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| Bristol 171 Sycamore HR.14, XL829, was delivered to The
Helicopter Museum, in bright sunshine, on 17th October 2007 and has now
replaced XG547, as the Sycamore Mk.14 on display at The Museum. XL829 had been on display at the Bristol Industrial Museum, since 1978, until its closure in October 2006. It was transferred to Weston-super-Mare because Bristol City Council raised 17 million pounds towards converting its Prince's Wharf premises into a new venture, to be known as the 'Museum of Bristol', and there will be no space there for the Sycamore. Conversion work on the Prince's Wharf building had started at the end of October 2006 and is planned for completion in 2009. |
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| Built in Weston-super-Mare in 1957,
XL829, c/n 13474 was the last
Sycamore to be delivered to the Royal Air Force and one of the last
to be withdrawn from service. It was flown, in a support role, with the SAS, at
El Adem, in Libya, from December 1958
and then served with the Khormaksar Search and Rescue Flight, in Aden, until March 1964,
when the Flight's four Sycamores were replaced by Whirlwind
HAR.10s. In June 1966, XL829 was transferred to the RAF's Metropolitan Communications Squadron (becoming Number 32 Squadron in 1969), flying from Northolt on VIP communications duties. The four-door cabin was modified for this role and extra fixed steps were fitted to the fuselage port side, to aid access. From 1970, No.32 Squadron started replacing its five Sycamores with Whirlwinds and XL829 became the last Sycamore to be retired from the RAF. In December 1971, it was acquired by the City of Bristol Museum and was flown from Northolt to Bristol Lulsgate airport before transfer, by road, to the City Museum. There it remained in storage until 1978 when it was put on display at the newly-opened Bristol Industrial Museum at Prince's Wharf. |
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| Khormaksar SAR Flight Bristol Sycamore HR.14 flying over Aden | XL829 on display in Bristol Industrial Museum shortly before closure in October 2006 | |
| XL829 went on public display, at The Helicopter Museum, on 12th January 2008, replacing another Sycamore Mk.14, XG547, which is going to the Royal Military Museum, in Brussels, in exchange for an Alouette II. | ||
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