I did extensive restoration work on Hueys for the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation in Hampton GA. I was project manager for Huey 624 in 2003. It had been sitting on the ramp in Birmingham AL for 8 years. It took 9 months of saturdays and and 1 week night a week and other periods of time. Its been flying the air show circuit for 21 years now. It will be 60 years old in 2026. I had many of the same problems in bringing 624 back to flight status. None of us really worried about it being 40, 50 and now 60 years old. Parts are still made and readily available, although very expensive. The Huey is still saving lives, fighting fires, hauling troops and is the USAF primary trainer.
I have always loved the UH-1 since I was a child and when I got older and had the resources I decided to buy one. I ended up not buying a UH-1 because I didn't want to operate it the restricted category so I purchased a 205a-1 instead. I just found an awesome 212 for sale that might replace it. The 212 I have my eye is a 1980 model and it only has 580 hrs TTSN.
Well done gentlemen! I was a CH-46D mechanic in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War and fully appreciated the technical challenges and hard work you faced. “To fly is heavenly but to hover divine.”
I had the privilege of being an Observer flying in a Wessex during a secondment to the Royal Australian Navy in 1965. I was a Royal Australian Air Force member assisting the RAN with their new communications centre. Although a Leading Aircraftman, I was afforded many happy memories of my time with the RAN.
Fantastic story, congratulations to all the team. As a retired helicopter mechanic and Atpl pilot I can imagine the thousand of problems you had to cure on this venerable workhorse to be ready for the air show. You have done an amazing job 👏👍
Fan-freaking-tastic! Well done to Andrew and all at Historic Helicopters for getting this Wessex airborne after such a long time on the ground. My late step father, 848 Sqdrn Wessex 5 Junglies HMS Albion mid 1960s used to tell me stories of how a well aimed hammer could help with those sticky starter relays!
The Wessex was the first helicopter I flew in when serving in the army. I always remember being in awe at it‘s size and the noise. I love these renovation vids. Thanks 👍
Congrats to all of you, working hard, making dreams come true and always the unknown personnel....hats off bouyz and girls that made this happen and a love bird fly again.. and too everyone else bring these aircraft back to life
Very fond memories of watching these beautiful helicopters flying around our homes, my father was a chief engineer on the Wessex. Then had the opportunity to be transported around Hong Kong during the early 90’s.
I worked as a mechanic for a small airline in the mid 70's. In our fleet were several DC-3 and Beech 18's. We had a massive war surplus to draw parts from, for aircraft out of production for 30 years. I can't imagine how difficult restoring birds as complex as a Wessex helicopter, that he been parked for 30 years!
Brought back great memories as a kid in the late 1960s in Butterworth, Malaysia. These were my fav helicopters and were stationed there doing SAR missions. Great days!!
Reviving the past. I like the engine and wants the wissixs to be back on Royal Navy. This is extraordinary and history to remain forever. The UK Government to revive and fund the Wissixs operations in the Royal Navy. Thanks.
Company just down the road from me still operates 3 H-34’s as “aerial cranes”, mainly Chicago but all over the Midwest as well. The nose looks noticeably different due to the engine change, but they’re unmistakable when they fly over on the way to a job.
The current modern marvel is 3D printing! You can get parts made for this in minutes, and on the cheap too. No excuses as to why these antiques can't return to flight, it's all possible now. Great job on this video, very appreciated.
Correction, the Westland Wessex was developed from the Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw, a piston-engine helicopter.Sikorsky proposed upgrading the airframes with gas turbine engines, however the American military opted to go with the Bell UH-1; Westland, presumably under license from Sikorsky, built the gas turbine versions, which became the Wessex.
The original Sikorsky H34/S-58 versions were also retrofitted with turbine engines but used a different nose that looked a bit like a pig snout and different engines.
@@Nyth63 Correct, a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3 Twin-Pac turboshaft engines, resulting in a helicopter that eclipsed its original performance specifications..
I spent many hours hanging out the crew door of the S- 58 T ( turban model) for Sikorsky in the 70s. It was a company rescue/observation Platform, and you couldn’t help but to fall in love with that machine!
