Can A Team Of Engineers Renovate This Retired RAF Rescue Helicopter? | Warbird Workshop | Progress
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2023
- The legendary Sea King helicopter made its name during the Falklands War when it played a crucial role in search and rescue missions. However, since those heroic days, many Sea Kings have retired from service, some ending up in scrapyards or museums. The one we're focusing on today, an ex-RAF Sea King, weighing in at six tons and built in the 1970s, faced a similar fate. It was saved from the scrapyard, but years of corrosion, wear, and redundancy had taken their toll.
The reason for its restoration is simple yet profound - passion and a commitment to preserving history. This project is led by a team of military veterans who share an unwavering dedication to saving vintage aircraft. Their goal is not just to restore this Sea King but to see it take to the skies once again. It's a mission born out of love for aviation and a desire to keep the legacy of these remarkable helicopters alive.
Welcome to Progress -- the home of history's greatest leaps forward. From the seismic invention of the world's first printing press to the great rocket-powered marvels that took us to the stars, we'll be bringing you world-class documentaries celebrating history's greatest inventions and technological breakthroughs.
Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free exclusive podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Matt Lewis and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code PROGRESS 👉 bit.ly/3CbEssK
Progress is part of the History Hit Network.
#progress #documentary #technology
Wonderful to see these people return a search and rescue seaking to the skies. I used to live on the north Devon coast at Mortehoe, seeing the crews from RMB Chivenor training on the headlands was always great to watch. At the same time in my life i worked at sea, and more than a few times whilst out in the mouth of the Bristol channel we would have a crew from of the seakings call us up and ask for permission to practice landing a crew member on our decks. Quite something having one hovering above your boat!. But anyone that ever had seaside holidays in the UK will remember these wonderful machines. Was a sad day when they were retired. Just fantastic to see this one restored to flight.
Brilliant!. Another important iconic bit of kit saved!. Well done all!. Nuff said!. 🙂
Great to see some old work mates. Great memories from Chivenor. RIP fozzy, smiling as always even in fuel tank!! All the best to you all.
There wasn't much detail about the restoration how it was funded or how much it cost
Brilliant! Having served in the RN for 23 years including Ark Royal, briefly, Bulwark and Hermes. I have had the pleasure? Of flying many times in both Seaking and Wessex helicopters. Later Lynx in type 42s. Although a stoker by trade a complicated story gave me many opportunities to fly. What a great job you guys are doing. During the Falklands war I saw first hand the massive skill the aircrew had or have. I know if I had, had the misfortune of falling into the sea home or away, I wouldn’t have cared what colour, orange and grey, yellow, RN or RAF. As long as a Seaking was there I’d have felt a lot safer. I thought a great sight was the flags of the services in the background and the cooperation between all the people involved. I really do hope I can get to see your magnificent machines flying once more. Thank you.
I used to carry out SUM and SBM refurbishments on Navy and Air Force SeaKings at Fleetlands in Gosport. The late Steve Stevenson (the old crooner) and myself restored an HAR MK3 that was transported by sea back from the Falklands where it had been Christmas tree’d and arrived at Fleetlands on a low loader and was literally a fuselage and wiring looms! Everything was gone including all the transparencies. Steve and I plus quite a few engineers and greenies got her back to flying condition and re- entered service with the RAF in late 1998 if I remember correctly it’s tail number was XZ598
I'll never forget the seaking thundering over me at Lulworth cover when I was a boy , one of the all time greats !
Up there with seeing the super stallion and the osprey , and of course the almighty back hawk
Pretty sure these are the guys that also restored one of our Beautiful RN seakings from Koksijde Belgium, massive respect
Excellent work chaps. I was an apprentice & designer at Westland where I worked for 31 years. I remember well doing a part of my apprenticeship in the erecting shop building the main cabin structure of the 124th & 125th RN Sea Kings. During the Falklands war we had to urgently design a solution to make a retractable early warning radome for RN Sea Kings to protect the fleet. These were designated Sea King Whiskey's. A key problem was what to use to retract and extend the radome into the landing and operating position. My idea to use a Sea King main undercarriage retraction jack was incorporated into a palletized role installation that could be connected to the aircraft's hydraulic supply. Latterly, I was a principal avionics systems design engineer on Merlin, but enjoyed many a discussion on how the Sea King electrical wiring system might be updated to keep the aircraft in service until 2025! As we know that sadly didn't happen.
