I was stationed at R A F Seletar from feb,66 to Christmas and was priviledged to a flight with 66 sqn Belvederes ,Bless em. I was at Kuching At the time only for about 60 days I had a great time also at 389/390 m u.I was an acc room waller. GRD/ELECT.I have some slides .
Bill France, e-mail, 14.09.2009 23:23
I had the pleasure of working on Belvederes at the SRTCU, RAF Odiham in '65 and on 66 Sqdn at Kuching from Dec '65 thru Dec '66. The occassion for getting 6 into the air was for a fly past to commemorate the squadron's 50th anniversary. The ensuing party was on 2nd July, which was by coincidence my 21st birthday - so a party I remember very well, most of it at any rate. The Belvedere may have been a bit of a dog to work on and it certainly had a reputation, mostly earned from its travails in Aden, but when it was working it was a good solid workhorse. I have many fond memories of those days.
Olly Holbrook, e-mail, 06.07.2009 16:07
I served with 26 sqdn. detachment at RAF Kuching.Please can we set the record straight.Despite what the RAF says,we were the main body of Ground and air crew @ Kuching in 63/4 with a few 66 and 72 sqdn wallahs.The Belvedere I loved one of 'em even had my last 3 as reg No.476
Colin A J Bain, e-mail, 05.07.2009 20:04
I flew on the Belvedere helicopter as crewman and managed to complete over 287 flying hours. All the flying was carried out in, Brunei, Labuan and Borneo from 62 to 64. It was a great experience with blades breaking etc. I did loose a few friends especially Johny Williams those whose memorial is in the jungle in North Borneo. I remember fondly of Denise Ottwell who lost his life in Germany. It was an experience to remember especially on ambush positions with the Ghurkas, SAS and 41/42 Marine Commandos at libving at simbang camp in Kuching. Our main task in order of priority when suppliyng the troops in the field were mail first, beer second and food if possible. Anyone out there during 62 to 64?
Carl Gavin, e-mail, 02.06.2009 05:27
My Dad, Vincent was aircrew on these aircraft in Aden, Mum always said his hair went white overnight because of them. Stories about of pilots starting them with their legas out of the cockpit in case they had to runa away, something to do with the starte cartridges and Magnesium airframes!
Robbie Burns, e-mail, 03.03.2009 00:29
I served with 22SAS in Borneo and we did not hold "The Widow Maker" in very high esteem due to the fact that one of them crashed in Borneo killing all the command group of a Squadron. It was also persistantly broke down & there were always maintainance problems and we were left hanging about DZs after long ops when it failed to appear. Thank god for the Wessexes and the Whirlewinds...even the occasional Scout. Their performance in Aden wasn't too great either. I usualy tried to position myself at the door or an escape hatch for a quick exit if things went pear shaped, but having said all this it was a Belvedere pilot who performed an amazing bit of airmanship, flying front on into a rock outcrop at right angle on top of a Gunong (mountain) in Malaya he then inched that big machine almost parrallel to the rock with the door facing us where we literaly threw our sick trooper into the arms of the medic and winchman. Our guy was suffering from Leptospirosis and Malaria and had lost about half his body weight it was touch and go survival wise and I believe the Belvedere was the only plane available at the time.He was flown to the nearest local hospital given appropriate treatment and survived...It was a course in slimming I wouldn't recommend, I was his troop medic. Diagnosing his condition confirmrd the quality of medical training we recieved in Hereford.
Terry B, 08.02.2009 04:53
I was on 66 sqdn in 1966 and I was amused to read Mike Winslows comment, we may have had 12 aircraft but the best we ever managed in the air at the same time was six, if I remember rightly it made local headlines ,six out of six for sixty six or some such nonsense, all that said 66 sqdn was good fun and I was sad to leave.
Jan Czumaj, e-mail, 17.01.2009 00:40
I lived at Seletar in the 60's ,My Father worked at 390 MU on these Aircraft.From our house no1 Swallow street Seletar we have cinefilm of this helecopter flying near our house as we were near the threshold of the main runway.I remember seeing the shell of one that had caught fire on the runway.Didn't they have problems with the cartridge starter? Happy days with also the Blackburn Beverly that also seen as they approched to land at Seletar.We came home in 1964 by Comet , I later went back to Singapore an served with 103 Squadron as their medic when they went on exercise from Tengah.Happy days.
