Fleet Air Arm Boys: True Tales from Royal Navy Men and Women Air and Ground Crew

By Steve Bond

Helicopters have been going to sea with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm for over 70 years. Initially used for search and rescue (SAR) duties from aircraft carriers, the rapid development of both the helicopters and service experience resulted in them taking on the vital anti-submarine (and later anti-ship) attack roles. The 1956 Suez campaign saw the first operational use of Whirlwind helicopters for the insertion of troops by air into a battle zone, a capability which was expanded with more helicopters such as the Wessex, Sea King and today’s Merlin. Through their vital role in the 1960s Indonesian Confrontation, the Commando helicopter force became universally referred to as the ‘Junglies’. It is often said that if either of the 1982 Task Force aircraft carriers had been lost the Falklands War could not have been won. The same would surely have been true without helicopters. Their vital tasks, including inserting Special Forces behind enemy lines, protecting the Task Force from Exocet missile attack and recovering wounded troops whilst under enemy fire, are rightly hailed as being instrumental. At home, the essential SAR effort by both the Royal Navy and their RAF counterparts has resulted in incredible stories of saving lives against the odds. Royal Navy destroyers and frigates have also long since benefitted from having their own helicopter Flight aboard. Frequently operating in extremes of weather, flying a Wasp, Lynx or today’s Wildcat from and back to a heaving deck is every bit as risky as flying fixed-wing aircraft off the carriers of old. Once dismissed as a novelty, the helicopter has more than proved itself. Indeed, for ten years until the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, the Fleet Air Arm’s operational force was entirely rotary-wing. Today’s Merlins and Wildcats, with their dedicated aircrew, maintenance and support staff continue to demonstrate just how vital an asset the helicopter has become. Here are the words of the men and women themselves, skillfully brought to life by Steve Bond and profusely illustrated in color and b/w.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781911667803

Steve Bond

Dr Steve Bond is a life-long aviation professional and historian. He served in the Royal Air Force for twenty-two years as an aircraft propulsion technician, with tours on many different aircraft, and was part of the Eurofighter Typhoon project team in the MoD. A fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, he is also the author of many magazine articles and books including: Heroes All, Special Ops Liberators (with Richard Forder), Wimpy, Meteor Boys, and Javelin Boys for Grub Street.

Book preview

PREFACE

ADMIRAL SIR GEORGE ZAMBELLAS GCB DSC DL FRAES FORMER FIRST SEA LORD, PRESIDENT NAVY WINGS

I learned about flying from that is an old adage that captures the practice in the Fleet Air Arm of spreading individual experiences throughout the community. Incidents in cockpits, hangars, operations rooms, control towers and on flight decks were recounted – usually with humour to enhance their audience appeal – in crew rooms and coffee boats in ships and on air stations across the world. Importantly, a selection of these tales was also recounted in the ‘I Learned About Flying From That’ section of the navy’s formal Flight Safety magazine. This official recognition of the practice reflected accurately the important role that these stories played both in spreading important knowledge and in supporting a no-blame culture within the navy’s formal flight-safety system.

By recounting these stories in his books, Steve Bond has captured elegantly the history of different phases of naval aviation through the personal experiences of the practitioners. It is now the turn of the helicopter era which, by introducing aviation to the navy’s smaller ships, opened a completely new environment of aviation experiences. From the polar ice caps to the jungles of Asia, and across small islands and seas around the globe young, often inexperienced, aircrew, engineers and controllers encountered novel situations. Usually operating without any short-notice access to more experienced advice they had to make their own decisions and manage the unforeseen incidents that led them to say I learned about flying from that.

George Zambellas.

Sir George Zambellas joined Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Hatfield in 1976, on their graduate apprentice engineer scheme, whilst studying Aeronautics and Astronautics at Southampton University. An encounter with navy Harrier pilots at the Hatfield factory sparked an aim to fly with the navy and he left engineering to qualify as a Royal Navy pilot. He spent ten happy years flying Sea King, Wasp and Lynx aircraft from HMS Hermes, Illustrious, Rothesay and Danae. Promotions brought several sea commands, including Cattistock, Argyll and Chatham, before commanding the UK Amphibious Force, the UK Maritime Force, NATO’s Maritime Command and the UK Fleet.

He has extensive operational experience, including as Chief of Staff in the UK Permanent Joint Headquarters during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He served on the Central Staff during the 1997 Defence Review, was private secretary to two Chiefs of the Defence Staff, and served as Chief of Staff on numerous boards and committees. His final naval appointment was as the head of the Navy, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff.

