CORNUCOPIA
A collection of English customs, curiosities, forgotten stories and unusual happenings
BLADES OF GLORY
Just landed at the RAF Museum Cosford is the Bravo November Chinook helicopter, which has gone on public display as part of the 40-year-anniversary commemoration of the Falklands conflict. The enormous tandem rotor helicopter, which is about the size of a single decker bus, is one of the original 30 Chinooks commissioned by the RAF in the late 1970s, and the only surviving one of four that served in the Falklands conflict of 1982.
Boeing Chinooks are used for transportation and heavy lifting, and since her first tour in the Falklands, Bravo November has been deployed in every war zone involving British forces, including Iraq and Afghanistan. She has also been used for humanitarian relief, dropping aid and evacuating people in the Caribbean following Hurricane Irma, and at home in Britain, dropping sandbags to shore up flood defences. She was in service for nearly four decades until she was retired a couple of years ago, when deemed no longer airworthy.
“The Chinook itself is an incredible aircraft, but this particular one is historic for all these amazing reasons,” said Peter Johnston, head of collections at the RAF Museum. “People have flown her all around the world in different combat zones, and she has been there as a witness to major events in British and global history.”
Peter described the acquisition of the aircraft, which will be on permanent display, as “one of the most significant the museum has made in decades” and said he was excited about visitors coming to see her. “We have a set-up now to talk about her in the Falklands, and we’re going to have future opportunities to talk about her in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in the Balkans. We can use her to tell stories that reflect on the role the RAF has played.” rafmuseum.org.uk