|
The SA 330 was
developed in the 1960’s to meet a French Army
requirement for an all weather day/night capable
helicopter. Built with a streamlined fuselage and
retractable undercarriage the Puma is fast and
agile. This together with two large sliding doors on
each side of the cabin makes for a helicopter which
is ideal for rapid deployment of around sixteen
troops. Before completion of the project, Britain
and France entered into a joint agreement over
several aircraft types and the Puma SA 330E was
chosen to meet an RAF requirement for a tactical
medium transport helicopter.
This Anglo-French
agreement was made on 22 February 1967 but since
these were to be manufactured by Westland, and the
necessary tooling was required prior to
construction, the RAF only received their Puma’s on
14 June 1971. |
|
 |
|
The first
prototype flew on 15 April 1965 and by 1969 when the
French started receiving their first Puma SA 330B’s,
the SAAF became one of the first foreign buyers of the
export version which was the SA 330C and had
improved Turmo IV engines. The SAAF purchased
twenty. (Serials 121-140), 140 being a VIP model.
VIP model seats were actually “airline”
seats taken from a DC-4.
Right:
SAAF’s first Puma SA330C ( F-WMHB) seen at “Calvi”
Corsica 20th Nov 1969.
Photo © GV Swanepoel
Click for larger image |
 |
|
Puma “127”
which was later
sold to EADS Germany.
Photo © GV Swanepoel
Click for larger image |
Puma “130”, note the thin
stream-lined sponson together with the “box” shaped
sand filters.
Also visible is the hoist used for winching.
Photo © Paul Dubois collection
Click for larger image |
|
 |
In October 1969
four pilots (Kmdt S Armstrong, Maj J M Oosthuizen,
Lt. G V Swanepoel and Lt J W van Rooyen.) together
with a technical team arrived at Marignane for
conversion training which lasted until December.
First SAAF Puma pilots course
in France 1969
Left to right; Lt. Joe van Rooyen, Lt. GV Swanepoel,
Cmdt Steve Armstrong, Major Jollie Ooosthuizen,
Roland Coffignot (Aerospatiale) and Jean Boulet
(Aerospatiale)
(Photo via GV Swanepoel)
Click for larger image |
|
Also during
1969 the Rhodesians were quick to realize the true
potential of the Puma and in June 1969 sent a team
to fly and assess the Puma. Unfortunately due to the
limited number of users, at that time, a method
around the Arms Embargo against Rhodesia could not
be found and it was only after the independence of
Zimbabwe that their air force obtained the bigger
brother of the Puma, in the form of two AS532
Cougars delivered in April 1995. SAAF Puma’s and RAF
Puma’s did operate in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe prior to
this.
Participating in the Rhodesian Puma test flight
were Left to Right - Gp Capt. John Mussell, Gp Capt.
Alec Thomson, Wg Cdr Charlie Goodwin, Air Cdr Jimmy
Pringle, Mr. Trollope (Sec. Defence), AVM Archie
Wilson, Monsieur Moullard, PJH Petter-Bower, Wg Cdr
Ken Edwards and Henry Ford (Rhotair).
|
3rd June 1969
Click for larger image (Photo
via PJH Petter-Bowyer) |
|
|
|
Puma “121” (ex F-WMHB) and Puma 122 (ex F-WMHK)
arrived at AFB Ysterplaat for assembly by 11 Air
Depot in January 1970. No. 19 Squadron was formed at
AFB Swartkop for the new helicopters on the 1 March
1970, with Cmdt. Armstrong as OC. Puma “121” and
“122” were ferried to AFB Swartkop on the 31 January
1970 and formally taken on charge on 1st May 1970.
In June 1972 “B” Flight was
formed at Durban as the Puma was ideal for Search
and Rescue OP’s as was to be proven time and time
again. |
 |
A modern diagram showing Puma SA 330C in old and
new colours. No 124 top and No 138 bottom.
Drawing Copyright © William S Marshall
2006
Click
for larger image.
