Niederstetten (ETHN) 2021

[Adraf]

ETHN 17.05.2021 1040-1825

UH-1D 71+12 THR-30 - dep 1100/arr 1200/dep 1505/arr 1620
UH-1D 73+08/spl THR-30 - dep 1100/arr 1200
UH-1D 73+45 THR-30 - dep 1100/arr 1200/dep 1245/arr 1815
UH-1D 73+48 THR-30 - dep 1100/arr 1200

CH-53GS 85+01 HSG-64 - app 1105

NH90-TTH 79+11 THR-30 - dep 0735/arr 1545
NH90-TTH 79+13 THR-30 - dep 0710/arr 1555
NH90-TTH 79+32 THR-30 - dep 1205/arr 1715
NH90-TTH 79+33 THR-30 - dep 0735/arr 1545

H.145M 77+01 THR-30 - dep 1515/apps/arrs/deps 1520-1825
H.145M 77+04 THR-30 - dep 1420/apps/arrs/deps 1420-1810
H.145M 77+05 THR-30 - dep 1610/arr 1735
H.145M 77+06 THR-30 - dep 1420/arr 1605/dep 1700

[Herby]

Today the official outphasing ceremony of the Bell UH-1D in German Military service happened at Niederstetten, where the last operator in the Bundeswehr, 7./THRgt 30, is based.

In August 1967 (nearly 54 years ago) Heeresfliegerwaffenschule at Bückeburg was the first unit of the Heeresflieger followed by Luftwaffe‘s HTG 64 at Landsberg/Lech in February 1968. In the years the type was based at no less than 44 bases with transport wings, army aviation bataillons, squadrons, army aviation regiments, detachments, VIP units, training units, schools, SAR commands, Bundeswehr rescue centres and civil air rescue detachments.

The special coloured UH-1D 73+08 will be delivered to Bückeburg on 23.06. and will be handed over to the Helicopter Museum in town afterwards. Additionally further active Hueys in the last months were 71+12, 73+45 and 73+48.

Together with the Transall C-160D the Huey is the first of three types leaving the Bundeswehr in 2021. In addition the A.310 will leave the Luftwaffe. Especially the two vintage types C-160D and UH-1D flew in countless SAR, Medevac and assistence missions in Germany, Europe and the world and helped to save many lives in the last five decades.

[Buccaneer S.2B]

A sad day.
Perhaps WTD61 UH-1D 98+98 will soldier on for a while.