Constructors Number WA918
846 Sqn (“VF”) 1987
845 Sqn (“F”) 2000
848 Sqn (“WT”) 2007
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines (derived from the US General Electric T58), British-made anti-submarine warfare systems and a fully computerised flight control system. The Sea King was primarily designed for performing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. A Sea King variant was adapted by Westland as a troop transport and was known as the Commando.
In British service, the Westland Sea King provided a wide range of services in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. As well as wartime roles in the Falklands War, the Gulf War, the Balkans conflict, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War. The Sea King is perhaps most well known in its capacity as a Royal Navy Search and Rescue (red and grey livery) and RAF Search and Rescue Force (yellow livery) helicopter. The Sea King was also adapted to meet the Royal Navy’s requirement for a ship-based airborne early warning platform.
TIMELINE
Built at Westland Helicopters, Yeovil and first flown on 20 Sep 1982
NASU, RNAS Culdrose 21 Oct 1982
Westland Helicopters, Yeovil 1 Mar 1983
A&AEE Boscombe Down 2 Aug 1983
Westland Helicopters, Yeovil 24 Feb 1984
A&AEE Boscombe Down 30 Apr 1986
NASU, RNAS Culdrose by road 6 Aug 1986
846 NAS 8 Apr 1987
707 NAS 30 Aug 1989
AMG RNAS Yeovilton 12 Sep 1990
848 NAS 10 Dec 1990
Refinished in desert paint scheme 16 Dec 1990
To Gulf in MV Atlantic Conveyor 2 21 Dec 1990
Al Jubayl to UK in RFA Argos 2 Apr 1991
To Turkey in RFA Argos 21 Apr 1991 (Op Haven)
To UK in RFA Argos and to 845 NAS 10 Jun 1991
Refinished in white UN paint scheme for ops in Bosnia Nov 1992
AMG RNAS Yeovilton 18 May 1993
845 NAS 8 Nov 1993
To Bosnia 13 Dec 1993
Returned to UK 7 Sep 1994
AMG RNAS Yeovilton 6 Oct 1994
845 NAS 13 Jan 1995
DERA Boscombe Down 5 Jun 1995
845 NAS 6 Jun 1995
NARO Fleetlands 23 Feb 1996
845 NAS (marked IFOR) 1 Mar 1996
To Bosnia 29 Mar 1996
To UK 19 Aug 1996
To Bosnia (marked SFOR) Nov 1996
To UK 9 Jan 1997
NARO Fleetlands by road 26 Mar 1997
845 NAS 8 Jan 1998
Main Gearbox failure, landed at Plymouth Airport and to Yeovilton by road 24 Mar 1998
To Split 25 Jun 1998
To UK 30 Sep 1998
To Split 15 Nov 1998
To UK 4 Jan 2001
DARA Fleetlands 12 Mar 2001
845 NAS 15 Mar 2001
AMG RNAS Yeovilton 3 Aug 2001
845 NAS 8 Jan 2002
DARA Fleetlands 1 Mar 2002
845 NAS 21 Mar 2002
Stbd I Beam found cracked, off loaded HMS ARK ROYAL in Portsmouth 22 May 2003
AMG RNAS Yeovilton by road 24 May 2003 for repair
846 NAS 28 Jul 2003. Air freighted to Basrah.
To UK and Yeovilton by road 16 Dec 2003
AMG RNAS Yeovilton 15 Aug 2004
845 NAS 8 Nov 2004
848 NAS 16 Mar 2005
846 NAS 16 May 2005
848 NAS 20 May 2005
DARA Fleetlands 12 Jul 2005
848 NAS 20 Jan 2006
CHFMU Yeovilton 23 Mar 2006
848 NAS 1 Jun 2006
CHFMU Yeovilton 6 Oct 2006
848 NAS 9 Nov 2006
CHFMU Yeovilton 8 Oct 2007
848 NAS 9 Mar 2009
846 NAS 23 Jun 2010
VAHS Fleetlands 16 Sep 2010
Loaned to ETPS Boscombe Down 2012
Flown to HMS SULTAN and retired from service 11 Dec 2015 – 10184:25 Flying Hours
Sold and transferred to Historic Helicopters on 6 Jan 2020