INTRODUCTION AND

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

One of the greatest challenges in aviation is the operation of a helicopter from the small flight deck of a frigate or destroyer, or even the larger deck of an amphibious ship or aircraft carrier. This is especially so when the ship is pitching and rolling in a rough sea, sometimes at night and in poor weather and often where there is no possibility of a diversion. Underpinning the ability of naval helicopter air and support crews are the safe, well-practiced operations from the flight deck. Rotary-wing aircraft have played a major and indispensable role in British naval aviation since the late 1940s. They are the airborne workhorses of the fleet. From 2010, following the withdrawal of the Joint Harrier Force, to 2018 when the F-35B was introduced, they were the only combat aircraft operated by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Today helicopters account for the vast majority of the service’s aircraft inventory.

It was not until the 1940s that ship-board aviation saw the initial development and operational use of helicopters. Whilst Britain participated in rotary-wing development, it was the US which expended the major effort in bringing the capability to the front line. Indeed for many years the FAA (along with the army and RAF) operated versions of US helicopters which were licence-built in Britain.

The first of these was the Sikorsky R-4, re-designated the Hoverfly HAR.1. However it was underpowered, and very limited in capability, undertaking solely observation and communications roles. The need for greater versatility was met by the Sikorsky S-51, re-designated the Dragonfly for FAA service from 1949. The S-51 gained fame during the Korean War when it was called upon to rescue aircrew shot down behind enemy lines, and to evacuate wounded personnel from front-line areas. The Dragonfly served in the ’plane guard/search and rescue (SAR) and communications roles. As well as their invaluable service in Korea, Dragonflies provided much-needed assistance during the 1953 flooding emergency in the Netherlands.

Hoverfly I KK971 in 1945.

The Whirlwind entered FAA service in 1954 and was a licence-built version of the Sikorsky S-55 able to perform two additional critical roles: anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and commando assault. One of the advantages of using a helicopter for ASW, compared with a surface vessel or a fixed-wing aircraft, is that it can vary the depth of its dipping sonar above or below thermal water layers, enabling it to detect and track submarines more effectively. However the Whirlwind could be equipped either with a dipping sonar array or be armed with depth charges or torpedoes. It could not simultaneously detect and attack submarines as this was beyond its carrying capacity. Whirlwinds operating from HMS Ocean and Theseus carried out commando assault operations during the 1956 Suez crisis, the first time these had been conducted in combat. However, being underpowered, the Whirlwind struggled to perform its roles in hot weather; although on occasion it was assisted by atmospheric conditions. For example, whilst operating from HMS Bulwark to help thwart the 1961 threatened invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, a sandstorm arose. This helped to conceal the British ships in the Gulf and lowered ambient temperatures, enabling the Whirlwinds to operate more efficiently.

During the early 1960s the Wessex (Westland-built S-58) replaced the Whirlwind in all its roles. The Wessex HAS.1 was equipped with (for its day) a sophisticated flight-control system, a major improvement over its predecessor. It was the first ASW helicopter capable of day, night and all-weather operations and the later HAS.3 variant was fitted with a dorsal-mounted surface search radar. The twin-engined HU.5, commando-assault version, had nearly double the lifting power of the HAS.1. It was able to carry underslung loads, accommodate up to 16 fully equipped troops and employ SS.11 air-to-surface missiles. It performed extremely well in combat during the Indonesian Confrontation (1962–65) and the Falklands War in 1982.

The general-purpose Wasp was the first all-British helicopter to enter FAA service and answered the requirement to be able to operate from small ships such as frigates and destroyers. It served from 1964 primarily as an anti-submarine torpedo-carrying helicopter, although it did not carry detection equipment and was therefore best deployed when paired with a Wessex submarine hunter. It could however, also carry air-to-surface missiles and depth charges. It was extremely versatile. It was fitted with a winch above the rear door; it could carry underslung loads; and could seat three passengers or troops (in addition to its crew of pilot and aircrewman). This was thus useful for short-range transport missions and for casualty evacuation. It could also haul a 600-lb nuclear depth bomb, although much of the aircraft was left behind, including the aircrewman, in order to be able to get airborne. In the first direct engagement by the RN Task Force during the Falklands campaign, a Wasp from Plymouth and two from Endurance fired AS.12 anti-ship missiles at an Argentinian submarine scoring hits. A Wessex from Antrim and a Lynx from Brilliant had also attacked it, resulting in the submarine being abandoned – the first Argentinian casualty of the sea war.