Rest in peace Foz, I only knew him for a short time but he will be remembered for my lifetime.
About 15 years ago we were vacationing in Dorset and I saw a pair of Sea Kings going over at low altitude and as fast as they could headed to the coast. There was just something about the way they were going that said they were doing it for real. Later that evening the news said that a fishing boat had gone down and that only a few were rescued.
one of the best helis to ever grace the cost of the uk such an awful shame to see them go
I worked for the company that made the under carriages and tail rotors in the seventies. I did my training at Westlands in Yeovil.
God, love this, and Mr Lewis commentating !!
I remember being on one crossing of the short lived Rosyth - Amsterdam ferry. I was pitch black outside when I spotted a red flashing light out of my cabin window and was puzzled, it was also getting closer not far above the water. I then started to hear it. So I went out on deck just in time to see one of these glorious yellow beasts come up alongside us, climb over us and winch a man down. They then dropped down to almost eye level with me and the other passengers who came to investigate the noise. Stayed there for a good 5 minutes before winching their man back off and disappearing into the inky blank night.
Magnificent machines.
Who did they winch down? Medical?
@@jbuckley2546I think it was just a training run. The guy that winched down didn't have any equipment with him.
Is this a series? Would be good to see the L39 and harrier restoration
Loved it well done to all the people who have brought this beautiful aircraft back to life
The Whirlwind is my favourite, it's an age thing!
I remember the fleet coming back from the Falklands, all the Sea Kings offloading the various ships in Plymouth Sound.
A mention too for the Shackleton, you knew when something was up,when they came low overhead.
Excellent documentary 👍, the Sea King what a Legend in its own Airspace 😍!!!!!!
What an amazing team loved the work and video , I had an uncle that worked at wesex helicopters thanks
What a magnificent project! I'm very familiar with Seakings as I live in North Wales and 22Sqn had a flight at RAF Valley. They were out all the time and I loved watching them as they flew over our house to the mountains. My friend was a Seaking pilot in the Navy and served in the Northern Ireland troubles & the Falklands war.
Brings back many happy memories of my time working on Navy seakings, (771 sqdn SAR, RNAS Culdrose). Can almost smell the Avcat!:)
HeliOps at Portland restored a couple of ex 771 NAS Sea King mk 5s (one of which was XV666, the famous Damian) to train German Navy SAR pilots. They would still be flying them now if our Government hadn’t donated them to Ukraine a year or so ago. They could still be working hard there even though they are over 50 years old!
Just watched this and it reminded me of great days working at RAF Finningley SAR Wing about 1981 preparing Seakings & Wessex
The No Smoking lettering on the Hangar Door had been changed to No Seakings
Many hours spent getting the Cabs Yellow, black and fully stencilled post engineering servicing
Great teamwork and banter in that Shed
Your Seaking looked awesome and by the sounds of it is also flying IAW the AP’s
Safe Flying exhibiting this Old Work Horse
I know many of the Mountain Rescue Teams loved seeing the RAF & Navy Kings appear out of the clouds and rain in dodgy times.
Made in the USA baby!
