XP345 initially served the CFS at Terhill in camouflage, later gaining the yellow overall scheme for SAR work. It is now exhibited by the Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group in the camouflage markings carried for service with the UN Peacekeeping Force in Nicosia, Cyprus while assigned to 84 Sdn RAF at Akrotiri. Displayed outdoors at the 2018 RAF 100 airshow at Cosford, this Whirlwind had the distinction of making the final flight of the type by the RAF - on 1st March 1982 it was the last to land of a formation of Whirlwinds in a flypast at Akrotiri to mark the disbandment of 'B' Flight, 84 Sqdn.

The South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum houses some very rare helicopters, albeit in cramped conditions making photography difficult. Only the ninth Whirlwind to be built by Westland, XA870 first flew in May 1954 and was initially allocated for RN service in the Far East but was found to be unsuitable. It then spent much of its service life in these colours aboard HMS Protector and was notable for the rescue of scientists from Roux Island in Antarctica in 1956. A few days after taking this shot I discovered the wrapper from the 1960s Airfix kit of XA870 during a clear-out, long since forgotten!

Operation Deep Freeze II. The helicopter operated from the icebreaker USS Glacier but this appears to be a another ship. Date given as February 1957 but 138595 crashed into the Ross Sea when its engine failed on 19 January. The two pilots survived. Photo by: Albert Fenn / Life

XP330 and XP328 setting off on a farewell flight prior to disbandment of the 21 Sqn flight at RAF Benson in January 1976. They were fitted as VIP transports with 5 Britannia seats in the cabin along with carpet and trim/insulation. XP330 was shortly afterwards sent to the Board of Trade Fire School at Stansted and has since moved to Durham/Tees Valley Fire School and just about survives today (Nov 22). XP328 is at North Somercotes in Lincolnshire and is a hulk.

Delivered to the US Coast Guard in 1954 as an HO4S-3G and imported in 1984 as an S-55B. Here in use for spraying trees for spruce bud worm while registered to Zimmer Air Services. Withdrawn and cancelled on 8 September 1987.

Seen here in a "preserved state" in Aburi Park.

Withdrawn from flying duties in 1967 and used for several years as an instructional airframe at RNEC Manadon, this Whirlwind was moved to Yeovilton in 1976 with the intention that it be preserved in the FAA Museum. However this never happened and it was scrapped in 1988.

No 848 NAS reformed at Gosport on 29 October 1952 and hastily worked up with ten HRS-2 helicopters to leave for the 'Malayan Emergency' with the ferry carrier HMS Perseus. 130186 to WV196, code H, but wears the last three of its US Navy serial here. Crashed in the Malayan jungle on 14 November 1956.

Seen during the restoration process done by boys and girl from Ringkøbing-Skjern Ungdomsskole at Opsund. S-884 is now on display at Danmarks Flymuseum, Stauning

Caught in the process of being made to represent a Mil Mi-24, which was intended to be used in a promotional film. Acquired by Bofors in 1987 for use as a target at their base in Sweden, and destroyed there in 1988.

Prince Philip flew the helicopter himself after doing his core business - opening a school. The Rocket sports ground in Darlington was just east of the railway line on Thompson Street East, belonging to the Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns locomotive factory. WV218 built as HO4S-3 BuNo 133746 in 1953, but transferred to Royal Navy under MDAP. Struck off charge in 1960 and broken up at Hal Far, Malta. Photo by: Bert Abell / Daily Herald / National Science and Media Museum

This aircraft was operating from HMS Protector during 1966/67 season. Protector was enroute from Montevideo to Falkland Islands February 10th 1967

Taken on charge with the Danish Air Force in Feb-1957 as 88-884. The serial was changed to S-884 in 1960. It was withdrawn from use in Aug-1966 and was sold in Sep-1966. It was subsequently stored at Antwerp in Belgium (seen Aug-1967), Martlesham Heath in England (from Apr-1072), Elstree (from Mar-1975), Panshanger (from Mar-1979), New Waltham (seen Oct-1990) and Karup in Denmark (noted Feb-1994 to Jul-1998). By 2008 it had joined the Danmarks Flymuseum.

This Soko-built S-55-5 was taken on charge by the Yugoslav Air Forces as serial 11714 in Dec-1965. On 02-Sep-1974 it flew to the Muzej Vazduhoplovstva Beograd to be displayed. The museum gives the cn as WA9-10-2319.

'To be used for experiments in Civil Defence reconnaissance and communications.' The Civil Defence organisation was to take care of affected areas after a nuclear attack.

Code 920 was allocated in Sept 1963

Written off on 9 October 1968 in a forced landing in a field near Weymouth. Although it was repaired at Fleetlands it never flew again, and it was eventually preserved by the Royal Australian Navy Museum in Nowra, NSW, where it has been since April 1994. The Varsity behind is WJ943/S, and must have been a challenge to land on Plymouth's short grass runway! It was struck off charge in 1976, and was burnt on the RAF Valley fire dump.

US government evacuation drill. Helicopter of the 1254th Air Transport Group, the same VIP unit that carried President Eisenhower in a H-13J that day. Photo by: Paul Schutzer / Life

Probably photographed in the Gulf of Mexico, N737A was delivered to PHI on 1 September 1954. By April 1961 this machine was operating with Autair Helicopters in the Canadian Arctic as CF-MYV. Photo from: United Aircraft