Westland Wessex HC Mk5C ZK-HVK2 (c/n WA178) in the partially open hangar of Metro Air in Christchurch on 08-9-2000.
9G-DAN was one of twenty Wessex Mk 60's built for the civil market by Westland. It was built initially for Bristow Helicopters of Redhill, Surrey and registered as G-AYNC on 30-11-1970.
It was used on their contract in western Australia where it was registered as VH-SJD in April of 1971.
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It returned to the UK and became G-AYNC again in June of 1983 and then trundled down to Nigeria and became 9G-DAN in about August of 1993. As can be seen it was in Christchurch NZ by 2000 along with several others.
Some serious work was carried out on it and it is seen below on 27-09-2001, pretty much a bare shell.
What ever happened to it ??
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Its hangar mate ZK-HVK2 was built for the UK military as a Wessex HC Mk5C and carried the Royal Navy serial XS509. On being withdrawn from active service it becoming instructional airframe A2597.
It was sold at auction on 25-02-1998 (along with many others) and turned up in Christchurch with at least four others and several rear fuselages.
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It first flew here on 30-11-1998.
Above we see it in its XS509 colour scheme in Christchurch on 11-01-1999 after having been registered to Metro Air Ltd on 11-12-1998. It carried its large "VK" letters under its nose and smaller "VK" letters on its vertical tail.
Below we see it on 10-11-1999 with "Metro Air" signage on its rear fuselage.
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Above. By 28-05-2000 it was in this colour scheme with its VK registration letters moved forward.
And by that September it carried the large "MetroAir" script.
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It was sadly lost in an accident on 12-02-2001 in the Little Pokororo Valley, which is just to the southwest of Motueka, whilst on log lifting duties.
What was the airframe that went to Ferrymead after being in the bottleshop carpark for years. Possibly the top machine?
ReplyDeleteYo there Anon.
ReplyDeleteThe Ferrymead example was the next Wessex Mk60 on the production line (ie c/n WA740). This was the one that featured in the "Full Metal Jacket" movie. It was later painted pink and wore the spurious ZK-IDL marks.
I will perhaps do a post on it later.
Cheers
it came to stfd to end its days with the ford collection,it was parked near the shed nxt to east road(the forgotton highway)in the shed were another six wessex,two of which were airworhty,dont know if they are still in there
ReplyDeleteRoger that.
ReplyDeleteThat's where I thought it went.
Was wondering what happened after that.
Are they all still there decaying ?
Regards
Shame on caa for screwing over the ford's with there Wessex they did everything that caa asked them to do and more they had the best pilots and engineers on board with them to make it safe as possible.caa stuffed this one up big time and the ford's are going to expose these corrupt people I'v been told it's in the high court as we speak.
ReplyDeleteHi just noticed a date mistake: trundled down to Nigeria and became 9G-DAN in about August of "1993". Shouldn't 1993 be 1983.
ReplyDelete