I am OVERJOYED that someone is saving a Sea King! 👍👏👏👏👏I spent a good part of my like in the RAF as an air frame tech. One of the aircraft we did our apprenticeship on at Halton was the good old Whirlwind. I also worked on the Gazelle, Wessex and finally the Chinook in the Falklands (doing blade changes and rects in -10 or less)! I was on the restoration team for a Skeeter, Sycamore and a Wasp so had my fair experience of what you're up to! I was also at Brize for 7 years on the mighty VC10 and spent my share of time inside fuel tanks applying 'Yak Sh*t' ( ive forgotten its full name) because im not very tall, most of the tank team were all midgets! I ended up LIVING half a mile from RAF Odiham for a while, when the word got round where I lived we got regular 'low passes' and waves from the ramp they even arranged for me to shoot an Apache (with a camera I might add) doing low level passes! Wishing you all every success. Also doing my PPL as im just a flying NUT! MRGB oil runs through my veins NOT blood!😉 Just missed out on buying one of the retired Gazelles I worked on at CFSH, to restore and fly myself - gutted. GOOD LUCK team. I have already witnessed the sound of the Whirlwind approaching years ago I thought NO.......that cant be..........but it was!😮🥳
Look up Historic Helicopters. They have several ex UK military helicopters. Including two Sea King types.
'Yak Sh*t'. Yellow chromite iirc from my time as a rigger on Hercs
Base hangar? Unlucky!!!
At Westland we applied thick sticky green tape over the rivets in the Sea King lower fuselage bag tank bays to prevent chaffing. We called it Gorilla snot!
@@JohnSmith-ei2pz Yep 'Baseitz' stalag luft 1!
Thank you to all of you who help make this excellent video possible. I flew a few times in one of the grey and red Sea Kings. Thank you. Ged.
0:16: ✈ Engineers and enthusiasts in Britain are working tirelessly to restore historic military aircraft to the skies.
5:19: 🚁 A team attempts to revive an aircraft that has been in storage for three years.
10:40: 🚁 A delicate operation to lower a 100 kilo jet into a helicopter's engine bay is put on hold when a vital bolt is dropped into the sea.
14:29: ✈ Aircraft engineering expertise is being passed on to a new generation through hands-on experience.
18:30: 🚁 Preparing a Sea King helicopter for flight, including blade alignment and weighing.
23:49: ✈ A former winchman shares his memories of flying aircraft and saving lives at sea.
28:01: ✅ The Sea King helicopter passes its last test before flight.
33:15: 👨🚒 A rescue operation involving 150 people in a collapsing building was successfully carried out by the RAF and Royal Navy.
38:23: ✈ Jane, a qualified seeking female pilot, is about to do her first training flight in the Sea King helicopter with the guidance of test pilot Steve, who hopes to inspire more girls to pursue a career in aviation.
Recap by Tammy AI
Spent many a trip in these during our Ireland tours . Only the Navy pilots would come out when it was raining or snowing !
Epic 😊😊😊😊
I really wish there was somebody in the US like this, that would restore machines like a Golly Green Giant HH-3 or a CH-37 Mojave helicopters
Brings back memories! Ex 845 sqd, CHF
Brilliant to see love the Sea king.
I wonder what happened to Rescue 137 Lossiemouth with John Prince ,Bob Poultney that was tasked to the Piper Alpha disaster ?
👍👍
Let 22 rescue you…. Was lucky enough to fly in one when I was in the airborne tufty club 🤣 amazing skills…
Use to be at Mawgan, before the RAF finished.
XZ597 was a 202 Sqn D Flight Lossiemouth Sea King. I helped install Chaff and Flare system dispensers to it at RAF Finningley in summer of 1983. I next caught up with it at Navy Point in the Falklands in July 1984, painted dark grey as part of 1564 Flight. It eventually came back to RAF Finningley for major overhaul, was repainted yellow and returned to RAF Lossiemouth. I last saw it there when I left in Oct 1988.
Somehow 22 Sqn acquired it until SAR services given over to HM Coastguard.
I wonder if the Chaff and Flare wiring remains, and the support framework is still attached in the rear keel?
Happy days spent on 202 at Lossie and Boulmer.