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, regularly flew into Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the right hand seat of a Sikorsky piston engined helicopter (Whirlwind?) in the 1950’s. Living opposite the hospital we used to see the Fire engine trundle past and could reach the landing ground on our bicycles before the Brigade arrived! I was born in 53 so first time I went would have been about 57/8. The Duke always had something funny to say to us on arrival, he seemed to be expecting to see us. He was always on about spark plugs when he returned to fly out! We heard quite a few forbidden words if the first restart failed - there was quite a wait before a second attempt was made. Once he left in a Police car after failing to get the helicopter going. That day men from Halton Camp were there after we had been home for our tea and returned to the landing ground - they chased us off using very forbidden words. Dad was RPE Westcott staff and ex RAF. Next day he told us that the rude men had been seen and were sorry about what they had said. When we next saw him the Duke somehow knew about the men. He joked about having to be more careful with his language in future! Happy days.
I also qualified to maintain at HMS Daedalus in 1983 on one of these. I got the easy tail wheel oleo change in my practical exam then went on to Mk3 and Mk5 Seakings.
I have a very fond spot for the Wessex. But it is a bit like making sausages too - do you really want to know what goes into them...? LOL. Looking at all those ancient electricals was giving me heartburn.
In the mid 80’s there was an American version of this chopper just out side of San Francisco Ca. I went for my first helo ride in it when I was 8 years old and have been hooked on flying since then. I never have got my helo lic though never have been able to afford one to justify the cost of license
There’s 5 of these in working order parked up in a hangar south of Taranaki NZ. They were bought to do heli logging but NZ CAA in co hoots with other heli lifting competitors got them ‘grounded’
Wessex was derived from H-34 Sikorsky helicopter. I maintained the Civil version Wessex 60, with Bristow helicopters. A very powerful machine with Gnome engines.
Very nice restoration and display. In the first few flights shown in this video at 26:15 and 27:10 and 34:45 and 35:55 the left main gear seems to be low. Or maybe the terrain was not level. It just seemed out of balance
Spent many hours in 28 Sqd Wessex’s trooping all over Hong Kong. They dropped us on remote islands, on ships, atop buildings and into Vietnamese refugee camps for weapons searches.
there is a company in my home state that uses the American version of this helicopter still in service now they use them to lift heavy things on to buildings
A municipality in Norway has decided to only take Ukrainian refugees. The same place has 28 percent of all its in inhabitants are immigrants. Norway are starting to look like Sweden….
the nitrogen accumulator is a simple service...nitro tanks and gauges...you cant tell if its low when Hyd pressure is already applied ...you need to depressurize. The pilot or ground maintenance crew should have seen it during a PMD . The pilot can not see it in the air. Once again trying to make drama. Im a CH-47 mechanic.
See, that’s the difference between the United States and England. England will take a relatively excellent condition, helicopter and struggle to put it back in the air. Their United States counterparts on the other hand can take something that has been underwater for 75 years and it’s nothing but a rusted, coral crusted wreck and get it back in the air in the same amount of time
I did extensive restoration work on Hueys for the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation in Hampton GA. I was project manager for Huey 624 in 2003. It had been sitting on the ramp in Birmingham AL for 8 years. It took 9 months of saturdays and and 1 week night a week and other periods of time. Its been flying the air show circuit for 21 years now. It will be 60 years old in 2026. I had many of the same problems in bringing 624 back to flight status. None of us really worried about it being 40, 50 and now 60 years old. Parts are still made and readily available, although very expensive. The Huey is still saving lives, fighting fires, hauling troops and is the USAF primary trainer.
Glad you brought it back!
I have always loved the UH-1 since I was a child and when I got older and had the resources I decided to buy one. I ended up not buying a UH-1 because I didn't want to operate it the restricted category so I purchased a 205a-1 instead. I just found an awesome 212 for sale that might replace it. The 212 I have my eye is a 1980 model and it only has 580 hrs TTSN.
Well done gentlemen! I was a CH-46D mechanic in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War and fully appreciated the technical challenges and hard work you faced. “To fly is heavenly but to hover divine.”
I had the privilege of being an Observer flying in a Wessex during a secondment to the Royal Australian Navy in 1965. I was a Royal Australian Air Force member assisting the RAN with their new communications centre. Although a Leading Aircraftman, I was afforded many happy memories of my time with the RAN.
Fantastic story, congratulations to all the team. As a retired helicopter mechanic and Atpl pilot I can imagine the thousand of problems you had to cure on this venerable workhorse to be ready for the air show. You have done an amazing job 👏👍
Fan-freaking-tastic! Well done to Andrew and all at Historic Helicopters for getting this Wessex airborne after such a long time on the ground. My late step father, 848 Sqdrn Wessex 5 Junglies HMS Albion mid 1960s used to tell me stories of how a well aimed hammer could help with those sticky starter relays!
