Cabin from Puma XW225
Update 10.12.20
Earlier today (10.12.20) the cabin of Puma XW225 was collected from the museum and has been moved back into military service.
We appreciate that this particular helicopter cabin, caused a degree of speculation last year. The spares recovery work to generate parts for the rebuild of our resident Puma XW208 has now been completed. The cabin will be returning to military service as a training aid at a nearby military facility, where it will be used to train personnel in their ongoing career development in the Armed Forces.
From previous times:
We have just been made aware of social media comments concerning the cabin of Puma XW225, which arrived at our site from its previous location on 24.10.19. The cabin is stored in an area of the museum that does not have public access; it is covered with a tarpaulin and is not on public display.
Details of the cabin were notified to the museum by the current Puma Force as a potential spares source for XW208. As they explained to us, the person was rescued from the crash and passed away in hospital sometime after the incident; this is confirmed by the Aircraft Incident Report that we have seen.
Furthermore, our understanding is that if the pilot had died on-board the helicopter then the MOD would have instructed that the wreckage was crushed after the board of inquiry.
Work on the XW208 restoration project is being carried out by a former member of the Puma Force, with the parts recovery taking place in a respectful and careful manner. Once useable items from the cabin have been removed it is our intention to dispose of the rest of the cabin. A plaque in memory of the pilot who lost his life will also be placed inside our rebuilt Puma, XW208.