SOURCE: AFI
After decades of thundering over India’s seas, the Westland Sea King Mk. 42C, a stalwart of the Indian Navy’s helicopter fleet, has officially hung up its rotors. Recently spotted aboard a trailer truck rumbling along a Goan highway, this venerable aircraft is believed to be en route to its final resting place: the Naval Aviation Museum in Dabolim. For a helicopter that once dominated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and troop transport missions, this journey marks the end of an era—and the beginning of a new chapter as a historical exhibit.
The Sea King Mk. 42C, a utility variant of the British-built Westland Sea King family, joined the Indian Navy in September 1986, with six airframes (serial numbers IN555 to IN560) delivered to bolster its rotary-wing capabilities. Powered by twin Rolls-Royce Gnome engines, this helicopter was a workhorse, capable of carrying 28 troops or 22 survivors in search-and-rescue (SAR) roles. Unlike its ASW-focused siblings, the Mk. 42C was equipped with a nose-mounted Bendix RDR 1400C radar, optimized for transport and support missions rather than submarine hunting.
Commissioned into Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 336 and later operated by other units, the Mk. 42C became a familiar sight aboard India’s aircraft carriers and frigates. It served as the preferred mount for the Marine Commandos (MARCOS), ferrying elite forces into action with its 8,000-pound payload capacity. From disaster relief to troop insertion, the helicopter’s versatility earned it a reputation as a reliable partner in the Navy’s maritime operations.
Yet, time spares no machine. With an operational speed of 112 knots (208 km/h) and a range of 664 nautical miles, the Sea King was cutting-edge in its day but struggled to keep pace with modern demands. Spare parts shortages—exacerbated by U.S. sanctions following India’s 1998 nuclear tests—grounded much of the fleet by the early 2000s. The arrival of advanced platforms like the MH-60R Seahawk, inducted in 2024, sealed the Sea King’s fate, ushering in its phased retirement.
On February 24, 2025, social media posts captured a striking image: a Sea King Mk. 42C, stripped of its rotors and secured to a trailer truck, rolling through Goa. Observers speculated that this helicopter—identified by its distinctive dark-blue livery and bulbous fuselage—was heading to the Naval Aviation Museum, located just south of Dabolim Airport near INS Hansa. While the Navy has not officially confirmed the destination, the museum’s history of preserving retired naval aircraft makes it a logical choice.
The sight of this once-mighty bird being towed rather than flown evokes a mix of nostalgia and inevitability. The Sea King’s retirement has been a gradual process, with earlier variants like the Mk. 42 and Mk. 42B decommissioned over the past decade. The Mk. 42C, one of the last in active service, likely completed its final mission in late 2024, joining a growing list of airframes slated for preservation or scrapping. Its overland journey, rather than a ceremonial last flight, underscores the practicalities of moving a 39-foot-long helicopter to its new home.
The Naval Aviation Museum, inaugurated in October 1998, is a fitting resting place for the Sea King Mk. 42C. Nestled atop a plateau overlooking the Arabian Sea, the museum chronicles the evolution of India’s Naval Air Arm through a collection of 16 aircraft, including a Sea King Mk. 42 (IN505) from the Navy’s first batch in 1970. The addition of a Mk. 42C would expand this outdoor gallery, offering visitors a tangible link to the Navy’s rotary-wing heritage.
Unlike its operational days, where it braved stormy seas and enemy threats, the Sea King will now stand silent, its radar dome and troop-carrying cabin a testament to its past. The museum’s open-air exhibit, paired with indoor displays of naval artifacts, will allow future generations to appreciate the helicopter’s role in safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers. For aviation enthusiasts, it’s a chance to get up close to a machine that once defined naval power projection.
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