The Wessex was the first helicopter I flew in when serving in the army. I always remember being in awe at it‘s size and the noise. I love these renovation vids. Thanks 👍
Congrats to all of you, working hard, making dreams come true and always the unknown personnel....hats off bouyz and girls that made this happen and a love bird fly again.. and too everyone else bring these aircraft back to life
Very fond memories of watching these beautiful helicopters flying around our homes, my father was a chief engineer on the Wessex. Then had the opportunity to be transported around Hong Kong during the early 90’s.
Living a part of history, life doesn't get any better.
Love seeing old important bits of kit being given another go, rather than sitting in a museum gathering dust!. Nice one!. Nuff said. 🙂
I worked as a mechanic for a small airline in the mid 70's. In our fleet were several DC-3 and Beech 18's. We had a massive war surplus to draw parts from, for aircraft out of production for 30 years. I can't imagine how difficult restoring birds as complex as a Wessex helicopter, that he been parked for 30 years!
Brought back great memories as a kid in the late 1960s in Butterworth, Malaysia. These were my fav helicopters and were stationed there doing SAR missions. Great days!!
Reviving the past. I like the engine and wants the wissixs to be back on Royal Navy.
This is extraordinary and history to remain forever.
The UK Government to revive and fund the Wissixs operations in the Royal Navy.
Thanks.
Fantástico!!🌟👏
Seeing that beautiful bird fly again made my scalp tingle. Great job restoring and flying this iconic aircraft.
Thank you for taking me along with you on this really cool trip !
Cheers from California 😎
Did a lot of "Hedge hopping" Bandit country in one of these old whirlybirds, brilliant to see one flying again. 👍
Company just down the road from me still operates 3 H-34’s as “aerial cranes”, mainly Chicago but all over the Midwest as well. The nose looks noticeably different due to the engine change, but they’re unmistakable when they fly over on the way to a job.
Thank you...
No more words!
A great Helicopter. I like it...
A beauty! Fantastic job!❤❤❤
The current modern marvel is 3D printing! You can get parts made for this in minutes, and on the cheap too. No excuses as to why these antiques can't return to flight, it's all possible now. Great job on this video, very appreciated.
Great story!
Well done
Bonjour a tous du Canada Bravo at all the men (and the lady) for this work.
Excellent
Amazing to see. 😍
Correction, the Westland Wessex was developed from the Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw, a piston-engine helicopter.Sikorsky proposed upgrading the airframes with gas turbine engines, however the American military opted to go with the Bell UH-1; Westland, presumably under license from Sikorsky, built the gas turbine versions, which became the Wessex.
the ones in vietnam had a radial engine? Thanks Darren
@@GibsonAviation Yes, all H-34/CH-34 helicopters in Viet Nam had radial engines.
The original Sikorsky H34/S-58 versions were also retrofitted with turbine engines but used a different nose that looked a bit like a pig snout and different engines.
@@Nyth63 Correct, a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3 Twin-Pac turboshaft engines, resulting in a helicopter that eclipsed its original performance specifications..
I spent many hours hanging out the crew door of the S- 58 T ( turban model) for Sikorsky in the 70s. It was a company rescue/observation Platform, and you couldn’t help but to fall in love with that machine!
Great !
The flying with trans colors did it for me
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, regularly flew into Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the right hand seat of a Sikorsky piston engined helicopter (Whirlwind?) in the 1950’s. Living opposite the hospital we used to see the Fire engine trundle past and could reach the landing ground on our bicycles before the Brigade arrived!
I was born in 53 so first time I went would have been about 57/8. The Duke always had something funny to say to us on arrival, he seemed to be expecting to see us. He was always on about spark plugs when he returned to fly out! We heard quite a few forbidden words if the first restart failed - there was quite a wait before a second attempt was made.
Once he left in a Police car after failing to get the helicopter going. That day men from Halton Camp were there after we had been home for our tea and returned to the landing ground - they chased us off using very forbidden words.
Dad was RPE Westcott staff and ex RAF. Next day he told us that the rude men had been seen and were sorry about what they had said. When we next saw him the Duke somehow knew about the men. He joked about having to be more careful with his language in future! Happy days.
I worked on and crewed the Sikorsky S-58T for some 10 years. Many memories here.
I flew on the 58T with carson
@@elizabethusilton2528I worked for Carson for 40 years, 1975-2014. The S-58T's were long gone before I retired. Sorry I can't picture who you are.
I also qualified to maintain at HMS Daedalus in 1983 on one of these. I got the easy tail wheel oleo change in my practical exam then went on to Mk3 and Mk5 Seakings.
