Name that Helo in one...

[Rude-boy]

Sorry you’ll have to bare with me a little here but any ideas who flies Lynx (I think that is the correct type) helos which are painted black with yellow ‘tops’ above the door line? See them all the time flying over the Norfolk/Suffolk area and am always wondering. They seem to be particularly active today where as we normally only see the pair once a week (fly by at about 10 and then back past again about an hour later) I’ve seen them 3 times today and twice yesterday.

[RDE]

Definitely a Lynx? Sounds like the colours of Defence Helicopter Flying School who fly Griffons.



I think they're based at Shawbury, but i'm not sure.

Edited by RDE on Friday 29th October 11:05

[Eric Mc]

I don't "bare" for anyone - except the missus

Lynxes are operated by the Army and the Navy. Army Lynxes are generally two tome green camouflage. Navy Lynxes are generally a medium gray shade. The conclusion would be that what you have seen aren't lynxes.

My guess is that they might be Squirrel HT1 training helicopters which are in the colours you describe



Some police helicopters carry similar colours too.

Or could be one of the Griffons shown above - (which looks a bit more like a Lynx than a Squirel does, to be honest).

Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 29th October 11:07

[spitfire-ian]

Norfolk Police helicopter?

[Rude-boy]

Thanks guys. See I told you I don't know much about these here wirrlygig thingamebobs.

Looking at the pics you guys have kindly posted I am 99% sure that they are Griffons. I did try to take a photo but it is too small on that pic and I have no way of uploading here to try to enhance.

I called Lynx as I knew it wasn't a gazelle nor a Wessex and that's about where my knowledge fails me.

Will have a better look next time and will try to remember to bring the g/fs SLR next Friday to get a better pic.


Eric, sorry bear/bare is one of the few words that always seems to flummox me!

[Rude-boy]

Spitfire-ian - Now that is a very definate possibility and likely to be the right answer. That said I have never spotted the camera pod on them, they always fly in twos and are never marked with 'Police' anywhere I can see, and i've seen them many times in the last couple of years.

ETA:- I will try to get a tail number next time as well!

Edited by Rude-boy on Friday 29th October 11:55

[Geneve]

Some of the power line inspectors also operate in these colours.

This is a relatively rare Schweizer 333 turbine, currently for sale I think.

Edited by Geneve on Sunday 31st October 12:18

[RDE]

Rude-boy said:

Spitfire-ian - Now that is a very definate possibility and likely to be the right answer. That said I have never spotted the camera pod on them, they always fly in twos...

If they're in pairs, then it's unlikely to be Police helicopters. They tend to operate on their own (from what i've seen).

[Flintstone]

Rude-boy said:

Eric, sorry bear/bare is one of the few words that always seems to flummox me!

That's ok. Eric seems to be having trouble telling his colours from his books *

• Tone/tome.

[Eric Mc]

Flintstone said:

Rude-boy said:

Eric, sorry bear/bare is one of the few words that always seems to flummox me!

• Tone/tomeThat's ok. Eric seems to be having trouble telling his colours from his books *.

I really like three tome camouflage - as used by the Luftwaffe pre-WW2 and the USAF in Vietnam.

Edited by Eric Mc on Sunday 31st October 12:25

[NismoGT]

They are based at RAF Shawbury , live a few miles from the base. See them all the time.

There is also a squadron at Tern Hill ( I think ).

[OllyHill]

No Squadron based at Tern Hill, but used as a satellite airfield for a lot of the training.