Aviation72 Westland Gazelle XW849 Royal Marines Gladys 1/72 Diecast Model Aircraft - AV7224015

The Aviation72 Westland Gazelle XW849 is a 1/72 scale diecast model aircraft finished in Royal Marines markings, named Gladys, and supplied ready made with its own display stand.

About this model

The Gazelle is a French five-seat helicopter used for light transport, scouting and light attack duties, powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine. It was the first helicopter to feature a fenestron tail, a shrouded multi-blade anti-torque device housed in the vertical tail surface, rather than a conventional tail rotor. Designed by Sud Aviation, later Aerospatiale, it was manufactured in France and the United Kingdom under a joint agreement with Westland Aircraft, with further production under license by SOKO in Yugoslavia and the Arab British Helicopter Company in Egypt.

XW849 was part of the first batch of 60 Westland Gazelles ordered by the Ministry of Defence in 1970, and was the 16th Westland production aircraft. It first flew in December 1972 and was delivered to RAF Tern in May 1973 ahead of entering service in July 1974, serving with 3 Commando Brigade Squadron and 847 Naval Air Squadron for most of its career. It went into storage in 2005, moved to Gazelle Depth Support in January 2010 for reduction to spares, and was bought by the Gazelle Military Helicopter Trust in December 2013 as a bare shell for restoration and static display.

Specifications

• Brand: Aviation72
• Scale: 1:72
• Category: Diecast Models
• Aircraft type: Helicopter
• Air force: Royal Navy
• Era: Modern
• Edition: Limited to 196 pieces

Common questions

What scale is this model?

It is built to 1:72 scale.

Does it come with a stand?

Yes, each model is supplied with its own display stand.

Is this a limited edition?

Yes, this Westland Gazelle XW849 is part of a limited edition run of 196 models.