Career Bravo November

1 career

1.1 falklands war
1.2 iraq war
1.3 afghanistan conflict

career

bravo november has had distinguished career within royal air force serving in every conflict of last 30 years , has seen 4 of pilots awarded distinguished flying cross actions whilst @ controls of aircraft.

falklands war

in april 1982 bravo november loaded, along 3 other chinooks, aboard container ship mv atlantic conveyor bound falkland islands. chinooks along other helicopters , second-line repair , maintenance support equipment , stores, sent falkland islands spearhead british landings there. prior departing uk, 4 chinooks had rotor blades removed , placed inside them , aircraft placed inside banana bags , rubberised jackets protect them. whilst en route falklands chinooks had rotor blades refitted small party of 9 technicians of 18 squadron raf on board, first time such feat had been attempted @ sea. on 25 may 1982 second of 2 of chinooks had undergone refitting process when atlantic conveyor attacked , sunk argentine navy dassault super Étendard had fired exocet sea-skimming missile. 1 of these chinooks, bravo november, airborne on task @ time, picking freight hms glasgow. avoided ship s destruction , later landed on aircraft carrier hms hermes, gaining nickname survivor . owing rapid spread of fire , smoke aboard atlantic conveyor after exocet strike, not possible fly of helicopters remained on ship s deck.

the strike on atlantic conveyor had rendered british forces 1 serviceable heavy lift helicopter, , there no spares, service manuals, lubricants or tools it. so, able carry 1,500 troops, 95 casualties, 650 pows , 550 tons of cargo. first distinguished flying cross awarded actions in falklands war. za718 on night mission when pilot squadron leader dick langworthy , co-pilot flight lieutenant andy lawless, descended after losing visibility in thick snow shower, hitting sea @ around 100 knots (175 km/h) due faulty altimeter. impact threw spray flooded engine intakes langworthy , co-pilot managed helicopter in air. fuselage damaged, antenna had been lost , co-pilot s door had been removed. while co-pilot door missing, crew of bravo november unable navigate or communicate other forces. bravo november returned san carlos damage inspection. impact had caused little more dents fuselage , damage radio systems. sqn ldr langworthy awarded dfc bravery @ controls of za718 during campaign.

iraq war

twenty years after falklands conflict bravo november saw service in iraq, being first british helicopter land royal marines ashore. after departing hms ark royal, bravo november landed first royal marines on al-faw peninsula seize oil-pumping facilities before iraqi troops destroy them. second dfc actions @ controls of bravo november awarded squadron leader steve carr role in operation in iraq. bravo november tasked delivering marines landing sites marked special forces before returning more troops, guns , freight. aircraft being flown @ altitude of less 100 ft restricted visibility due dust clouds thrown american armoured forces.

afghanistan conflict

rear fuselage left hand side engine of za718, nordholz, 2013

in june 2006, whilst serving in afghanistan conflict, flight lieutenant craig wilson, captain of za718/bn 1310 flt in helmand province, received third distinguished flying cross exceptional courage , outstanding airmanship while operating in helmand province. during night of 11 june 2006, flt lt craig wilson tasked picking casualty. mission successful despite difficult , dangerous conditions led wilson fly aircraft @ low altitude of 150 ft. few hours after incident, helicopter called out again on operations, wilson landing helicopter despite being low on fuel. after being on duty on 22 hours, wilson volunteered take reinforcements front line, returning 2 wounded soldiers. actions on 24‑hour period flt lt wilson awarded dfc.

in 2010, bravo november involved in incident while on service in afghanistan when pilot flight lieutenant ian fortune hit ricochet bullet fired taliban fighters during extraction of injured soldiers. flt lt fortune landed helicopter in hot zone under heavy taliban fire. after landing aircraft hit numerous times. 1 round ricocheted , hit fortune s helmet @ attaching point night vision goggles (nvg s) , smashed visor. stayed in control of aircraft , continued rescue wounded colleagues , land damaged helicopter. actions awarded fourth distinguished flying cross in history of aircraft.

chinook za718 bravo november continues serve on active duty.