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By: - 7th March 2014 at 00:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Pretty certain it's originally G-BAGJ (G-SFTA was a later registration for the same airframe.) In spite of it's current colour scheme it was always civil aircraft
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-BAGJ.pdf
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-SFTA.pdf
In fact NEAM's website confirms that!
By: - 7th March 2014 at 08:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Depending on when DaveF68 took the photograph the ‘overall green Gazelle’ at NEAM may have been Sud-Aviation SA.341 Gazelle F-ZWRI / XW276 that is now at Newark and is listed as Significant on the NAHR.
This was originally on loan to NEAM from the museum at Middle Wallop and it moved back south in 1999 to Newark, who then took over the loan – it is still overall green and is listed in here.
By: - 7th March 2014 at 08:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
To the best of my recollection it has never been overall green, this was most likely XW276 as Twin Otter says.
XW276 was released when sufficient parts were finally sourced for G-BAGJ
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/6868045726/
It is G-BAGJ above is a photograph during repainting
It has also been in Desert Storm colours in the past
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?100971-North-East-Aircraft-Museum/page11
As the first of the civil gazelles it is a shame that it is not displayed as such
By: - 7th March 2014 at 14:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
G-SFTA ended its flying career, exactly 30 year ago today, when it encountered fenestrom stall in the vicinity of Alston Cumbria.It made one futher 'hop' when it was underslung to carlisle, by a BAH S61.
It had previously been HB-XIL with Air Zermatt and prior to that was G-BAGJ.
Of the dozen or so SA341G's with SFT,TA was different by being Westland built.
Photo 1 shows TA at the back of the carlisle hanger with a few other wrecks.
Photo 2 has it dismantled, to see if repairs were feasible.It turned out not to be.
TA then made a movie prop appearance and subsequently found a good home at sunderland.
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By: - 7th March 2014 at 16:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Depending on when DaveF68 took the photograph the ‘overall green Gazelle’ at NEAM may have been Sud-Aviation SA.341 Gazelle F-ZWRI / XW276 that is now at Newark and is listed as Significant on the NAHR.This was originally on loan to NEAM from the museum at Middle Wallop and it moved back south in 1999 to Newark, who then took over the loan – it is still overall green and is listed in here.
Oops, yes it was!
By: - 7th March 2014 at 21:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
G-BAGJ it is then, thanks alot guys
By: - 7th March 2014 at 22:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
It doesn't take much to throw the i/d of an airframe into doubt and the spotters into disarray.
My old Meteor Mk.8, WK914 (now in Malta) masqueraded as WF714 for quite a few years and even though the spurious serial was well publicised as such people were (and still are) regularly confused as to its true identity.
With some airframes going through three or more changes it's no wonder there is confusion. Thank goodness for the internet - it soon exposes the truth.
Anon.
By: - 8th March 2014 at 15:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Does anyone know the correct ID of this aircraft at NEAM, Usworth;I have seen several conflicting reports, it coould be mil or civvie, reg's noted for it are G-BAGJ, G-SFTA, XZ345, XZ335, XW858, XX380 but it is painted as XZ177. Its driving me a bit mad as there is nothing concrete out there saying what it is!
Thanks
Richard
hi,
with regards to the above, G-BAGJ/ G-SFTA are c/n 1039 as per the caa web site, SWAG trip report dated 8/9/13 also gives this as G-SFTA c/n 1039. with photo.
XZ345-c/n 1705.
XZ335-c/n 1674.
XW858-c/n 1089.
XX380-c/n 1268. from UK Serials Resource Group.
Aeroflight museum guide as "XZ345" real id XZ335 Complete and on display.
"G-BAGJ" real id G-SFTA dismantaled and stored.
Whereas the official web-site as it as G-BAGJ.
So make of it as you will, but I hope to visit shortly so I hope we can sort it soon...
regards
jack...
By: - 9th March 2014 at 19:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks Jack
Keep us posted with what you find, it seems a really mystery this one.
Thanks
Rich
By: - 12th March 2014 at 09:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
No mystery Guys. This is indeed G-BAGJ. It was painted in it's present colours for a military pageant and will be returned to it's former (civil) glory later this year.
As an aside, Neam was renamed as the North East Land, Sea and Air Museum (Nelsam) last April to more reflect it's expanding collection of vehicles, fire engines, buses and trams. We didn't really make enough of a fuss about it at the time but we are definitely re-launching the museum this year. We have some fantastic volunteers who are all pulling together to make Nelsam a great place to visit.