Original size image (3504 x 2478) available on
request. Please e-mail webmaster. |
|
In January 1975 a further eighteen
Puma’s were purchased. Serial numbers 141-160.
Serial 150 was omitted due to this already having
been allocated to the VIP Viscount. These Puma’s
were the newer “H” models. The SA 330H was
identified by the repositioned Pitot tubes and
squared off sponsons for accommodating emergency
flotation gear for over water operations and
initially the box shaped sand filters, although
these were later replaced with the more common
cylindrical filters. They were fitted with the more
powerful Turmo IVA engines.
All the “H” models were
delivered and assembled at Snake Valley near
Pretoria. Later most of these would be upgraded to
SA 330 “L” standard with the assistance of the
Romanian company IAR. (Now Eurocopter Romania.) |
|
Finally in a rush to beat the
mandatory arms embargo of the 4th November 1977 a
final order for 29 SA 330 “L” Puma’s was ordered
(Serial’s 160-190) and delivered from the 1st
November 1975. The last Puma was delivered on 6th
October 1978. The “L” model differed from the “H” by
having composite main rotor blades which improved
performance drastically. The MTOW for the “H” was
15400lbs compared with 16300lbs for the “L”. Prior
to upgrading the SA 330H, Atlas Aircraft rebuilt SA
330C “135” to the “L” standard.
Right: Puma '175' Nelspruit 2001.
Photo © Robert Adams
Click for
larger image |
 |
|
|
|
 |
During 1980 the
SAAF managed to obtain two civilian Puma variants,
namely the SA 330 “J” which was a civilian version
of the SA 330 “L”. These were operated by 30
Squadron and were mainly used for the Antarctic
missions aboard the SAS Agulhas. They maintained
civilian registrations ZS-HIZ and ZS-HJA.
Left: One
of four civilian SA 330J’s bought by the SAAF, two
ZS-HIZ and ZS-HJA were operated from the SAS Agulhas
in Antarctica.
(Photo-SAAF Museum)
Click
for larger image |
|
A further two
SA 330 J’s were acquired, in September 1984 (ZS-HNK
and ZS-HNJ) becoming 189 and 190 in SAAF service,
later being used for the development of the first
XTP-1 Beta attack helicopters. 189 being used
primarily for weapons trials, including the first
launch of the V3B air-to-air missile from a
helicopter.
Right:
Puma "189" XTP-1 Beta
Photo © Phillip Evans
Click
for larger image |
|
|
 |
|
Puma
“177” XTP-1 Beta attack helicopter seen
at AFB Pietersburg 1990.
This helicopter became the first “Oryx"
"1250”
Photo© P.Dubois
Click for larger image |
Up
until 1980 various armaments were fitted
to the Puma from the 7.62 MAG, .50
Browning, 12.7mm gun until the 20mm
cannon firing from the starboard side.
From 1980 it reverted back to flying
unarmed until 1986 when the Atlas XTP-1
Beta was developed. This version had the
doors sealed shut to accommodate two
stub wings capable of carrying the under
nose Kentron TC-20 20mm cannon slaved to
a helmet mounted site and provision for
four 68mm rocket pods or antitank
missiles and air-to-air missiles.
During this development the need for a
more powerful engine became apparent. In
early April 1986 Armscor set about a
clandestine project to acquire the
Makila turboshaft engines which had
already been successfully flown on the
SA 330R prior to the development of the
Super Puma. In a complex operation
believed to involve Beverley Securities
Incorporated, Aerospatiale, Portuguese
Air Force, Indep and Ogma; Armscor
agreed to pay for the upgrade of the
Portuguese Air Force Puma’s which
entailed fitting Makila 1A turboshafts
to the standard Puma airframe. |
| |
|
This upgrade package was supplied in
“kit” form by Aerospatiale. This deal
was worth about $3 billion and
Aerospatiale continued delivering these
“kits” to Portugal where, apart from
those used by the Portuguese upgrade the
rest were delivered to South Africa via
a front company in Zaire over a five
year period. Puma “177” subsequently
became a Puma on “steroids” with a far
better performance and a potentially new
helicopter for the SAAF.
