Saturday 25 September 2010

Gazelle now probably extinct.

With the Westland WA341G Gazelle ZK-HTB3 recently departing for "Russia" and with ZK-HTF3 having been revoked back on 24-04-2003; It is now the turn of ZK-HBH3 to shuffle off.
Westland Gazelle HT Mk2 , c/n 1418 , first flew on 24-02-1976 and was delivered to the Royal Navy as XX441 on 07-04-1976. It served with 705 Squadron and carried the code "CU-38". It was withdrawn into storage at Shawbury on 21-05-1997 and remained there until departing for NZ on 03-07-2001.
All three were re-assembled at Christchurch during October/November of 2001.
ZK-HBH3 was registered on 07-11-2001 to Brian Hall and John Butterfield and undertook its first NZ flight on 11-11-2001.
Gazelle ZK-HBH about to carry out its first flight in NZ.
Harewood Road, Christchurch 11-11-2001.

ZK-HBH in flight 11-11-2001.
It was fitted with its short legs and placed into a container at Heli Maintenance, Christchurch on 23-09-2010, bound for South Africa.


Two views of ZK-HBH being packed into a container for export.


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