The support we have been receiving from Sunderland City Council has been incredible in the present economic climate and thanks to them, we have a new building for our tram collection and we are also hoping to enlarge the site soon.
By: - 15th March 2014 at 21:23 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
hi,
with regards to the above, G-BAGJ/ G-SFTA are c/n 1039 as per the caa web site, SWAG trip report dated 8/9/13 also gives this as G-SFTA c/n 1039. with photo.
XZ345-c/n 1705.
XZ335-c/n 1674.
XW858-c/n 1089.
XX380-c/n 1268. from UK Serials Resource Group.Aeroflight museum guide as "XZ345" real id XZ335 Complete and on display.
"G-BAGJ" real id G-SFTA dismantaled and stored.Whereas the official web-site as it as G-BAGJ.
So make of it as you will, but I hope to visit shortly so I hope we can sort it soon...
regards
jack...
hi,
just back from a enjoyable couple or three hours at this museum, I spoke to a lady who had been showing some people around, and asked about this Gazelle.
She said its made up of 2 main pieces, G-BAGJ/G-STFA from the frount to just about in line with the engine pylon then the rear half from (XX666?) but this is a Bulldog. Also a few bits off another crashed one they,ve got in store. So 1039 is the pods c/n, and that,s the main part, so that's it for me...
regards
jack...
By: - 2nd August 2014 at 17:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Gents.
This helicopter G-BAGJ, is a bit like the broom Trigger owned in the TV programme ‘Fools and Horses.’ He had the same broom for twenty years; however in that time he wore out fifteen heads and ten handles. Was it the original broom one has to ask?
This helicopter may have the original certification for G-BAGJ , but has had so many military parts fitted to it that it no longer resembles the civil Gazelle it once was. This is a great shame as the helicopter in its original livery of blue and white was very pretty. I do hope it is returned to its original livery sometime soon, but I’m acutely aware money is tight for everyone these days.
If I remember correctly, the upholstery was originally blue and white leather. A blue carpet with white piping and the flimsy fibre-glass instrument cowling was covered in blue leather. In fact the interior was very plush with non military leather low back seats. The upholstery work was carried out by a company based in the Bournemouth area: it may have been Jecco, or the fore runner of Jecco. I believe they did the upholstery on all 12 civil Gazelles that Westland Manufactured. The thirteenth civil build was never sold and was eventually converted into a training aid for the RAF.
Originally the tail cone had one antenna underneath and a small white arial poking out of the fibre-glass ‘Top Hat’ fairing. It had ‘Towel Rail’ antenna, either side of the tail cone and both skids were enclosed in fibreglass fairings. Also the lower Perspex section of both pilots and co pilot’s door were painted.
However studying the photo above, now in a military trim, if the canopy section is original, (back to Triggers broom again) I note there appear to be no IFF antenna in the centre of the roof section. This would indicate a civil version. None of the civil Gazelles had canopy IFF antennas fitted.
G-BAGJ was manufactured in 1973 I think for a customer called ‘Point to Point Helicopters Ltd’ and this was the second or third civil Gazelle to be manufactured by Westland. The first civil Gazelle manufactured was G-BAGL, again full leather upholstery and blue and white in colour, and easily confused with G-BAGJ. G-BAGL was manufactured in 1972 and was owned and used by Westland Helicopters for Corporate transportation, eventually replacing the aging Westland Widgeon.
The memory is fading a bit but I was one of a small team of fitters at Westland who assembled this helicopter way back in the ‘Seventies’. It was also the very first helicopter I flew in, so I do have a soft spot for this particular helicopter. As I have said, it would be so nice to see it back in its original livery.
I had all my own teeth and hair and a year out of my apprenticeship when I first went to the Gazelle assembly line. Working on the two gazelles that were supplied to Westland in kit form from Eurocopter and continuing to work on over 200 gazelles until the assembly line was transferred to Weston Super Mare. I have to say it is one of the best helicopters I have ever worked on.
Reggie W.
Posts: 763
By: REF - 6th March 2014 at 20:21
Does anyone know the correct ID of this aircraft at NEAM, Usworth;
I have seen several conflicting reports, it coould be mil or civvie, reg's noted for it are G-BAGJ, G-SFTA, XZ345, XZ335, XW858, XX380 but it is painted as XZ177. Its driving me a bit mad as there is nothing concrete out there saying what it is!
Thanks
Richard