Together with IAR who supplied 50 Puma
airframes without tailbooms in 1986,
South Africa developed a new version of
the Puma known locally as the Oryx.
South Africa chose the IAR airframe over
existing airframes due to the Romanians
use of carbon-composite materials which
are lighter, stronger and also include
sponson fuel tanks which give an
extended range. |
|
|
|
|
The SAAF Puma’s were
used by 15 Squadron (Durban), 16
Squadron(Port Elizabeth), 17
Squadron(Pretoria), 19
Squadron(Pretoria/Durban), 22
Squadron(Ysterplaat), 30
Squadron(Ysterplaat) and 31 Squadron
(Hoedspruit). |
|
The
Puma has been used in conjunction with
the Army, Navy and Police. It has been
used in desert, snow, maritime and
mountain conditions in war and peace. It
has been used for trooping, search &
rescue and flood relief. Some of the
more famous rescue operations entailed
rescuing in 1973, 27 crew members from
the “Neptune Sapphire” which sank 160km
off Port St. Johns, and 21 crew members
off the “Pep Ice” which was stranded on
a coral reef in the Indian Ocean during
1980.
A
Puma was dismantled and loaded on board
a Transall aircraft and then flown from
Pretoria to Europa Island where it was
assembled gain. From there the
Puma flew some 65 km’s to the Danish
Freighter. The crew of the Puma was Maj
P J Stannard and Maj R Dean. The rescue
operation lasted about 3 hours. |
19 Squadron - AFB Swartkops
Click for larger image
Click for larger image
Click for larger image |
Probably the most famous was the sinking
of the Oceanos in August 1991, near the
Eastern Cape. Amongst other
aircraft, thirteen Puma’s from 15, 19
and 30 Squadrons took part, of
those nine were used to hoist up the
survivors. The Puma’s rescued a total of
225 survivors. Other tasks included
finding people lost in the mountains or
rescuing people during Cyclone Demoina
or various floods. During February 1988,
four Puma’s were used to overturn a coup
attempt in Bophuthatswana and in June
1990 two Puma’s onboard the SAS
Tafelberg were used in the rescue of a
family being held hostage in Mozambique
by rebels.
Puma’s also went to Mauritius in 1987 to
assist with the recovery of wreckage
from an SAA B747 which had crashed into
the ocean and have been used to rescue
members of the SANAE team taken
ill in the Antarctica. |
|
|
|
|
On the 31 January 1972 the SAAF
Puma became involved with operations in SWA
(Namibia) and Angola, remaining involved until 1988.
This first deployment to the Eastern Caprivi led to
the first member of the SAAF to be awarded the
Honoris Crux, one of several to be awarded to Puma
crews.
The Puma was to be involved in
normal trooping, rapid deployment during “follow up”
operations, radio relay, evacuation of casualties,
rescuing downed aircrew, insertion of Special Forces
(Ops Backlash and Kodak etc.) and large scale cross
border operations such as Savannah, Uric, Protea,
Super, Moduler etc. The Puma also saw action in
Rhodesia, Zambia, Botswana and Mozambique.
Puma’s either made the eight
hour ferry flight from Pretoria to Ondangwa in SWA/Namibia
or were flown by C-160 Transall aircraft. |
During the
Bush War four Puma’s were lost to enemy fire and
one to friendly fire.
|
22/12/1975 - |
Puma
134 - |
shot down NW of
Cela, Angola by Cuban AAA. |
|
04/01/1976 - |
Puma
122 - |
shot down in
Angola by friendly fire. |
|
04/09/1979 - |
Puma
164 - |
shot down in
Mozambique by RPG-7. |
|
05/01/1982 - |
Puma
168 - |
shot down in
Angola by AK-47 fire which ruptured the
hydraulic pipe. |
|
09/08/1982 - |
Puma
132 - |
shot down at
Cassinga, Angola by 23mm AAA. |
A further four
Puma’s were written off during accidents in the
operational area.
|
|
|
|
The Puma fleet
accumulated 53 000 hours before being phased out in
1998. The most hours being flown by Charlie Tait who
obtained around 3500 hours on the Puma.
