This Belgian Air Force Westland Sea King was on display at the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
The Belgian Air Force operated the iconic Westland Sea King Mk.48 helicopter for over four decades, primarily in a crucial search and rescue (SAR) role. Five of these British-built helicopters, a licensed version of the American Sikorsky S-61, were acquired in April 1975 to replace their aging Sikorsky HSS1/S58 fleet. After initial crew training at RNAS Culdrose in the UK, the Sea Kings were delivered to Koksijde Air Base in Belgium in November 1976 and officially assigned to No. 40 Squadron, receiving tail numbers RS-01 to RS-05. RS-01 is on display in the museum.
Throughout their extensive service, the Belgian Sea Kings proved to be invaluable assets for maritime SAR operations in the North Sea and beyond. They were responsible for saving 1,757 lives across 3,309 emergency calls, accumulating an impressive 60,000 flying hours. A notable intervention was their swift response to the “Herald of Free Enterprise” disaster off Zeebrugge in March 1987, where three Sea Kings rescued 30 passengers from the capsized ferry.
Interestingly, their distinctive green and sand camouflage scheme originated from a cancelled order by the Egyptian Air Force, meaning the airframes were already painted before being repurposed for Belgium.
The Belgian Air Force began phasing out its Sea King fleet in the late 2000s, they were gradually replaced by the more modern NHIndustries NH90 “Caiman” helicopters. While some of the retired airframes are now preserved in museums or for technical training, two, RS-02 and RS-04, were acquired by Historic Helicopters in the UK and are maintained in airworthy condition, allowing their legacy to continue.
