Aerospatiale Gazelle G-BAGJ
Common Name: Gazelle
Event: Postwar
Maker: Aerospatiale / Westland
Mark/Version: Series 1
Registration: G-BAGJ
Type: Helicopter
Heritage Value: 1
Category: Noteworthy
At Risk: No
Specimen: No
Custodian: North East Land Sea and Air Museum
Location: North East Land Sea and Air Museum
G-BAGJ was the first civil Gazelle to be produced by Westland Helicopters in the UK.
It operated as a corporate transport from Battersea Heliport in London, was leased to the Metropolitan Police for a short time before being transferred to Switzerland for air taxi work.
Returning to the UK, it went to Specialist Flying Training at Carlisle where it was used to train student pilots from the Iraqi Air Force.
It was written off in an accident in 1984, its fuselage becoming part of a cub scouts raft before being rescued by Nelsam.
It has since been completely restored.