Terry Garmonsway, e-mail, 03.01.2009 06:47
I served in Malaysia with 1RNZIR Band based at Terendak Garrison (near Malacca or Melaka) from Dec 1967 to Dec 1969. We also filled the roles of infantrymen, specifically forming a part of what was known as "Headquarters Defence Detatchment" in our Battalion. It was in this capacity that we came into contact with 66 Sqn's Belvederes on "Exercise Crown And Glory" in 1969. We were ferried from a footy field within "Wellington Lines" at Terendak to our destination in these flying sausages. Climbing into a Belvedere with full battle kit, 7 days rations and SLR was a mission in itself with the entry at head height and only a narrow ladder to use in this endeavour. Exiting at our destination in a jungle clearing was another matter after a very uncomfortable flight on a bare, slippery flat floor. The chopper, already perched atop high wheel struts, landed with its forward and aft wheels on small rises in the terrain, but straddling an indenture between the rises. With all that heavy gear we had no option but to jump to the ground, a jump of somewhere around eight to ten feet. That doesn't sound like much when you're looking up but that distance begins to look fearful when you're looking down! Thankfully long grasses helped to cushion our impact with the ground on exiting. This, I am pleased to say, was our only experience with Belvederes. Several months later, in South Vietnam, we flew from Luscombe Field, Nui Dat to a forward firebase, Firebase Discovery, aboard a US Forces Chinook. Although the Belvedere and Chinook both were in development phases around the same time comparisons between the two help to explain why Britain's aero industry ground almost to a halt. But... to your credit, 66, you flew us safely. And I thank you sincerely for that!
tony p, e-mail, 25.11.2008 22:21
Need help my dad was flying on belvedres in borneo in the 62,63 John Pattinson, With Eddie Lewis. 66sqn Looking for special xmas present,Dad has loads of photo's and will share.
Mike Ottewell, e-mail, 22.10.2008 18:28
Well to my knowledge this helicopter had some issues. My elder brother lost his life in the accident at RAF Gutterslough, Germany in July 1962. There was another Belverdere lost in Borneo, about the same time.
Sgt.KAR98, 17.08.2008 07:15
Looked to be as amazing (or even more) as the CH-47. If they had go ahead with it,the RAF and the UK Army would be less dependent of USA technology.
Richard Walker, e-mail, 05.11.2007 21:54
I saw the Belvedere prototype in operation at the BAC airfield at Filton Bristol, and also in subsequent Air Shows at the airfield. Was the Belvedere the first twin rotor helecoptor of this type?
Derek Hale, e-mail, 22.09.2007 23:36
Working with the Whirlwind Sqn at RAF Kuching as an MTD often went out to Whirlwinds which had made emergency landings normally because of gearbox problems. After the techs had stripped the aircraft of everything possible engine,gearboxes, rotorhead, etc the Belverdere would be able to pickup the stripped aircraft and carry it back to Kuching quite a sight to see a Flying Longhouse as we called them with a Whirlwind as an underslung load.
leslie frank windsor, e-mail, 24.04.2007 17:43
i flew many times with 66 aircraft at seletar during my time there i was known as the flying rockape as i used to scrounge flights all the time i loved flying in the belvederes and have many happy memories of this brilliant helicopter it never got the recognition it deserved best wishes and thankyou for the memories les w. ex 15 field squadron raf regiment.
Mick Winslow, e-mail, 19.01.2007 14:31
I served as groundcrew on 66 Sqn, RAF Seletar, Singapore on the last operational Belvedere Sqn from 1967 to its disbandment in 1969. This aircraft was a very difficult aircraft both to maintain and to fly, but proved to be very successfull with the army in Malaya and supported the army on all there major excerices.This was the only heavy lift helicopter in service at that time and 66Sqn operated 12 aircraft until its final disbanbment.
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