Researched 2026-10-11 from the sources listed below. Airframes move between hangars, workshops and loans: check with The Helicopter Museum before travelling to see this one.
The airframe in brief
| Serial / registration | XV733 |
|---|---|
| Type | Westland Wessex HCC.4 |
| Built | Westland, Yeovil, 1969; c/n WA628 |
| Delivered | June 1969, The Queen's Flight, RAF Benson |
| Units / operator | The Queen's Flight (1969–1995); No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, RAF Northolt (1995–1998) |
| Withdrawn | 1998, then stored |
| Arrived | 15 November 2001, bought at auction |
| Status | On display |
| Where | The Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare |
The story of XV733
XV733, constructor's number WA628, was built by Westland at Yeovil in 1969. Only two HCC.4s were built, both for The Queen's Flight. They were based on the twin-engined Wessex HC.2, and being able to fly on one engine meant the monarch herself could be carried. XV733 was the second delivered, reaching RAF Benson in June 1969.
Over the next quarter-century it was flown by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. Its passengers included Princess Anne, Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother. Visiting heads of state included the kings of Norway, Sweden, Spain and Jordan, and President Mitterrand.
In August 1977, during the Silver Jubilee, it flew the Queen from HMS Antrim to Northern Ireland for a two-day visit. That made it the first helicopter to carry her. In November 1989 the Duke of York flew it into Weston-super-Mare to open The Helicopter Museum officially. In June 1991 it carried the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh together, the first helicopter to do so.
The Queen's Flight disbanded in 1995 and merged into No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron at RAF Northolt. XV733 carried on in the VVIP role there until 1998, when the Wessex was replaced by a leased Sikorsky S-76. It was then stored. The Helicopter Museum bought it at auction in 2001, and it arrived on 15 November 2001.
Seeing XV733 today
On display at Weston-super-Mare. Its sister HCC.4, XV732, is at the RAF Museum in London.
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Helicopter MuseumWeston-super-Mare, Somerset | £15 | 108 | G-LYNX, the modified Westland Lynx that took the absolute helicopter world speed record (249.09 mph) in 1986 and holds it still; parked… |
Also known as: Queen's Flight Wessex · royal Wessex · Wessex HCC Mk.4 · WA628