HELICOPTERS
WESTLAND SEA KING retired
AGUSTA-WESTLAND 'SEA KING' Mk.48 used for search and rescue.
Length : 21.4 m / Height (tailrotor) : 5.13 m / Rotorspan : 18.91 m
'1.757 lives saved / 3.309 interventions / 60.000 flight hours / 43 years loyal service!'
GOODBYE SEA KING!!!
17th of December 2008. Last flight RS-01 before it was given towards the Royal Army Museum at Brussels.
This was the oldest of 5 Sea King(s) (RS-01/RS-02/RS-03/RS-04 and RS-05) used by the Belgian Air Force.
His first flight (RS-01) was made 17th of December 1975 with different registration. (G-BDNH)
Secondly, the last flight by RS-03 was 29th of August 2013, this Seaking had more than 11.000 flight hours.
From this date RS-03 was used for spare parts to maintain RS-02 / RS-04 and RS-05.
24th of November 2015 : a British Westland Sea King HAR.3A from Chivenor arrived at Koksijde Air Base. Also this one would be used for spare parts.
Unfortunately 2019 (March) will mark the last flight of this beautiful Sea King.
Below pictures are taken 19th December 2018 when 3 Sea King(s) made their last formation flight.
Other pictures taken at ATCC Semmerzake. (to support : 'De Warmste Week')
9th of January 2019 : more pictures are taken during the last spotters day & night shoot at Koksijde Air Base (40th Squadron).
RS-02 made his final flight 13th of January 2019.
This Seaking marked 43 years of service, had more than 12.000 flight hours and flew 738 scrambles.
RS-04 taken out of service in February 2019 with 12.219 flight hours and 703 scrambles.
Last flight RS-04 was 15th of February 2019.
!!!Farewell to a life saver!!!
21th of March 2019. Last flight RS-05.
On this day the last Sea King RS-05 flew along the Belgian coast.
On each beach a member of the crew together with the local mayor planted a commemorative flag.
With following stops :
Knokke - Zeebrugge - Blankenberge - De Haan/Wenduine - Bredene/Duynengat - Oostende - Middelkerke/Westende Bad - Nieuwpoort - De Panne - Koksijde
In the afternoon also a formation flight was organized together with an Alouette III / NH-90 Caiman and two nice visitors, both Sea King(s) from Germany and Norway to pay a tribute to our own Sea King(s).
* RS-05 : WESTLAND SEA KING Mk.48 (40 SQN) - Belgium
* 066 : WESTLAND SEA KING Mk.43B (RNoAF 330 Skv Bodo/Banak/Orland & Sola) - Norway
* 89+70 : WESTLAND SEA KING HAS41 (Marineflieger MFG5, NORDHOLZ) - Germany
After more than 40 years of service and 1.757 people saved this is the end for our beloved Sea King.
!!!Farewell to a life saver!!!
RS-03 / picture taken in 2008
FINAL FAREWELL SEAKING's RS-02 & RS-04 : last take-off at Koksijde Air Base
click on above link