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In Memoriam

Klaas Willem Jonker
(Wilko)
† April 30, 2018

On Monday 30 April 2018, Wilko Jonker died after a long illness at the age of 58. He leaves behind a wife and two children. The Dutch military aviation and plastic modeling were his hobby and on this website he shared all the knowledge he has collected over the years. His hobby has been able to distract him from the persistent disease in his body until the last week of his life. The contacts with other hobbyists were a major support for him.

This website will be maintained by different people for as long as possible, so that other enthusiasts can continue to benefit from extensive content.

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Published: Thursday, 01 April 2010 14:45 | Print | | Hits: 12845
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Since 1994 the RNLAF uses three Agusta-Bell AB-412SP for SAR-purposes based at no 303 squadron, air base Leeuwarden. These aircraft replaced the outdated Alouette III of the SAR flight. This type has been used for over 25 years.
The Bell 412 was used for search and rescue purposes, mainly above sea.
They are also used for transport of patients from the Wadden islands.
The aircraft are overall yellow and soon were nicknamed 'Tweety'.

The aircraft are all equipped with inflatable floats, mounted on the ski-undercarriage, a winch and the 'night sun' searchlight, which can be mounted under the nose, which contains a weather radar.

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Agusta-Bell AB-412SP R-01 at the Open Day Dutch Air Force, juli 1995 at airbase Volkel.
Note the original (high) skids and float system.

Initially the helicopters were equipped with a higher type of skids, with a inflatable triple float system on each side. This construction happened to cause problems with the hoist and was soon replaced with a standard skid with an single part inflatable float at each side.

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Agusta-Bell AB-412SP R-03 at the Open Day Dutch Air Force, July 1998 at airbase Leeuwarden. Note the new skids and float system00.
The nose houses also a weather radar.

 

Usually one aircraft is on stand-by at the Vliehors range.

For civilian rescues the aircraft is used on average a 150 times per year, usually in close cooperation with the KNRM.

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Agusta-Bell AB-412SP R-02 at the Open Day Dutch Air Force, June 2004 at airbase Volkel. Note the mounted search light under the nose.

IMG 2009 V2

Agusta-Bell AB-412SP R-01 at the Open Day Dutch Air Force, June 2008 at airbase Leeuwarden.

IMG 2019

Agusta-Bell AB-412SP R-01 at the Open Day Dutch Air Force, June 2008 at airbase Leeuwarden.

 

January 1, 2015 all three aircraft were withdrawn from use. Their military tasks are taken over by the NH-90. The flight to the Wadden Isles are now being done by a civil company.

A walk-around of the Dutch  AB-412SP can be found at IPMS.nl.