| 24-01-62 |
First
flight. |
| 01-02-62 |
Delivered
to CFS Turnhill coded W-L in camoflage paint scheme. |
|
|
Right:
XP345 at Ternhill
(Photo
Derek Jones)
|
| 21-12-66 |
Category
4 flying accident occurred when the engine failed forcing a landing
in Snowdonia during which the aircraft rolled over. |
| 07-03-67 |
Sent to
Westland's at Old Mixon for repair. |
| 01-07-67 |
Returned
to Westland at Yeovil after repair. |
| 30-08-78 |
Allocated
to 202 squadron at Leconfield coded M and in ASR yellow. Further
investigation is being undertaken but 345 is known to have been
involved in operations
rescuing injured seamen from trawler `Delga One' in treacherous
waters off of the east cost. It also carried out rescues inland
during the bad winter of 68/69. |
| 01-03-68 |
Around
this date we believe 345 was posted to the detachment of 202 at
RAF Leuchars in Fife for approximately 6 months. |
| 30-09-68 |
XP345 returned
to Leconfield and was shown as active in Leconfield scramble book. |
| 09-09-70 |
Allocated
to 1563 flight based at RAF Akrotiri , Cyprus. At this time the
air sea rescue duties were carried out by 1563 flight and UN support
helicopters operating from Nicosia were provided by a detachment
from 203 sqdn. |
| 17-09-72 |
84 Squadron
reformed, 1563 flight became `A' flight at Akrotiri. B flight was
formed and took up duties at Nicosia. |
| 06-02-73 |
One of
B flights Whirlwinds was wrecked at Nicosia when the star unit seized
causing the loss of one blade. This we believe resulted in `345'
being transferred from A flt to B flt at Nicosia where she served
in SAR yellow with a blue UN band. |
 |
Left: 345 in SAR
yellow and blue UN band. (Photo Mike Lloyd)
|
| 15-07-74 |
Suffered minor damage from a ground
fire (no casualties). Repaired locally and returned to duty. We
believe that by now she was in camouflage and carried the squadron
diamond code.
|
Re supply mission to UN Dancon contingent (photo Sean Ekburg)
|
| 12-11-77 |
|
Ready
for operations at Nicosia
(photo
Reg Wargent)
|
125
passengers and crew rescued from sinking ferry `Ertuk 1'
off Kyrenia. We are told that the whole squadron, both A and B
flights were involved and we therefore expect 345 was included,
(we would like to hear from anyone who was involved to confirm
this). Continued with routine UN and miscellaneous missions
and was the flight commanders aircraft with `Sqdn Ldr R.E Wedge'
emblazoned on the fuselage sometime around 1979/80
|
| 01-03-82 |
B flight
disbanded with the closure of Nicosia. The final flight of RAF Whirlwinds
took place on this date with a fly past of RAF Akrotiri. XP345 was
part of this formation and flown by the then flight commander of
B flight, flt lt Reg Wargent with co pilot sqd ldr Bertie Cann. |
| |
 Having
retired from service `345' passed to Alexandra barracks in Dekeleia.
It was given airframe maintenance number 8792M and returned to RAF
Shawbury on 12-8-86, pending sale. Acquired by Jim Smith of Melbourne
auto's, Storwood. `345' is now on long term loan to the Y.H.P.G
and based at the Aeroventure Museum (Doncaster). (inset photo, 345
at Storwood by Ray McElwain) |
