Registrations

SE-HIM

Information

Manufactured year 1978

Call sign -

Serial number 2544

Registration history

SE-HIM (? - Now)

Type history

Bell 206B Jet Ranger III

Operator history

Swedish Police Wing (? - Now)

Ostermans Aero AB (? - Now)

Polis (? - Now)

Information

This helicopter was constructed by Bell Helicopter Textron back in 1978 and was imported to Sweden by the legendary Bell dealer Ostermans Aero in the spring of 1979. It entered service with the Swedish National Police Wing in August the same year. The machine, which was given the callsign POLIS 949, was the most modern Jet Ranger in the police fleet at that time.

The life of the machine came to a sudden end in an immense hangar fire on February 7, 2002. It was temporary based at the Stockholm base at Tullinge airfield - resting in the hangar for the night together with a second Jet Ranger (SE-HPH) and a brand new EC 135 (SE-HPR). At approx 02:00 a fire broke out in the building. It spread rapidly and as the fire fighting units arrived a half an hour later it proved too late to save the helicopters. The entire building was destroyed, together with the three helicopters and a Cessna airplane. The cause of the fire has never been fully determined.

The Jet Ranger was a part of a vanishing generation. Seven Eurocopter EC 135s had been ordered and the Jet Rangers were about to get sold together with three Police Long Rangers. However, this very aircraft, SE-HIM, was meant to remain in the new Eurocopter-lead organization as a crew trainer due to its NVG capacities and a new main rotor transmission. As SE-HIM was destroyed the sister ship SE-HPK was kept instead.

Photos

By: Rickard Gillberg 2002-02-07

This sad image was shot at approx 9:00 am on the morning of February 7th 2002. The police helicopter base had been completely wiped out by an immense fire during the night – destroying three helicopters and an airplane.

The fire broke out in the building at approx 2:00 am. It spread rapidly and as the fire fighting units arrived a half an hour later it proved too late to save the helicopters. The entire building was destroyed together with the three helicopters and a Cessna airplane. The fire wasn’t extinguished until 5:35 am in the morning. As the smoke scattered the melted ruins merged. It was a complete mess of ash and bent metal. The relics of the helicopters could hardly be distinguished among all the debris. A few heaps of metal were the only things that indicated that the hangar had been filled with aircraft the night before. The cause of the fire has never been fully determined.

The helicopters lost in the fire were one brand new EC 135 (SE-HPR) and two Jet Rangers (SE-HIM & SE-HPH). The EC 135 had been delivered in August of 2001 and was the first helicopter of the new generation’s national police aviation. Two other EC 135s had been delivered (SE-HPS & SE-HPT), but they were at other locations that night.rnThe two Jet Rangers were a part of a vanishing generation. SE-HIM was, however, meant to remain in the new Eurocopter-lead organization as a crew trainer due to its NVG capacities and a new main rotor transmission. SE-HPH was destined to be sold, after nearly 23 000 hours in service in the organization.

More photo details