In the 1960s larger ships became available from which to operate helicopters. The cruisers Blake and Tiger underwent conversion to become Command Helicopter Cruisers. The conversion included the replacement of their aft gun mounts with flight decks and large hangars. Additionally two dedicated assault ships Fearless and Intrepid, with large helicopter decks, were commissioned. After her last commission as a conventional carrier in 1970 Hermes was converted, firstly for the commando role and then as an ASW platform (before being later modified for V/STOL operations).

Two new advanced helicopters, Sea King and Lynx, were introduced in the 1970s. The Sea King was a licence-built version of the Sikorsky S-61, and the Lynx was a British design with France sharing production. The Sea King HAS.1 was fitted with two Gnome engines and ASW systems, plus a fully computerised flight-control system. First, it replaced the Wessex in the ASW and SAR roles. Later an extensively modified HC.4 version, which could accommodate up to 28 fully equipped troops, assumed the commando role from the Wessex.

Sea Kings proved themselves over, and over again during various wars and crises, including the Falklands, Gulf, Balkans, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. They performed a wide range of missions – from ASW, SAR and troop transport (including insertion of special forces) to replenishment and supply operations – and even as decoys against incoming Exocet missiles in the Falklands. It was towards the end of that conflict that the Sea King was adapted to meet the Royal Navy’s continuing requirement for a ship-based airborne early warning (AEW) platform; a bitter lesson re-learnt as the capability had been absent for four years. Two ASW aircraft were modified, in just 11 weeks, to carry the Searchwater radar system in a retractable pod. They were deployed on Illustrious when she departed for the South Atlantic to relieve Invincible, although by that time the war had finished. The job of the Sea King ASaC.7 (airborne surveillance and control Mk. 7) was the detection of low-flying attack aircraft, interception/attack control and over-the-horizon targeting for surface-launched weapon systems. This was the last Sea King variant in service, being retired in late 2018.

The Lynx, as a replacement for the Wasp, began re-equipping FAA squadrons from 1981. Primarily performing ASW and SAR roles, it was very agile and could carry torpedoes and depth charges. It was also used for maritime attack, using the Sea Skua air-to-surface missile which was specifically designed for the purpose. A Lynx conducted the first combat-firing of a Sea Skua during the Falklands War, when it attacked an Argentinian patrol boat inflicting considerable damage. Lynxes participated in the biggest naval engagement of the First Gulf War. Operating from the destroyers Cardiff and Gloucester, the Lynx/Sea Skua combination succeeded in heavily damaging a significant number of Iraqi naval vessels. They were also used during that conflict to deploy troops to oil platforms, and into occupied Kuwait to perform aerial reconnaissance. In 2000 a Lynx, from Argyll, assisted in suppressing rebel forces during the British intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War. In 1995 it was announced that the Lynx would be replaced in favour of an all-Merlin helicopter fleet. The subsequent 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) stated that the future fleet would include the Wildcat, a much-improved derivative of the Lynx. The Lynx was finally retired in 2017.

Gazelles entered service in 1974. Initially used for flying training they later operated as utility and reconnaissance helicopters in support of the Royal Marines. During the Falklands War the Gazelle played a valuable role operating from the flight decks of RN ships to carry out armed reconnaissance. They had been specially modified with flotation gear and folding rotor blades, mounts for 68-mm SNEB rocket pods and armour plating.

Between 1998 and 2005 three new ships with large decks for helicopter-only operations entered RN service. Ocean, an amphibious assault helicopter carrier, was commissioned in 1998, whilst Albion, an amphibious transport dock ship, was commissioned in 2003. This was followed by her sister ship Bulwark in 2005. All three ships were capable of accommodating helicopters up to Chinook-size; however Ocean was decommissioned and sold to Brazil in 2018.

The three-engined Merlin, able to operate from ships ranging in size from frigates to carriers, began replacing the Sea King from 1999 in the ASW, medium transport and commando roles. The Merlin HM.2 is the FAA’s primary ASW helicopter, whilst the HC.4 version serves as a medium-lift and troop-transport in support of commando forces. Whilst Merlins have seen action in the Caribbean on counter-narcotics, and hurricane-relief duties, they have also been employed on maritime security duties in the Gulf. These included the support of British and coalition forces based in the region, and in Afghanistan.

