Westland Wessex Memories (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,


Back in the mid 1980’s I was Regimental Adjutant of The Royal Hong Kong Regiment.


Part of my duties were to liaise with the other British military units of the Hong Kong Garrison... The different light infantry regiments of The Brigade of Gurkhas... the resident British battalion... Royal Navy ships of the HK Flotilla and... The Royal Air Force.


At that time, the RAF presence mainly comprised 28 Squadron and its support elements. 28 Squadron flew the Westland Wessex, a British-built, turbine-powered development of the Sikorsky H-34.


Designed and produced under license by Westland Aircraft it came into British service in 1961 and was retired in 2003. Virtually all British machines were flown by either the Royal Navy or Royal Air Force.


Here in Hong Kong they were operated by 28 Squadron, Royal Air Force based at Sek Kong in the Colony’s New Territories. Here they provided air lift and transport services for the various British Army units all around Hong Kong... and that’s how I got to fly with them on many occasions.


28 Squadron and their Westland Wessex were a familiar sight in the years leading up to 1997 and the handover to China. After the British withdrawal the Squadron’s aircraft were sold to the Uruguayan Navy.


The Wessex is a great looking aircraft and also served with the Royal Australian Navy... The Brunei Air Wing... The Ghanaian Air Force... The Sultan of Oman’s Air Force. It’s also a terrific (and large) model. Just 3 available... ‘Alpha’, ‘Bravo’ and ‘Charlie’.


Here’s a ‘look-see’... hope you like it!


Merry Christmas to one and all,

Andy

 

[Horus]

Those Wessex are real little beauties Andy :salute::

Of course you know that there's going to be American customers wanting USMC H34's now ^&grin

Steve

 

[Terp152]

Beautiful models, AND three different tail numbers! CHris

 

[jazzeum]

A beautiful model Andy. I hope you keep one for yourself.

Brad

 

[tdubel]

Very nice looking machines!
TD

 

[Peiper007]

Really nice and brought back my memories, NI border country Bessbrook and in the South Atlantic.

Westland Wessex HAS.3 XP142, nicknamed "Humphrey", has a story all of itr's own, rescuing 16 SAS men from a very cold night and later the detection and disabling of the Argentinian Sub Santa Fe.