Mystery helicopter??

[Emsman]

Not sure what is was, but it looked like a hind D without the winglets? (if that's the correct term)

so, given a crap description, an utter lack of photos, what could it have been?
Are there any hinds flying about the place to and from airshows?

[Deerfoot]

I`m not sure about Hinds but there was a Hip flying around Boscombe Down in recent months. Some Afghans were undergoing training there.

[Eric Mc]

Sounds like one of the Mil Mi-8s from Boscombe. Was it red white and blue?

[andy-sw]

Sorry this isn't totally related to your thread but I also saw a helicopter I cannot identify on monday, flying over Lymington from IOW direction, looked almost like an Apache but surely not?

Was extremely low, are there any air bases local to Lymington?

[JVaughan]

Probably was an Apache, Wallop isnt that far in flight terms, they tend to fly quite low when permitted

[aeropilot]

Deerfoot said:

I`m not sure about Hinds but there was a Hip flying around Boscombe Down in recent months. Some Afghans were undergoing training there.

Info on the Hip's at Boscombe here.....

http://www.fast-air.co.uk/QinetiQ-Boscombe-Down-Mi...

[Emsman]

That may be the one although the tail looked somewhat shorter on the one I saw.
Most likely it though- it sounded like it had a couple of spanners in the gearbox! Bloody awful racket

[silverthorn2151]

Slightly off topic but did anyone else see the 2 Apache helicopters circling quite low over the Thames near Embankment tube the other day, did a few round and rounds then both headed off south. Quite cool though!

[Taffer]

Didn't the Hips go to Afghanistan in March along with the cadre of Afghan aircrew that were trained in the UK, or did ETPS get their hands on more Eastern Bloc tech.?

EDIT: Emsman, hopefully you haven't got your Hind knowledge from Rambo III - otherwise without winglets it would be a Puma.

Rambo III 'modified' Puma (Pind or Huma?):

Edited by Taffer on Friday 9th July 14:48

[Emsman]

My limited knowledge of helicopters is, thankfully, not influenced by Rambo, no.
(I gave up after first blood)
Airwolf and Blue Thunder- different kettle of fish, but Rambo, no!

[Deerfoot]

Cheers for the link aeropilot, I had no idea that the Hips were registered as UK military....a flag of convenience as it were........

I used to see them quite regularly as I live a couple of miles away from Boscombe Down.

Today has been quite busy, 2X AH-64, a few Chinooks, a C-130 and the usual ETPS Gazelle. They also have a C-17 on the runway at Boscombe at the moment.

[andy-sw]

silverthorn2151 said:

Slightly off topic but did anyone else see the 2 Apache helicopters circling quite low over the Thames near Embankment tube the other day, did a few round and rounds then both headed off south. Quite cool though!

Was this on tuesday by any chance?

[silverthorn2151]

It would indeed. Around mid morning.