Some Merlin helicopters have been retrofitted with the Crowsnest AEW radar. A number of proposals for a Sea King ASaC.7 replacement, to operate from the new Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales, were examined and the Merlin/Crowsnest combination was considered to be the most practical and fastest solution. It entered service with 820 NAS in 2021 equipped with pre-IOC (initial operating capability) radar sets providing an interim AEW capability. Three Crowsnest Merlins were included as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Air Group for her Carrier Strike Group 21 deployment.

The Wildcat HMA.2 started to equip squadrons in 2013 and is the FAA’s small ship-borne helicopter. As agile as the Lynx, it can perform a wide range of roles: ASW, anti-surface warfare; aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, command and control and troop transport. It employs a variety of weapons, including a pintle-mounted heavy machine gun, torpedoes and depth charges. It can also carry up to 20 Martlet lightweight multi-role missiles for targets such as small boats and fast-attack craft, and up to four Sea Venom missiles for use against larger vessels and land targets.

Under the British armed services’ Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), formed in 1999, operations involve helicopters from the RN, army and RAF operating from ships, as well as ashore. An element of JHC, the FAA’s Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) provides support to 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines and other amphibious forces.

Finally, a few words about helicopter aircrew training. 703 NAS provides student pilots and observers with elementary training at RAF Barkston Heath. In 1950 705 NAS became responsible for helicopter pilot training at Gosport, moving to Culdrose in 1957, continuing in that role today as an element of the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) at RAF Shawbury. Observer training remains the remit of 750 NAS at Culdrose, and was covered in Volume One. Aircrewmen, responsible for everything in the rear of the aircraft, undergo a Joint Aircrewman Course at Shawbury prior to specialist training as either an ASW, or commando aircrewman. ASW training is conducted at Culdrose, whilst commando training is at Yeovilton.

New contributors have continued to offer their stories including, happily, more Wrens. I use as many contributions as possible and other than minor editing they are as I received them. Contributors to this volume:

Keith Abnett, Jock Alexander, Brian Allen, David Baston, John Beattie, Alan Bennett, Harry Benson, Keith Blount, Micky Brock, Serena Brotherton, Simon Burch, Maurice Byham, Paul Callaghan, Peter Carlisle, Phil Carpenter, Marcus Chandler, Mike Cole-Hamilton, Keith Copus, Tom Cunningham, Richard Dickinson, John Eacott, Ed Featherstone, Peter Flutter, Steve George, Tony Grattan-Cooper, Nigel Hennell, Gordon Hewitt, Chris Hodgkinson, Larry Jeram-Croft, Doug Keenan, Alan Key, Iain King, Terry Loughran, Iain Mackenzie, John Madgwick, Brian Marsh, Nick Mayhew, Terry McDonald, David Mearns, Jim Milne, Ian Moor, Ian Morrison, Chris Morshead, Roger Mortimer, Raymond Nicholas, Mike Norman, Nigel Parkinson, David Paul, Charlotte Peattie-Primary, Jason Phillips, Mary Phipps, Mike Rawlinson, Trevor Rieck, Robbie Roberts, Tony Sanders, Vanessa Smith (née Hughes), Digby Stephenson, Steve Thomas, Tim Thorley, Ian Tibbitt, Bob Turner, Stuart Wakefield, Ben Walker, Moira Weetman, Scott Wilson, Tony Wilson, David Winter and Denis Woodhams. Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank and salute you all.

Thanks also to: Richard Andrews, Adrian Balch, Simon Charlier, Roger Colbeck, Peter Coles, Martin Grant, Steve Hewitt, John Hughes, Navy Media, Dr Ray Neve, Jon Parkinson at Navy Wings, Paul Richards, David Rye, Robbie Shaw, Tim Lewin and Stephen Wolf. As ever I am hugely grateful to Grub Street’s John Davies and Natalie Parker and my darling wife Heather, without whose advice, encouragement and lengthy proofreading, these books would quite simply not have happened.

I strive to credit correctly all photographs and other material but the true provenance is not always identifiable with certainty. If I have omitted anyone, please accept my apologies.

Dr Steve Bond

February 2022

CHAPTER ONE

PILOT TRAINING

The Sikorsky Hoverfly I and II were the first helicopter types used by the FAA for pilot training. They served in small numbers with 705 Squadron at Gosport from 1947. As front-line helicopter numbers grew pilot training, on the same squadron, was taken over by the Hiller HT.1 from 1953, which was then replaced by the HT.2 in 1962.

