SE-HME

Information

Manufactured year 1967
Call sign -
Serial number WA/583

Registration history

SE-HME (? - Now)
G-BBZL (? - Now)
404 (Yemen AF) (? - Now)
XT404 (? - Now)

Type history

Westland Bell 47G-3B-1

Operator history

Fjällflygarna i Arjeplog AB (? - Now)
Helikopter Service AS (? - Now)

Information

This aircraft was constructed by Westland Helicopters Ltd in the UK back in 1967. It served with the UK Armed Forces and the Yemen Air Force before it was registered G-BBZL back in the UK.

The aircraft was purchased by the newly established Swedish company Fjällflygarna i Arjeplog AB in July 1982. The helicopter became Fjällflygarna's first helicopter.

Tragically the aircraft was involved in a fatal accident shortly after arriving in Sweden. On 21 August 1982, during take-off on a taxi flight from Adolfström, the aircraft ran low on power and force landed in the lake Ytaft. The pilot and one of the two passengers managed to evacuate the aircraft, but the second passenger drowned.

The aircraft was written off and donated to Kåremo Air Museum near Kalmar (source: Lars E. Lundin). It was later purchased by the Norwegian company Helikopter Service and donated to Norsk Teknisk Museum in 1995. The helicopter serves as a replica of one of Helikopter Service's first helicopters (painted like LN-ORB.

Photos

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