| 24-01-62 |
First
flight. |
| 01-02-62 |
Delivered
to CFS Turnhill coded W-L in camouflage 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. |
| 30-08-67 |
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. |
XP345 exercising over Bridlington RAF marine craft unit
|
| 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 operations log. |
| 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 UN 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 resulted in `345'
being transferred from A flt to B flt at Nicosia where she served
in SAR yellow with a blue UN band for some time. |
| Left: 345 in SAR
yellow and blue UN band. (Photo Mike Lloyd) |
|
| 15-07-74 |
Suffered minor damage from small arms ground
fire (no casualties). Repaired locally and returned to duty. By now '345 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. As the last aircraft of the formation to land '345 has the honour of flying the last operational flight of a Whirlwind in RAF service. |
| --/-/- |
Having
retired from service `345' passed to Alexandra barracks in Dekeleia.
It was given airframe maintenance number 8792M |
'345 at Dekeleia
|
| 12-8-86 |
Returned to RAF
Shawbury pending sale. |
| -- |
Acquired by Jim Smith of Melbourne
auto's, Storwood. |
 |
| 10-98 |
Moved into the care of YHPG for long term extensive restoration. |
 |
| -- |
- The cabin area has been reclad in aluminium due to extensive corrosion of the original
magnesium skin. |
|
|
| -- |
- The cockpit area has been completely refurbished using original Whirlwind spares. |
 |
 |
| -- |
The de-Haviland Gnome turbine engine has been rebuilt, seen here ready for
installation. |
 |
| -- |
The paint scheme followed the exact camouflage pattern used by B Flight, 84 Squadron
in Cyprus. |
|
| 26-9-09 |
The restoration took 10 years and involved 40,000 man hours to complete. Finally
XP345 was ready for its big day. |
 |
| 26-9-09 |
Members of the 84Sqn association attended the rollout. Among their number
was Wing Commander Mike Chapell one of 84 Squadron’s former o/c’s and
Sqn Ldr Reg Wargent the last pilot to fly XP345.
|
 |
|
| 26-9-09 |
YHPG engineering crew joined by Mike Chapell (second from right) and Reg Wargent (in cockpit).
A fantastic day was had by all and our grateful thanks go to all those involved.
|
| |
`345' is now on long term loan to Y.H.P.G
and is based at the Aeroventure Museum, Doncaster. If anyone has information not shown in the website we would be pleased to hear from them . |
|
| 3-10-09 |
To put the icing on the cake the group were notified that Westland Whirlwind
XP345 has been awarded the 2009 Transport Trust’s prestigious ‘Ron Wilsdon’
Award for the restoration.
|