HILLER HT.1

Apart from its use by 705 Squadron, a pair of HT.1s were operated for a time by 706 Squadron at Gosport for anti-submarine trials, embarking briefly in HMS Perseus.

Tony Wilson – pilot

"In the spring and summer of 1957 I was happily flying around the skies of, mainly, southern England with 796 Squadron at RNAS Culdrose. As a newly qualified Gannet pilot I was taking trainee observers around as they undertook the advanced stage of their training. Life was pleasantly enjoyable but not very demanding. Warm sunny afternoons on a gentle navex (navigation exercise) after an excellent wardroom curry lunch induced terrible drowsiness, and I found a few breaths of oxygen from the pilot’s supply helped to offset that incapacitating sensation. In due course I was summoned to appear before the squadron CO who demanded that I explain my unwarranted use of this expensive commodity.

Hiller HT.1 XB474 705 Squadron Lee-on-Solent, 15 June 1961. (Adrian Balch collection)

"A few days later my presence was required by Commander (Air). He advised me, that to alleviate such boredom, I was to be inducted into the excitement and mysteries of helicopter aviation. A fortnight later I reported to RNAS Lee-on-Solent and was quickly introduced to a diminutive bubble of a machine. After a few brief lectures on helicopter aerodynamics, I found myself, along with my instructor, Lt Bill Kerr, strapping a Hiller HT.1 to my backside for the purposes of aviation – but not as I had previously known it.

"Whilst all the controls operate in the normal sense, the main complication is that alterations in one control input automatically require changes in one, or more, others. There was no automatic linkage between the collective lever and the engine throttle; pull up to go up, push down to go down. Either of these movements required a turning of the twist grip throttle. To counteract the change in torque required an adjustment to the rudder pedals, and most likely further adjustment to the throttle. But this might then also require a further adjustment to the collective to maintain the correct height above the ground. Oh good grief, how, when we started so comfortably in the middle of the airfield, are we now so perilously close to the boundary fence? Input to the cyclic stick starts to drift us back but also requires further inputs to the collective, throttle and rudder. Initially, at least, this means that the trainee helicopter pilot never has a hand free to scratch that annoying itch on the nose. Despite these novel complications, after six hours or so of instruction, I was deemed sufficiently competent to be sent off for first solo on type.

"Most of the difficulties involved in flying this little ‘bug hutch’ of a machine would be encountered in close proximity to the ground in the hover. So a number of intricate exercises were introduced involving white-painted circles on the ground, with further lines painted between opposite points of the circumference. The trick was, with the aircraft initially pointing head to wind, to keep it so orientated whilst flying around the circumferential circle, with occasional sideways, or even backwards trips across one of the radials to the opposing side. First master that, and then in wind speeds of 15 knots or less one might try it across wind, initially with the wind from port, then from starboard. One might even attempt similar manoeuvres with the wind from dead astern, but all the time being warned that it is easy to run out of control in any out-of-wind heading if the wind speed becomes too great.

"There were other new experiences to learn and practise. Following simulated engine failure, autorotative descents and zero or low forward speed landings; the perils of entering the vortex ring state¹; flying into restricted spaces with trees or buildings perilously close to rotor blade tips; landings on sloping ground; the novelty of night flight. For someone qualified in fixed-wing flying, it required a swift change of mind set to adjust to this new and novel approach to aviation.

Basic helicopter skills had been sufficiently absorbed after approximately 25 hours, allowing progress, from flying the Hiller, to aircraft with more practical uses. Initially this was the Whirlwind Mk. 1 and 3 – more new skills would be acquired. How to pluck downed airmen and others from the sea using both single and double-lift techniques, and that strange piece of human fishing equipment – the Sproule net. Three appointments to SAR units and to front-line helicopter squadrons enabled me to cope well with most activities in the rotary world. However few were as much fun as flying the little bubble Hiller HT.1.

Brian Allen – pilot

"In late 1957 HMS Warrior trundled slowly home to the UK after supporting the Operation Grapple H-bomb tests in the Pacific. Commander (Air) hinted that if aircrew had a preference for their next commission, it might be favourably considered by their lordships. Always fascinated by the various tasks a ‘chopper’ could undertake I applied for a conversion to fly helicopters. In November Warrior arrived home and I was appointed to Lee-on-Solent to join 705 NAS. The squadron’s CO was my previous CO of the flight on Warrior, Lt Cdr Gerry Bricker – an extremely pleasant surprise. My instructor was Lt Cdr Spreadbury who had recently instructed Prince Philip.

