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On August
7, 1957, XJ381 was
on normal routine flight from Fort Telanok to Tanah
rata when the pilot at the control
Pilot Officer
Jim McCorkle having trouble with the weather
closing in and tachometer instruments failed. He
found a lonely helipad at a mountain range at 3,500
feet. During an approach, XJ381 suddenly lost height
and he managed to land the helicopter. The nose
wheel touch the landing pad but the main rotors hit
the landing pad and disintegrated. Pilot Officer Jim
with his passenger on board escaped unhurt and sadly
XJ381 was written off.
With
the help of local guides Satya and Alan Leary who
currently tracing back some Valetta wreckage,
managed to track down XJ381. Most of the parts were
salvaged by British after the crash.
Sycamore Mk14 introduced at Malaya in early 50's
replacing Westland Dragonfly is primary British Air
Operation at that time. Used for lifting troops to
dense jungle, evacuate injured soldiers, bringing
supplies, air recon and also bringing dead CTs out
from the jungle.
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Bristol 171
Sycamore HR Mk14 XJ381
