40 Years of the Puma HC1 in RAF Service

[pmdavies33]

2011 sees the 40th Anniversary of the Puma HC1 in Royal Air Force service.

I am looking into the possibility of a photo book to celebrate and illustrate the 40 years that the Puma HC1 has been around. This is a request for any photos you may have during this time. I have seen some stunners on here over the years, especially in the Puma thread some time ago but I am trying to collate them all in one thread that I can use to select the one to use to publish.

The idea of a book is a fledgling one at the moment but a committee is shortly being formed to show the way forward (!) and it would be great to present a thread of photos that would show that the quality and numbers are available to make it a viable proposition.

I would like the book to be produced to support a charity of choice with all photographers credited for their work.

If I get a good response I will add further information as I get it.

Cheers,
pmdavies33

[Arthur Tee]

Paul,

Sounds like a good idea

I have plenty taken round Shawbury - including the mass move to Benson by 230!

Arthur

[pmdavies33]

Thanks Arthur, Exactly what I need.

Further to the original request does anyone know of how many Tiger Schemes 230 Sqn have applied to thier Pumas over the years? I have found the following information so far.

1. June 1978

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air ... 1820104/M/

2. Aug 1982

http://sg-etuo.de/Squadrons/No230Squadron?userlang=en

3. Sep 1990

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air ... 0233777/M/

4. Jul 1997

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air ... 0699921/M/

5. Jun 2001

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air ... 0250594/M/

6. Jul 2005

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air ... 0897108/M/

[TonyO]

Paul, check your PMs.

When is the anniversary?

Any chance of you getting shots of the first Mk2s for the book as well?

[RickIngham]

Your more than welcome to use any of the pics here:

http://tinyurl.com/4grktsk

[Height is Good]

Here's a couple of oldies for you that have been scanned.




I have the top two as prints if they are any good Paul.

[pmdavies33]

When is the anniversary?

Any chance of you getting shots of the first Mk2s for the book as well?

Tony O.

Pumas first appeared on a joint Puma/Wessex Air Training Sqn in May 1971. This was the precursor to 240 OCU which was established in Dec 1971.

33 Sqn reformed on the Puma HC1 on 14th Jun, 1971 with 230 following suit in October, 1971.

The actual date the Anniversary is being celebrated on is yet to be decided.

As to the question about Puma HC2 photos. We are not due to recieve the first aircraft until early next year.

[jwarnerxh558]

a couple from me if they are of use....


Puma Confined Landing by jwarnerxh558, on Flickr


RAF Puma HC.1 by jwarnerxh558, on Flickr

Rgds Jonathan

[pan trash]

A very relevant and interesting thread for me as I'm due to start on 230sqn in a couple of month's.

[st24]

Thanks Arthur, Exactly what I need.

Further to the original request does anyone know of how many Tiger Schemes 230 Sqn have applied to thier Pumas over the years? I have found the following information so far.

I'm sure one of the Pumas at the Greenham Common Tiger meet in 1977 had a tiger striped boom...

[wv383]

Hi Tony

if you are after some 'period' shots i may be able to find the slides I took at an 'At Home' that 33 Sqn held whilst they ere at Odiham oodles of years ago! Unfortunately I have no way of scanning them though. If interested, let me know, pM me an address & I will look them out and send them.

[Mad Dan]

Here's a few...

Starting with one of the original prototypes at Hanover in about May 1970.



The first British military example - XW241 in its original colour scheme, long before it got 'rippled'. Farnborough September 1968.



Early days with the RAF. XW215 at Odiham in September 1971.



Fast forward a couple of decades and Odiham was subject to an outbreak of 'pink', modelled here by ZA939, though I can't recall if that was among the Pumas that deployed to the Gulf.



XW220 certainly was and is seen here (complete with "Invasion stripes") while being offloaded from a C-5 at Brize Norton in March 1991.



XW199 models the newer colour scheme somewhere near Farnborough in about May 1994.



Finally, two shots of XW221 during a flight from Odiham to Benson in mid-1997. Sad to say that I can't now recall the circumstances, but I'm sure someone out there will be able to explain the significance of the Union flag. This was most likely a permanent change of station...

[chrisward123]

Rather Interesting Shots,
Thanks for Posting.

Christian

[pmdavies33]

Mad Dan,

Brilliant. Exactly what I need. Some photos from the very early days. Obviously in this day and age there will be more photos around since the late 90's but to see some from the early 70's is fantastic!!

[Binbrook 01]

Mad Dan,

The Puma flight in question was on 13th June 1997 is when 33 moved from Odiham to Benson. As for the large Union Jacks on the fuselage, they had recently returned from UN peace keeping ops in Zaire, and (four)? had been deployed there under Op Determinant.

Cheers

TS

[st24]

Thanks Arthur, Exactly what I need.

Further to the original request does anyone know of how many Tiger Schemes 230 Sqn have applied to thier Pumas over the years? I have found the following information so far.

I'm sure one of the Pumas at the Greenham Common Tiger meet in 1977 had a tiger striped boom...

Just to update myself, XW201/DL had a tigered boom, now to find a picture!!

Some lovely shiny out of the box Pumas there Captain P. Surely the first type to have lo-viz roundels from service introduction??

[st24]

Was searching for pics of that damned 1977 tiger scheme, but it must be on slide, which I can't scan at the mo. Anyway I found these 3; Gulf war 33Sqn, 240OCU and a rarely seen 18Sqn example, my 72Sqn a/c are also on slide.