Military helicopter landing in field behind Sainsburys

[EDmummy]

I was standing in the Sainsburys carpark yesterday afternoon and watched as a military helicopter circled overhead, getting ever closer. It dropped out of sight and I assumed it landed in the field behind Sainsburys. Anyone else see it or know what it was doing? It was definitely a military helicopter and not a Police or ambulance one.

[pablogrande]

11 items in 10 or less queue

[ratty]

Dunno, but my little boy would have loved that!

[PeckhamRose]

pablogrande - very good!

"Unexpected item in bagging Area"

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Prince William topping up his nectar card?

[????]

Flushing out a colony of giant rats that DKH Sainsbury's has spawned

[macroban]

The Hunting of the Snork?

[bigbadwolf]

Bruce Willis house hunting?

[SCSB79]

Labour politician being dropped near home?

[Bellerophon]

It was an Agusta Westland AW101, commonly referred to in the RAF as a Merlin

Its' normal use is as an anti-submarine warfare & medium-lift transport / utility helicopter (removes anorak)

Looked as if it was reccying a suitable place to set down when I saw it from the lane

The Hamlets pitch would have been big enough.

Certainly not a regular occurance

[Cassius]

Wow - impressive expertise..........

[Sandperson]

If we're getting technical there's no space between the Augusta and westland...it's an AugustaWestland. :-$

[bigbadwolf]

It's actually a GKN Westland, not Agusta.

[Michael Palaeologus]

AgustaWestland actually

[bigbadwolf]

How dare you question my sources Michael!!! GKN bought out Westland in 2000 and both the civil and federal aviation authorities refer to them as 'GKN Westland' ACTUALLY.

[Michael Palaeologus]

... and Agusta bought GKN's share in 2004 thus creating AgustaWestland.

Keep up.

[Floating Onion]

I was more curious about what it was than why. Thanks for letting us know.

[bigbadwolf]

Who have now sold it to Italian firm Finmeccanica.Hang on.......... I've just corrected both of us.

SHIT.

[Asset]

It's landing there again right now

[Michael Palaeologus]

Anyway, what was it doing near ED Sainsbos? Perhaps a Royal Prince needed some Rizzlers and a four-pack?

[matthew123]

Not greatest photo but took whilst overhead..

 

[Michael Palaeologus]

Its a Puma! Designed in France, ours were built in the UK by Westland (as was) under licence.

Nice one Matthew.

[EDmummy]

Just wanted to know what it was doing - not what it was. Some of you have revealed an anorak or two!

[Floating Onion]

If only you knew.

[Michael Palaeologus]

;-)