Blue Eagles

Associated sites:
Army Historic Aircraft Flight | The Museum of Army Flying | Army Air Corps Recruiting

Gazelle

Westland / Aerospatiale Gazelle The Gazelle, was produced as part of an Anglo-French venture between Westland and Aerospatiale in1968. The prototype flew for the first time on 7 April 1967. Still one of the fastest helicopters ever built (with a maximum speed of 193 mph), it served with all four branches of the British armed forces – RAF, Royal Navy, Army and Royal Marines – filling a variety of roles. Four versions of the Gazelle were used by the British Forces. The SA341D became the Gazelle HT3 in RAF service, and was equipped as a helicopter pilot trainer. The first was delivered on 17 July 1973. The SA341E was used for communications duties and VIP transport and was designated Gazelle HCC4. The SA 341C was also purchased for the British Armed Forces as a pilot trainer for the Royal Navy. The SA 341B was equipped to a specification for the Army Air Corps. Designated Gazelle AH Mk 1, the first aircraft entered service in 1973. Since that time it has been used with major success in every theatre in which the British Army has served, from it’s amphibious role in the battle for the Falkland Islands to deserts of Kuwait and Iraq to the mountains of the more recent Kosovo campaign. In French ALAT service, variants are also equipped with the Mistrale Air to Air missile and the 20mm cannon. This year marks the Gazelle’s 28th year of continuous British Army service.

Lynx

Westland / Aerospatiale Lynx The Lynx has been the subject of a continuous development and modification programme. It is one of the most successful light anti shipping/submarine helicopters and has been exported to many foreign countries. In British Army service it was equipped with a skid type undercarriage to facilitate it’s use on the plains of Northwest Europe. Due to it’s cutting edge technology semi- rigid titanium rotor head the aircraft is superbly manoeuvreable and is adaptable to a wide variety of missions. Originally, 113 Lynx AH Mk 1s were supplied to the Army Air Corps as a multi role helicopter. During the ‘cold war’ it’s primary job was in the anti-tank role, it’s ability to carry 8 TOW anti-tank missiles plus a further 8 in the cabin as a reload gave military commanders a major improvement in capability over the Scout AH1 that it replaced. In 1985, an engine and transmission upgrade programme began. These modifications, incorporated the now trademark BERP rotor system and resulted in the Lynx AH 7, eleven new build Mk 7s were delivered by July 1987. The Mk 7 was a response to General Staff Requirement 3947 and was specifically configured to improve extended duration hover performance, vital to the Lynx’s primary anti-tank role. Aside from the eleven new aircraft, work began on converting existing Mk 1 aircraft to this standard. In 1987, in order to reduce it’s infra red signature, exhaust suppression baffles were added, all Lynx that took part in Operation Desert Storm were equipped with these baffles in addition to a particle separation sand filter system.

The latest Lynx in UK Army Air Corps service is the AH Mk 9, easily identifiable by its tricycle undercarriage, this version is designed as a Light Battlefield Helicopter and is an integral part of the hard hitting new 16th Air Assault Brigade.