Lynx Display Aircraft...
You wouldn’t believe it, but before we came along and built a marina here, the site was used as a Naval Air Station, with hundred of helicopters, the odd seaplane, and Harrier Jump Jets landing here.
It all started in 1916 with four Shorts Brothers floatplanes, followed in 1939 by Fairy Swordfish floatplanes, although as a result of Luftwaffe raids these were swiftly moved to Scotland. The helicopters arrived in 1946 (made of Meccano) leading up to the commissioning of Royal Naval Air Station Portland in 1959. Helicopter types were the Whirlwind Mk 7, Wessex Mk 1, Mk 3, Mk 5, the Wasp and the Lynx.
In recognition of all this, the Navy have kindly let us borrow a rather splendid Lynx which is on display in front of the chandlery. Now nicknamed ‘The Hermanator’, this aircraft (Lynx XZ250) entered service in 1978, and remained in service for 32 yrs and 8 days, clocking up 7,667hrs and 10 mins in the air. Most of this was with nine ships which operated around the world, but latterly Hermanator was one of the Royal Naval Black Cats display team.
But how could they trust us with such a machine – easy, they’ve kept hold of the ignition key!
