Friday, 21 September 2018

More details on ex-RAF Wessex,s at Tauranga

All 5 helicopters have arrived at Tauranga from a warehouse in New Plymouth and are parked adjacent to the classic flyers hangars .Here is a run down of each.

XV730 c/n 625

Seen here today on the 21st September parked up at TRG.
It is still painted in 84 Sqn markings ( Clubs) and was previously based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.


XT606 c/n WA533

Parked up at TRG and is painted in 2FTS colour scheme at RAF Shawbury and the letters HBF painted in the middle of the red band may possibly of been allocated a NZ registration but needs confirming.



XR511 c/n 136

Still painted as former 72 Sqn  which were based at RAF Aldergrove in Belfast Northern Ireland


XT680 c/ 548

Parked up next to XS675  and still retains its former 84 Sqn (Diamonds ) scheme which were based at RAF Akrotiri ,Cyprus


And Finally

XS675 c/n 794

Again a former 84 Sqn (Spades ) painted  machine from RAF Akrotiri,Cyprus.




1 comment:

Sgt 'H' said...

OMG! I can't believe that. I was stationed in Cyprus in the 80's as an RAMC medic in the Families Medical Centre at 33SU in Ayios Nikolaos and the Wessex Helo's from 84 in Akrotiri would be the ones landing at our external helipad to ferry any critical patients to TPMH, Akrotiri. It's so weird that you have one of those 'birds' just a couple of hours away from my home in Auckland. I am definitely going to make the trip in '23.
Stu Lloyd