I have a very fond spot for the Wessex.
But it is a bit like making sausages too - do you really want to know what goes into them...? LOL.
Looking at all those ancient electricals was giving me heartburn.
congratulation for the nice performance you prove that step by step for resolve all issue for at least win I know that is nor easy I m engineer too so
In the mid 80’s there was an American version of this chopper just out side of San Francisco Ca. I went for my first helo ride in it when I was 8 years old and have been hooked on flying since then. I never have got my helo lic though never have been able to afford one to justify the cost of license
There’s 5 of these in working order parked up in a hangar south of Taranaki NZ. They were bought to do heli logging but NZ CAA in co hoots with other heli lifting competitors got them ‘grounded’
There's one of these in Royce City Texas that does lifts that are quicker than to a crane set up.
Wessex was derived from H-34 Sikorsky helicopter. I maintained the Civil version Wessex 60, with Bristow helicopters. A very powerful machine with Gnome engines.
I got to fly the US version S58T. Great aircraft. I'd be curious to see what the differences are with the RR engines over the Pratts.
Bridgesat Toko-Ri had Mickey Rooney flying a copeter something like this..iconic shape nad a great pieve of aviation history..
you NEED!
Maybe some taxiing around putting the tail under load may have reduced the risk for first flight.
Respekt.
this aircraft looks allot like its Sikorsky counterpart. Was it made in the UK under license?
SCSI, the search for comment section intelligence. An ongoing quest
Very nice restoration and display. In the first few flights shown in this video at 26:15 and 27:10 and 34:45 and 35:55 the left main gear seems to be low. Or maybe the terrain was not level. It just seemed out of balance
She has also made an appearance in The Crown, as flown by the Prince Andrew character to visit his mom in season 4.
Spent many hours in 28 Sqd Wessex’s trooping all over Hong Kong. They dropped us on remote islands, on ships, atop buildings and into Vietnamese refugee camps for weapons searches.
First helicopter I flew in Hankley Common 1980 Last flight on one 1998 Cyprus
Beautiful idea restorein these old reliks but I can help thinking the money could be better spend...
What are those things on the outside of the front wheels?
They’re for flotation devices to keep the helicopter from flipping upside down in the event of a ditching.
Those are flotation cans which deploy if the helicopter lands on water in an emergency.
That Wessex was used in The Crown episode.
there is a company in my home state that uses the American version of this helicopter still in service now they use them to lift heavy things on to buildings
Where the heck’s Aquaman,Superman,Batman and Robin?? Let’s get some bodies here dudes.
this helicopter is very similar to the Sikorsky Sh-34 helicopter
👍😎
wonderful video; but why almost always that annoying music? For me ,the best sound is coming from the engines
Very impressive. Fkng guy is loaded millions in bank. Yea. Nice work
2:21 You mean his wife? Holy smokes
No APU? What’s going on there? Lol
I hope the quality of their work is better than that in the tractor they have.
Helicopter NOT chopper..goofball. TD Atlanta
Goof
A municipality in Norway has decided to only take Ukrainian refugees. The same place has 28 percent of all its in inhabitants are immigrants. Norway are starting to look like Sweden….
Death traps
🙈🙈not new for being plan Engeineering 😮 the Moon 😂😂 🤣🤣😂🤩 Rodoffe Pony Kichen Crazy 😂😂
Nasa Bipolar area Canada😮😝😝😝🤖🤖 i😂😂😂or on the Moon 😂😂😂Rodoffe Pony Kichen Crazy and Bipolar
Nasa Dizzy 😂😂😂
Wessex??? Thats a Sikorsky S-55
What? Do your research😂
Yes essentially. Licensed British version with some differences.
ORAL
Waste of time and money
There will be allways one...
It is not your time neither your money... so please stop complaining!
And if you don't like it, don't watch it...
Amazing 👍👍👍
Babbling Britt's !
the nitrogen accumulator is a simple service...nitro tanks and gauges...you cant tell if its low when Hyd pressure is already applied ...you need to depressurize. The pilot or ground maintenance crew should have seen it during a PMD . The pilot can not see it in the air. Once again trying to make drama. Im a CH-47 mechanic.
Why don't they just show the actual work being done instead of a drama?
See, that’s the difference between the United States and England. England will take a relatively excellent condition, helicopter and struggle to put it back in the air. Their United States counterparts on the other hand can take something that has been underwater for 75 years and it’s nothing but a rusted, coral crusted wreck and get it back in the air in the same amount of time