26 March 2024 , 13:33
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British Army Apache Mk1 helicopters were pictured on a farewell tour of the country on Monday (March 25).
The aircraft is being replaced by a more modern version, the Apache AH-64E, and to mark this variant's retirement, a tour of various locations through the country was flown by four helicopters. Flight fans turned out to see the iconic attack choppers fly over locations including the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire and RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. The final operational deployment of the MK1 came earlier this month on Operation Clockwork in Norway.
British astronaut Tim Peake paid tribute to the helicopter he flew as an army pilot. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said: "Today the British Army said goodbye to the Apache AH Mk1 after 23 years of service. A real workhorse and a fantastic aircraft to fly.
The four Apache Mk1 helicopters are seen arriving at, and later departing from, RAF Shawbury in Shropshire (Iain Knox/SWNS)"I'm proud to have been one of the original team of instructors and ground crew that formed AMTAT (Air Manoeuvre Training Advisory Team) to bring the AH1 into service with the regular Army. Yet another aircraft I've flown that's heading to a museum!!"