Brian Allen.

"On 28 November I took the first steps in the completely different way of defying gravity. Basically the controls were similar to those of a fixed-wing aircraft; a control column that served the main rotors, and rudder pedals that served the small tail rotor. Their tasks were to tilt the main rotor to obtain direction, and the tail rotor stabilised the chosen direction, thus preventing the helicopter from rotating around its main rotor. On the left-hand side was the collective; it controlled vertical movement and at the end of it was a rotating throttle controlling engine power similar to the handlebar system on a motorbike. Reading this is probably as confusing to the reader as it was to me in 1957.

Hiller HT.2 XS166 of 705 Squadron Culdrose. (Trevor Rieck)

Even more confusing was that in flight, every adjustment of one control meant a slight re-adjustment had to be made to every other control. This was rather like the trim systems on fixed-wing aircraft, except that it was continuous – eventually the continuous ‘twitching’ of every limb became barely noticeable. Even so, after three hours dual flight, my tutor allowed a somewhat apprehensive, confused pilot to go solo. On 16 December I had my last flight in the little Hiller. My next phase started on 3 January 1958 with the early Whirlwind, an altogether more sophisticated helicopter.

HILLER HT.2

The HT.2 featured an enlarged and improved cabin that could seat three/four (the HT.1 was a two-seater). It also replaced the earlier model’s 210-hp Franklin engine with a 305-hp Lycoming. In addition to its primary role as a pilot trainer, small numbers of HT.2s served with 845 ‘Jungly’ Commando Squadron embarked in HMS Bulwark for service in Borneo in 1964–65.

Mike Norman – pilot/observer

"I joined 705 Squadron in the spring of 1967 and set about learning to fly a ‘hiclopeter’, as they were referred to after a pint or two. There was a complement of Hiller HT.2s for basic helicopter flying training, and Whirlwind HAS.7s for post ‘wings’ advanced training. I had been on this squadron two years previously as a petty officer (PO) aircraft artificer (AA2), my first proper job after five years of training. A lot of water had passed under the bridge in the intervening years. When I returned to 705 Squadron for the second time, now as a sub lieutenant, I attracted some ‘ribbing’ from the ‘old hands’ who were still there.

Mike Norman.

"Flying the Hiller was quite alien after the Chipmunk. Unlike later helicopters there was absolutely no synchronisation between any of the controls. You had to adjust them all whilst keeping your eyes glued to the boost gauge, rotor rpm, turn and slip indicator, artificial horizon to name just a few. Sitting in a glass bubble with the ground rushing by underneath did nothing for your vertigo. I couldn’t think of an aircraft more unsuitable for basic training than this. It was challenging to say the least, and I knew I was not getting off to a good start; especially as my instructor, Lt ‘Shorty’ Hurst (who was five foot nothing in his socks), seemed to lack the most basic of instructional techniques – patience! But I soldiered on, keeping one step ahead of a ‘chop ride’ with the boss, Brian Sarginson, or the senior pilot (SP), Ron Maclean who was not known for his joviality or sense of humour.

"I did manage to go ‘solo’ after 12 hours or so. With my instructor watching from a distance, I lifted into hover. The sloping dispersal, combined with the wind, set me off sliding ‘downhill’; I had great difficulty bringing the damn thing under control before colliding with the airfield boundary fence. I recovered to the dispersal and put it down. After collecting my thoughts I tried again without any problem. I went to the satellite airfield at Predannack, following the orange marker boards, did a few circuits and then returned – I was quite pleased with myself.

"The course continued with interminable autorotations progressing to engine-off landings on the skids (ground conditions permitting) and confined area work. I continued to stay just one step ahead of the ‘chop ride’, until it came to downwind fast stops. I had practised these with my instructor without too much of a problem, then it was time to go solo. Hover taxi over to ‘Area Six’, the confluence of the three runways in the centre of the airfield, where you could be seen by everyone. I did the first run without too much of a problem, but the wind was gusting and it was throwing me about a bit. I was mindful of running out of forward cyclic, to bring the aircraft back level, after the high nose-up attitude to ‘put the brakes on’. I started my second attempt getting round into wind with a high nose-up attitude. Just then there was a particularly strong gust of wind increasing my nose-up attitude further. I jammed the ‘stick’ forward hard up against the instrument panel, only to have that sickening feeling of having ‘overcooked’ it as I slid backwards and downwards towards terra firma. I felt the jolt as the tail skid struck the ground, but I managed to recover things sufficiently to land it. Shutting the aircraft down where it was, I unstrapped and got out. I found the tail skid bent upwards towards the tail boom, other than that there was no damage. It could have been a lot worse if the tail rotor had struck the ground, probably resulting in an aircraft ‘write-off’ and my departure from the course. The rescue truck arrived and took me back to the dispersal where the CO, SP and everybody else was waiting. This included fellow students, some giving me the ‘chop’ sign in a mischievous and gloating way. At that point I wished the ground could have opened up in front of me, especially when my eyes met those of the SP, with his humourless superior stare, rubbing his hands together.