I was very lucky to briefly serve with one of the Navy's first female sea king observer. She came up through the Ranks. Assuming Boulmer was Rescue then that was my first flight on one in 88. Yanked up from flight deck of HMS Newcastle at the hover around may 88 to go RNR to boulmer. Later flying into/out of Divulje in Split in Jan 94. A week up country in central Bosnia. I already knew the SAM sites in FRY so a bit hairy. I later used to brief the US command in Scotland at RAF Edzell in later 94, about those very SAM sites.. in cofidence and knowing the SA6s or whatever they were did not lock on .. at least I hope they didnt. Great project
Well you learn something everyday, i don't know why but i always imagined they were built by a British company i didn't realise they were American!!
Same. British as a sandwich I thought.
@@AW-ServicesItalian company! Not British!
Wetland was a British company, like most great things in this country, it got sold. Another case of selling the family jewels.😮
@JohnSmith-ei2pz it's in bloody Yeovil. I couldn't give a monkey's where in the world their headquarters are. There's always one like you
They were built by Westland at Yeovil under license from Sikorsky in the USA. The Sikorsky designation for the aircraft was S61N. The Westland designation was Sea King and redesigned it to be 60" shorter and to be fitted with 2 engines instead of 1. Rolls Royce/ Bristol Siddley Gnome engines were used. The aircraft was developed by Westland to fly at higher AUW with higher rated transmission and a 6 bladed tail rotor instead of 5 blades on the S61N.
OMG... I'm so glad this video was randomly recommended to me. I never knew it was made. First and foremost, thank you for this beautifully fimed and produced piece of history.
I live in Barnstaple, and as a kid, seeing our Seakings of the once RAF Chivenor A flight 22 squadron meant everything. You knew you were safe on the beaches and moorlands. It's such a shame the RAF left Chivenor.
This video is a tribute to those who were members of search & rescue and flew the stunning helicopter.
There were so many former Chivenor members in the video.
Ayla Holdom, who has a remarkable story, Steve Wells, and the late & great Foz RIP
XZ597 is an amazing aircraft, and for me, it's extremely special even though it's not one of Chivenors, but seeing her every year as part of the historic helicopters Santa flight which lands at and supports our local Children's hospice South West.
Seeing Jane fly 9 tonnes of yellow helicopter is out of this world. She's believed to be the only civilian female pilot in the world with a Seaking type rating.
Andrew & his team are doing great things to revive and fly former MOD helicopters 🚁
Rescue 128 pulled a lad of a boat I was on when he took kid fingers off
Was sad to see her go as they served us well
Good old Brits . Now that’s what I like to see. Not what the country is now💩🥷🏿🥷🏿
The only helicopter I've ever been in - and that was by being winched up from a moving lifeboat (and back down again) - good times 🙂
33:30 Imagine meeting one of the people who saved your lives whilst keeping your hands buried in your pockets not even offering a handshake.
RIP Foz
Still newer than the RAF Red arrows aircraft.
We wear lucky enough to have our sumer camp at 819 sqd & the highlight of the week as a winch up into the sea king & a run in it I really miss seeing & hearing the seakings flying around used to love the noise of it coming closer the roar & thump of the engines sad times but at least one is saved 👏👏
Let's just get something clear - there were NO RAF Sea Kings during the Falklands war. There were only Royal Navy Sea Kings who did an amazing job. In fact the only RAF helicopter that was there was one Chinook that did the same work as the RN Sea Kings yet somehow managed to steal all the limelight.
Don't be so salty, WAFU.
"During the 18 days ashore, BN had flown everyday bar one, carried 2,150 troops, 95 casualties, 550 prisoners of war and 550 tons of stores. In a footnote in the RAF’s official history, it was noted that the tonnage was more than the ‘total carried by an entire squadron of Sea Kings for the same period’."
For the advance on Fitzroy & Bluff Cove alone "BN" carried 60 Paras at a time, with the most carried during the war being 81 personnel. I'm sure all those poor fuckers who would've had to tab or yomp instead were grateful.
Having served on the MERT in Afghanistan I've spent many hours in the back of Chinook's, including "BN", proving life saving care in an a/c type that was second to none for the task.
