Montauban - 18 stored SA330s - LOG & REQ

[tyro1]

There is a photo on the net of 1165/DCT in desert scheme but it is in 2009
KB

[cole372]

Hi guys, please see attached picture, my effort to ID the first row. Please do scrutinize, I'm only human and prone to the odd mistake!
1260/DDS which is almost totally obscured is identified by the location and bare exhaust port on the top, just visible.
1189/DAT, last in the row, is identified by a pink rag tied to the rear skid! Still evident in PA's picture.
The rest by colour scheme etc...
https://flic.kr/p/2iW3cQt

Hope this helps some!

[cole372]

Does anyone have a picture of the other rows, ie groups 2 and 3 from 05/19?
I'd be grateful if you could post one if you have it, it would certainly help with identifying them.

Thanks
Colin

[Typeflyer]

Kev
I basically used 'cole372' log and assumed it was in the right order but with some missing in it, and then aligned it with the March 2020 positions.

Nice work Martin!

[leonard van T]

Does anyone have a picture of the other rows, ie groups 2 and 3 from 05/19?
I'd be grateful if you could post one if you have it, it would certainly help with identifying them.

Thanks
Colin

I have some pictures shot from the tower across the road, but can`t upload here

Leonard

[cole372]

Hi Guys

With a lot of help from Martin, the attached pic should show what is known for the Puma's during May 2019.
The picture is a doctored screen grab from google, but serves the purpose.
Still 4 frames to identify, namely two sand camo, and two green.
I will of course keep you posted if I find any more info.

Thanks again to Martin, and of course Phil, hope you all make a few!

https://flic.kr/p/2iWPjK9

[Iroquois]

Here is a picture of mine taken from the stairs on May 18th, 2019:

https://ibb.co/bJkw9vf

[cole372]

Thanks Iroquois, the first sand camo there looks suspiciously like 1222/DDG, when comparing to a photo from Phil. Could do with a little more evidence though...

[tyro1]

Colin
Which Puma do you think is 1222? Photos are of the starboard side and Phil's is of the port side?

So far I agree with much of the work done but I do question 1052/DCB, ref your post of 30th. This Puma 'should' be easy to identify as the black patch of camo on the boom is quite distinctive and different to the vast majority of other French Pumas. Haven't found a photo that matches it yet!

By the way where did you get the screen capture from?

At one stage Martin was missing 6 serials. This is very interesting as when I spoke to Phil just after his visit he said no Pumas had been scrapped, five had been sold to the US and all the ones present had been 'allocated' (presumably to ranges, g/gs, GIAs and museums etc). Taking the 5 sold to the US and 1222 inside that makes 6 which coincidentally? coincides with the missing serials. It may well be if we wait for the Pumas to be dispersed and photographed we may yet end up with all of them resolved?

KB

[tyro1]

Leonard
Would it be possible for you to post your photos on MSF or direct to me in a PM please
KB

[cole372]

KB

If you search for Phils photo of BJB EC665, you can find the starboard side of 1222 in the background.
The screen grab is from google maps, and has been edited for positional use only. I would suggest it is from a good few years earlier but served as a platform to show what was parked where.
Just of to work so will look into 1052 when home this evening for you and post relevant info.

Cheers
Colin.

[cole372]

So far I agree with much of the work done but I do question 1052/DCB, ref your post of 30th. This Puma 'should' be easy to identify as the black patch of camo on the boom is quite distinctive and different to the vast majority of other French Pumas. Haven't found a photo that matches it yet!

KB

Hi KB/All

Regarding 1052, after scrutinizing the aircraft I thought this was, I do see a discrepancy in the black camo, which seems to rise up the tail plane rather than taper down like most others! I too have failed to find a photo that matches this pattern at present. So please consider this to be unresolved at the moment!

Another query, which has arisen today is the position of 1165/DCT. From looking at the photo's provided, I presumed this to be in "group 3" near the end, mainly due to it looks as if it is readable!
Can anyone confirm this position, as I have been informed by Phil that he read this in "group 2" during June 19. As this was one of the few actually read on the day I'm sure someone will remember.

Thanks guys, and thanks for your patience, diligence and help with these queries! If you have any doubts about any of these allocations please let me know.

Colin

[MartinK]

Prompted by the update of the ALAT I decided to have another look at the SA.330B that were stored at Montauban in May 2019. The notes below continue a story that started in May 2020, you may need to read earlier posts to understand the following notes.

Using following links https://www.flickr.com/photos/125879800 ... 847081702/ montage of all 19 in 5/2019
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125879800 ... 838278423/ Group 1
https://www.alat.fr/aeronefs-helicopter ... -puma.html ALAT site updated to 3/2020

1052/DCB – confirmation of this being correct in 5/2019 is required. If it is correct then it had moved to Group 1 by 3/2020

1165/DCT This one is more complex. Is it confirmed as being in sand camo ? In his 22/5/2019 post John Bennett said “looked thru the cracks we identified 'DCT', 'DCL', 1206, 1235/DDL (sand camo) and 1411/DDU” Interestingly the last 4 of these 5 were all in Group 1. Could ‘DCT’ have also been in Group 1 rather than Group 3 ?; only if it was in standard camo I think. Also note in Colin’s post immediately above this one that “I have been informed by Phil that he read this in "group 2" during June 19”. However 1165 does not appear in Phil’s log for 3/2020, neither does it appear in the recently updated ALAT site. The site notes it as ‘Prévu pour expositon au 2e REI’ so perhaps it has left Montauban sometime after June 2019 for display.

So I don’t think the story has moved on much in the last 6 months with queries on 1052/DCB and particularly on 1165//DCT.