Wessex831Firey(FAAM)

Aircraft History:

  • First Flight 23/05/63.
  • Ditched on take off from HMAS Melbourne 05/05/67 with SBLT (P) Jeff Dalgleish, SBLT (O) Mick Bayliss and LACM Terry Burke due to engine failure. Aircraft recovered. 
  • 25 June 1975 with LEUT Costa (P) and crew experienced an engine failure at 6000ft and made an emergency landing at Durras Beach NSW. 
  • Withdrawn 31/12/89. 
  • To Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra 1991. 
  • Currently on display at the Vietnam Veterans Museum, Newhaven, Phillip Island.

HeritageWessex-3

Westland Wessex, HMAS Melbourne

                Westland Wessex, HMAS Melbourne

Wessex828&831_1969(FAAM)

Wessex831_05May67_EnrouteRabaulFAAM

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Above and left. Two shots of 831’s ditching following an engine failure on take off from HMAS Melbourne on 05 May 1967. The aircraft was airborne SAR for Sea Venom 816 Squadron B Flight Launch (Venom Crew Leut (P) Barry Daly + (O) Possibly Jim Firth or David Cronin). Immediately after the Venom had launched the Wessex started to move aft for landing on, but abeam the landing spot it suffered a power loss and ditched approx 150 metres off the port aft quarter of Melbourne – with all the SAR Gear!  Apparently FLYCO made a Flight Deck PA about the time it was entering the water to “Launch the SAR Helicopter” only to be advised that it was the SAR helicopter.

The aircraft was recovered and transferred a few days later off Manus Island to HMAS Sydney, which was returning to Australia from Vung Tau. Although unconfirmed, the cause was FCU “Brass Ball Valve” slivers partially clogging the fuel system. This is believed to be the cause of some other Failures around that time. FCU Ball Valves were subsequently changed to Silver Standard.

 

Wessex831Martinet(JC)
Wessex 831 recovery mission on Mathew Island on 7 April 1975.  The wreckage of a light aircraft was spotted by a Tracker enroute to Fiji.  It was initially assumed to be a Search and Rescue mission but it was subsequently discovered that the aircraft had made a forced landing there some eighteen months previously.

It was proposed to lift the aircraft from the island and recover it aboard HMAS Melbourne.  The owner (Mr Martinet) was contacted and made his way to the island aboard a French minesweeper, from which he was winched by a Wessex and transferred to MELBOURNE.  It was discovered the aircraft was in very poor condition so it was agreed that only the engine would be salvaged, as shown in the photograph below.   The remaining wreckage was destroyed to prevent any further SAR alerts. Both the engine and Mr Martinet were transported to Sydney.  (Image: Jeff Chartier collection)

Second Engine Failure – Durras, near Nowra 1975

Wessex831_30Jun75ALB(FAAM)

Another lease on life. Under repair at NAS Nowra June 1975 after another engine failure at Durras Beach.

Wessex831Diary1975

Wessex 831 at South Durass 1975Pages from Wessex 831 at South Durass 1975 1

The End of the Line…

Royal Australian Army Soldiers from 85 Transport Troop, RAAF BASE AMBERLEY transport a Westland Wessex HAS.31B Helicopter from it final base of operation, HMAS ALBATROSS, to its final home, the National Vietnam Veterans Museum, Phillip Island, VIC. The helicopter is shown passing past the Fleet Air Arm Museum in picture. A Westland Wessex HAS.31B helicopter is one of the latest additions to the National Vietnam Veterans Museum's collection. Two heavy load carrying articulated truck tractors and extended trailer floats were required to transport the helicopter from Nowra's Fleet Air Arm Museum to the National Vietnam Veterans Museum. The nationally recognized National Vietnam Veterans Museum which is located in Newhaven, Victoria is dedicated to the preserving and displaying of photographs, memorabilia, vehicles and aircraft that accurately detail the history of Australian involvement in the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1972.

(RAN image). Royal Australian Army Soldiers from 85 Transport Troop, RAAF BASE AMBERLEY transport 831 from its final base of operation, HMAS ALBATROSS, to its final home, the National Vietnam Veterans Museum, Phillip Island, VIC. The aircraft is shown passing past the Fleet Air Arm Museum in picture.
The nationally recognized National Vietnam Veterans Museum which is located in Newhaven, Victoria is dedicated to the preserving and displaying of photographs, memorabilia, vehicles and aircraft that accurately detail the history of Australian involvement in the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1972.  (Wessex were responsible for anti-submarine screening for Vietnam transport ships)