"A couple of days later I had the assessment sortie with the SP which I had been dreading; in fact it went quite well. He was more relaxed, which helped me a lot, and enabled me to demonstrate that I did in fact have a modicum of skills to be a helicopter pilot. He recommended a change of instructor to Lt Don Macdonald, a Canadian and a lovely man. He gave me confidence that I could make it to gain my ‘wings’. But in truth I had got so far behind with my previous instructor that it was going to be hard to make up the lost ground. As the flying got more demanding I started to lose confidence, which ultimately resulted in a ‘chop ride’ with the CO. He was very fair and took time to explain my shortcomings in a comprehensive debrief. I was removed from training which was absolutely heartbreaking. I had never failed anything in my life before and in fact was mostly top of the class, or near the top, in anything I had undertaken so far in the navy. I was sent on leave.

After a few days the ‘appointer’ rang. ‘Would I consider becoming an observer, fixed-wing or rotary?’ I had already been pondering this while on leave but concluded such a possibility was very much second best. I asked if there were any engineering opportunities for me – the answer was ‘no’. The appointer said I could go on leave for six months to think things over. So I did. I swallowed my pride, became an observer and never looked back. As Confucius once said, ‘The guys in the front seats are the taxi drivers, the guys in the back are the brains.’

WESTLAND/AEROSPATIALE GAZELLE

A great step forward in performance, and the first turbine-powered training helicopter (Turbomeca Astazou), the Anglo-French Gazelle arrived with 705 Squadron in March 1974, replacing the Hiller HT.2. In addition to 705 Squadron, Gazelles were also used by Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) at Yeovilton for communications.

Trevor Rieck – pilot

"I arrived in the UK from Australia, at the end of 1973, as a single officer after flying the Bell UH.1 Iroquois. I was on the first instructor course to be conducted on the Gazelle, a very versatile machine and fun to fly.

Trevor Rieck.

"Incidents while I was on 705 Squadron always involved the weather, which was never that great. One weekend we were to fly back to Culdrose from Yeovilton with seven Gazelles. The SP, who was the leader, ordered us to get airborne into the teeth of an approaching weather front; which depending on one’s training we either flew over, under or through. I chose to fly through, my ASW background. I ended up in zero/zero visibility looking for any farmer’s field to set down, however I found an opening showing an ‘H’ helicopter spot which turned out to be Plymouth Airport. Having just shut down a twin-engine passenger aircraft touched down not too far away in the fog. My passenger, who was a maintainer, was quite stressed during the ordeal. We found the tower and told Culdrose where we were. Within 20 minutes, as always happened, the front had gone and it was 8/8th blue but turbulent. When we got back to the squadron we found the CO was not a happy chappie, as with seven aircraft spread all over south-west Cornwall, he had been called out on a Sunday afternoon.

"The Gulf Stream influences Cornish weather, and in a matter of minutes it could switch to zero/zero visibility and 40 knots of breeze which was totally alien to Australians. Whenever the weather was bad and not suitable for student flying, the CO would order the staff instructors to get airborne for ‘staff continuation training’ (SCT), namely mutual instructor IF (instrument flying). We would have to get airborne, climb out to 2,000 feet and break out into 8/8th blue over cotton wool from horizon to horizon.

"The Royal Navy Sharks formation display team flew the Gazelle in the summer air shows across the UK and Europe from 1975 until 1996. In 1986 the team flew at 36 events at home and abroad and on several occasions two shows were covered per weekend, some being carried out whilst in transit – an impressive record. There were two trips to Belgium in that year. Qualified helicopter instructors (QHI) staffed the squadron, and ‘volunteers’ were recruited each year for the team. All the Sharks’ flying was out of hours, so it was a major commitment by them to give up their spare time. Practice was held early mornings before the instructional day started, whilst weekends were away for the displays.

