XZ933 | Westland Gazelle HT.3 | Gloria

  • Aircraft type: Westland SA.341D Gazelle HT.3
  • Construction number: 1735
  • Military serial: XZ933
  • Civilian registration: G-CGJZ
  • Name: Gloria

Gloria was rolled out of the Westland Factory at Weston, Somerset as XZ933 with the construction number 1735 on 13 July 1978, as a HT.3 destined for the Royal Air Force.

After the test flight had been completed by J Davis it was flown to RNAY Wroughton on 17 July 1978 where she remained on short term storage until transferred to 2 Flying Training School (FTS) based at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire on 12 June 1979.

She remained at 2FTS for all of her 18 year flying career, carrying the squadron identifying code T, until on 17 Jul 1997 she was placed in long term storage at RAF Shawbury with just over 8,000 flying hours spent training Royal Air Force and other military pilots.

She was then passed to QinetQ, a military contractor, at MOD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire who used her as a source of spares for their own fleet of Westland Gazelles.

The Gazelle Squadron then acquired her from QinetiQ, and at the present time she is being rebuilt to reflect the VIP colour scheme which the Gazelle HCC.4s wore during their careers with 32 squadron, based at RAF Northolt near London. She now has the civilian registration of G-CGJZ but will fly with the military registration XZ933.

XZ933 at Middle Wallop airshow, operated by 2FTS, via Warren Leak.