Couldn't agree more@@sootyjim BN did a good job but that was no different from the the RN Sea Kings. Yes it had greater capacity but so it should. I would strongly contest the RAF document that says it carried more than the total of an RN Sea King squadron. 8 Sea Kings have far more capacity than one Chinook. Oh and I was Lynx pilot down there at the time and did my bit as well. I was also the AEO of a Mk 4 Sea King squadron some years later so know my facts. The real problem is that the RAF PR system is better than the RN one.
@@larryjeram-croft1692 The RN is known as the Silent Service for a reason.
There was the venerable Wessex...😁
@@larryjeram-croft1692- 8 Sea Kings may have a greater overall lift, if all remained serviceable throughout, but they didn't.
BN, the single Chinook in the Falklands, only had a single day unserviceable during its operations. The outstanding effort by the RAF ground crew kept it "in the fight" as our colonial cousins would say, much to the benefit of the PBI of various forms who had to do the legwork.
Theoretical lifting ability is all for nought if the a/c are sat on the hanger deck in pieces.
As a wheelie bin driver you should be more than aware of the difference between theoretical and actual lift ability, given that the Lynx was only really optimised for carrying the 3 Ps
Pilots, post and pizzas.
It's very poignant to think that 597 was involved in the rescues of so many people, and that eventually, a group of people rescued her.
To all those who flew the yellow King thank you for being on guard you saved so many.
Could this team of volunteers please find raf Leconfield helicopter sea king they won't tell any one. Where they have got rid of the sea king helicopter too we want her back in our Yorkshire base and the crew deserve to begiven her back to fly let's get rid of the coast guard helicopter it's not the same with out the sea king the coast guard helicopter is too noisy
The two years of training the RAF and RN pilots got took them from never having been in a cockpit to being a heavy helicopter pilot. So that's not an apples and apples comparison. Type rating courses are typically a couple of weeks and don't end with someone having to tell you every button to push. Don't bullshit the audience.
"3 to 6 million for a good spitfire", now why would anyone want to pay so much for a replica spitfire.
I have a feeling fate will see that sea king and crusty crew one more chance rescue some day... Right time, right place.
I don’t think there is any dispute over that, but this is a video about a Sea King, operator is irrelevant imho.
I think prince william can fly the sea king ???
if one notices its belly is shaped like a boat hull. if need be she can land in water and float. Wander if it’s possible?
Yes it can…
ruclips.net/video/g_4z3h5UvB0/видео.htmlsi=l5E4NjyW7zJFwNpU
Was designed to have that capability..... ruclips.net/video/g_4z3h5UvB0/видео.html
Canadian Forces did it …. It sank
They don't really like sitting in water.....lots of damage......they could be prepped for water landings at one time I believe, but it was ruled out as a normal part of operations quite early on in service life. In an emergency, it might make a water ditching and evacuation a little safer, but I suspect the aircraft would be a write off!
The hull was designed to land on water in an emergency, If you look on the outside of the Sponsons you will see that they are fitted with Flot Bags which would help keep the aircraft afloat, they also carried a sea anchor that could be deployed to keep the aircraft facing into the waves to help stop it capsizing.
Only 50k for a turbine? That's a sore dick deal right there! How many hours till overhaul left on it? It looked like it has just been done!
Near two minute intro. Far out.
It's a shame the RAF leconfield got rid of there sea king helicopter and brought the new coast guard helicopter that is to loud we need our very own sea king to be brought back to RAF Leconfield
What helicopter does the coast guard have now?
@@ianrkavSikorsky S-92s and AW-139s
Woman in the cockpit. Just get the best person for the job and keep the woke garbage from the video.
Commentary is bloody awful tbh, why on earth does everything have to be such a drama.
Did anyone see that commercial about another American civil war because he wanted you to buy rationed food
That was total nonsense
We the only thing that made the country bio war civil was the mustache
Everyone had them
That’s what made it civil
But nobody has mustaches now so it would just be another war
And they took all the pilots away that new local areas and querks of the area with greens
'knew' and 'quirks'
@@ianrkav
Ain’t you clever