705 Squadron’s Sharks’ team Gazelles. (Trevor Rieck)

In 1977 during a six-aircraft practice there was a fatal mid-air collision in which three were killed, and so the display team was cancelled that year. The team was practising their routine over water as more requests were being received to fly in air shows off popular beaches. Two aircraft touched and shrapnel flew everywhere, they ditched uncontrollably. The other four managed to recover to Culdrose. One of those killed was the SP who had been along for the ride. In 1978 it was decided that helicopter display flying was best kept to four aircraft, and the ‘box’ became the basic formation because it was easy to fly, safe, highly manoeuvrable and allowed fast formation changes. Thus the team was reduced to four aircraft with an integrated solo performer. This became the format for the rest of the Sharks’ life until 1996 when financial constraints shut it down.

The 1977 accident occurred on 13 June south of Praa Sands Cornwall during a figure-of-eight manoeuvre. The Gazelles were XW859 flown by Lt Paul Brown and XX415 flown by Flt Lt Rob Howley with passenger Lt Cdr Geoffrey Bailey. Trevor Rieck continues.

"Being in the Sharks provided an edge and a regular adrenalin rush over and above the satisfaction of daily training tasks. It was a marvellous way to represent the squadron, the FAA, the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. The display routine was renowned for mixing together a range of different manoeuvres, comprising close formation, synchronised opposition and solo flying and was highlighted by the use of a distinctive mix of red and green smoke and polished off with an orchestrated musical/scripted commentary. The team were regulars at the largest shows such as the International Air Tattoo, Farnborough, Royal Navy-organised events and the British Grand Prix.

"At a Culdrose air show all the helicopters on base were organised to fly a major fly-past. With Sea Kings, Whirlwinds, and Gazelles this took some organising. All the flights had to start up and check in with their flight leaders, so there were multiple helicopters churning and burning waiting for the ‘OFF’ from the tower. 705’s mass Gazelles would lead the bunch with the six Sharks aircraft in that formation. After the fly-past concluded the Sharks would conduct their display; I was to fly No. 5. It was permitted to take passengers and I had a student who wanted to come along for the ride.

"While I was turning and burning, having checked in, suddenly the engine wound down and stopped (on the ground). I looked over to check if the student had touched anything – that was all clear. As it didn’t warrant a Mayday I called the leader to say that I had had an engine failure and would take a spare from the other 19 Gazelles ready to go. The result was a successful and uneventful display. Subsequently I ran that aircraft for hours in dispersal to see if the same circumstances occurred. The engineers put it down to the fuel cut-off valve vibrating shut.

Along with Nigel Hennell, David and Dee George, I organised the Sharks’ 35th reunion in 2010 at a mess dinner in Yeovilton’s wardroom. Over 100 attended the dinner including several Aussies who flew in the Sharks. In 2018 a new Sharks’ commemoration wall was mounted in 705 Squadron at the DHFS Shawbury.

Scott Wilson – pilot

"In 1983, after three front-line tours, I went to Shawbury to train to be a QHI with the Central Flying School (CFS). The course was open to pilots from all three of the British services and overseas military pilots; their countries paid for them to attend. My course comprised four RN pilots, two each from the RAF and army, plus one Frenchman and one from the Australian Army Air Corps. We were there to train to be QHIs, but we also broadened our knowledge through hearing of the flying experiences of our coursemates.

Scott Wilson.

"Like most pilots’ courses this one kicked off with a fair amount of classroom time. CFS needed to ensure we had a thorough understanding of subjects such as aerodynamics, meteorology and flight planning. We also had to develop the necessary instructional techniques. To practise these skills we had to prepare lessons on certain topics and ‘teach’ our coursemates using appropriate visual aids. This was in the days before PowerPoint, so the prime aids were ‘chalk and talk’ and overhead projectors that shone images from acetate Vu-foils onto a white screen. These Vu-foils were fundamental to the course, and it was drummed into us that we had to prepare and present them the CFS way. For example it was a ‘mortal sin’ to change the Vu-foil without first turning the lamp off, only turning it back on when the next Vu-foil was in place and stationary.

"CFS had RAF Gazelle HT.3s and experienced QHIs to tutor us to impart elements of the flying syllabus for ab-initio helicopter students. After a pre-flight briefing we flew for an hour or so, then debriefed. The first lesson in the UK military syllabus was effects of controls, which covered the helicopter’s response to movements of the collective lever, the cyclic and the yaw pedals. Then, in subsequent exercises, the student would be taught how to control a helicopter in forward flight, before learning the dark arts