During March 1994 the Romanian government placed an
order for 17 ex-SAAF Puma’s but only twelve were
sold and at least ten of these were refurbished by
IAR (Now Eurocopter-Romania) for onward sale to the
UAE.
Right:
Atlas/Denel offered all the ex-SAAF Puma’s for sale
and one idea marketed was this civilian VIP version.
Photo © Paul Dubois |
Click for larger
image |
|
Grant Williams of News Air Lease
Ltd UK bought 144, 148, 167, 169, 172, 173, 184 and
sold 144, 148, 172, 169, 173 and 184 to the RAF.
These were shipped by sea and arrived at Felixstowe
in 2002. The RAF
serials are;
| SAAF No |
Airframe No |
Reg No |
| 144
|
1310 |
ZJ954 |
| 148 |
1363 |
ZJ955 |
| 172 |
1374 |
ZJ956 |
| 169
|
1474 |
ZJ957 |
| 173 |
1420 |
ZJ958 |
| 184 |
1378 |
ZJ959 |
173/184 will remain in storage
at Llangennech, Wales with the MOD storage facility.
Since RAF fleet numbers are reducing these will
probably not be recovered.
|
 |
173/184 will remain in storage at
Llangennech, Wales with the MOD storage
facility. Since RAF fleet numbers are
reducing these will probably not be
recovered.
Left:
Puma’s stored at AFB Swartkop, 173 was
sold to the RAF and became ZJ958 and
153/157 were sold to the civilian
operator Starlite.
Photo © Paul Dubois
Click for larger image |
The airframes had low hours and
were predominantly sound apart from some corrosion.
In order to retain standard certification and to
retain the HC.Mk1 annotation (this simplifies
support capabilities and configuration control, thus
reducing costs), a number of SAAF modifications and
equipment such as floatation gear had to be removed.
To this end the four Puma’s
were shipped to Eurocopter Romania (IAR) were the
SAAF Puma’s were changed from the H/L models back to
the basic C/E model. This entailed the removal of
the two Turbomeca Turmo IVC turbo shaft engines and
the fitting of two lesser powered Turmo IIIC-4 turbo
shaft engines.
New sponsons/undercarriage
fairings had to be fitted to replace the squared-off
ones that had been used for the floatation gear.
The pitot tubes were lowered from the central
position they had before. The two piece centre
plexiglass was replaced with a single piece to
accommodate anti-icing and an extra windscreen wiper
was attached to this. The steel mesh protector
over the upper plexiglass was replaced with a more
solid steel plate.
After five hours flying at
Brasov Puma 144 was shipped back to the UK in July
2004 for final modifications at Agusta Westland’s
Yeovil facility. Apart from the power plant,
over about thirty years of RAF service the RAF
Puma’s had had most of the L- models mods done!
So Westland had to completely rewire and system fit
to the HC.Mk1 standard. Also two wire strike
ramps were fitted to the cockpit canopy, either side
of the centre panel. Since a number of
components are obsolete, these had to be reverse
engineered.
 |
|
 |
Puma
ZJ954 aka “144” seen at RAF Benson, May
2006. Note colours for celebrating the
90th Anniversary of 33 SQN RAF.
Photo © Paul Dubois
Click for larger image |
|
A
frontal view of ZJ954 clearly showing
the changes made to “144”.
Photo © Paul Dubois
Click for larger image |
Puma 144 aka ZJ954 was handed
to the RAF on 3 May 2006 and ZJ955 is due in August
2006. |
|
|
|
A large number of ex-SAAF Puma’s
have also been sold to civilian operators such as
Starlite. |
Copyright © Paul Dubois 2006
|
