Warbird Information Exchange

Elvis didnt leave the building but the "Kings" did.

Today marked an important day for the Royal Australian Navy - the retirement from use of the Westland Sea King Mk.50A helicopter after 36years of service.

Since 1974, the Sea Kings has operated off the HMAS Melbourne aircraft carrier and most other RAN warships / supply ships doing role from ASW, utility work, rescuing navy personnel, civilians and doing waterbombing of bushfires. The fleet of 13 flew nearly 60,000 flying hours.
They have flown in the Gulf War of 2003 and around the world in operations, mostly in Australia and Asia.

They are a true warbird.
2 are to be preserved and rest sold off to tender.

The Sea Kings have had some accidents over the years with seven have been lost since they were introduced in 1975, including one on Nias Island, Indonesia, in 2005 with the loss of nine lives.

At today post flight gathering the first RAN commander and the last were both present. That was a great photo. I also met a former RAN pilot who flew one of first Sea Kings in Australia.

I was on hand and not much else media i believe beside a TV crew?... and saw Shark 7, 21 and 22 take to the sky and fly to Sydney , then to Canberra and then return for a last landing at HMAS Albatross. Good day and cloudy and sunny at times but no rain near Nowra.

Sadly tomorrow Dec 16 2011 marks the end of HS-817 and they are to be decommissioned after 48years of service to the nation. Most members are been transferred to other units in the RAN i am hearing.

I shot around 710 photos during the day , I also toured the excellent nearby Fleet Air Arm Museum - the RAN's aviation museum.

I made contact with a few people i know from RAN Aviation operations and they were happy to see made i the effort to come along to share with the world the ending of their operations.
I am proud that i was able to record a passing of a legend - the KING. I did the F-111 last year but missed the Caribou in 2009.

My photos and stories of the Sea Kings final flight... will be in Australian Pilot magazine with a Squadron profile review hopefully sometime during 2012 all going well and will be on my blog page.

Phil

I understand from information, another ex RAN Sea King helicopter is now been offered/to be accepted to a new aviation museum that is being built at a new airfield in QLD.

Will let you know more when i do on whatelse is happening to the other airframes.

Phil