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Desert Storm veteran example of the highly successful light attack / utility helicopter. The French designed Gazelle served the UK Military well for the best part of half a century. 

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XZ343 a AH1 variant, first flown on 13/1/1978 and was delivered to the Army Air Corps (AAC) a month later 7/2/78. The aircraft served throughout the UK and notably with 661 Sqn AAC in Germany.

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XZ343 was one of 26 AAC Gazelles deployed on Op GRANBY, Gulf War I, 1991. The Gazelles were distributed to various desert sites to support 1st armoured division operating alongside the Lynx AH7s.  During the conflict XZ343 was coded ‘U’ and painted in ‘Desert Pink’ finish with white invasion stripes on the tail boom and underside. This was to enable friendly forces to easily identify Allied Gazelles as the type was also operated by the Iraqi Air Force.  British Army Gazelles served as scout helicopters working in unison with TOW (Tube-launched, optically tracked, Wire-guided- anti-tank missile system) equipped Lynx AH7 “Tank Busters”. In the roof panel above the left-hand seat XZ343 is equipped with a ‘GOA’ - Gazelle Observation Aid, a stabilised monocular optical sight to find and match targets for the TOW weapon systems of the Lynx.

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Last flown in 2006 XZ343 was delivered to RAF Shawbury on 3/4/2006 where the aircraft remained in storage for 14 years. In October 2020 the airframe was selected to be used as a spares source and road moved to Fleetlands in Gosport, final being disposed of as UK MOD surplus equipment in 2022.

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Contact us for more information and prices.