N7-226 Aircraft History:
- First Flight 16 August 1963.
- August 1975. With 817 Sqdn – SBLT Condon, Smith and SBLT Bartles RAN. Precautionary emergency landing on Durras Beach. Loose alternator, aircraft repaired and flown back to Nowra.
- Withdrawn 31 December 1989.
- Currently on display at Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra
Aircraft Images:
Above. 836 on the Line at ALB (Jeff Chartier collection)
Above: 836 Holds plane guard with HMAS Derwent in the background.
Left: Wessex 836, temporary christened “The Ethnic Express”, detached to HMAS Stalwart from 723 Squadron October 1979. Top clockwise: Sandy Wilson; Jal Taylor; Terry Baumgart; Chris Holle; Al Martin; Vince Di Pietro; Geoff Ledger; Mick Purdy; Marcus Peake; Albert Yalg; Tony Grogan; Ozzie Venn; Vic Walker.
Above: Wessex 836 During the Cyclone Tracy operation, Darwin
Right: Practising the Barn Dance routine for a forthcoming air show. NAS Nowra Western Pad.
Above. Practising winching operations.
Right: 836 preparing for a base run. In this procedure the aircraft is secured by steel cables to anchor points in the ground, which enables full power to be applied without the aircraft leaving the ground so engine performance/parameters could be determined. It was not a popular event with crews.
838 near shipwreck. Location unknown but may be near Newcastle, NSW
Above: On the apron at Albatross on a wet winter’s day
Above. Flying the flag at the Bicentennial celebrations
x
x
x
x
Left. A newspaper clipping from 1991 gives a hint that the Historic Flight had the intent of restoring 836 to full flying status, but it was not to be. The aircraft conducted ground runs and ground taxying, but was never cleared for flight as Navy was not prepared to accept the risk.
Below: At first sight it could be assumed this was the fate of 836, but it was only the nose cone on another aircraft. 836 was preserved and now resides in splendour in the FAA Museum at Nowa (main photo below).
Westland Wessex MK 31B
