A charitable group remains determined to retain an iconic yellow helicopter which has been rescue incarnate for decades despite UK defence bosses leaving its campaigners “stumped”.
The Sea Kings have performed search and rescue (SAR) missions from their RAF Lossiemouth base all over the north and north-east since the 1970s.
However, the aircraft will be taken out of service and replaced by Bristow helicopters at the end of this month.
Kinloss-based charity Morayvia launched the Save a Sea King for Moray campaign in January in a bid to keep one of these decommissioned yellow birds as a visitor attraction.
The charity – established to create a permanent interactive science and technology exhibit at Kinloss — hope to add a Sea King to the cockpit of the last complete Nimrod in Scotland, which they saved in 2011.
The campaign has raised almost £5,000 in two months and won many star-studded backers, including newsreader Sally McNair, journalist and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, actress Joanna Lumley and mountain rescue specialist David “Heavy” Whalley.
Ms McNair said: “It’s vital that a piece – a huge piece – of Moray’s history endures. Morayvia will help keep this chapter in Scotland’s history alive. And how better to bring such tales of real life derring-do to the public than to let people see and feel the aircraft, and clamber inside.”
Despite the campaign’s popularity, Morayvia’s Chief Executive Stan Barber said continuing to raise funds is a huge challenge because the Ministry of Defence cannot tell them what a Sea King would cost or whether it will be for sale at all.
He said: “We have always understood that gifting of a Sea King was highly unlikely, which is why we started raising funds to purchase and preserve this iconic helicopter.
“It’s a bit of a difficult one at the moment because the donations have slowed down recently, but that’s not surprising because we don’t know what the MOD want for an aircraft.
“We are a bit stumped. We are still in the St Giles Centre every weekend, but it means people have no idea what target figure to aim for.
“It’s not the MOD being funny. They won’t know what it would cost yet, but it would be nice to have a target figure to try and aim for.”
An MOD spokesman: “Any aircraft defence equipment has potentially significant value, and therefore, the first priority for both the Ministry of Defence and HM Treasury will be to ensure that the department achieves the best return for the taxpayer.
“Ministry of Defence and Treasury policy details the circumstances under which equipment can be donated to heritage organizations. Gifting is exceptional and is only considered when there are significant benefits accruing to defence or the wider UK Government.”
In a letter to Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart, UK Defence Minister Philip Dunne said if the preferred option of a Government to Government sale does not prove viable then a private treaty sale to a full tender exercise would be explored — where interested parties submit a bid.
Mr Stewart said: “I am reassured that Mr Dunne has stated that he is now fully aware of Morayvia’s interest and if a tendering process was to be offered for the purchase of an aircraft, they will be contacted by the MOD and advised.”
Mr Barber added: “Whilst the Minister’s response is understandably non-committal, it is nevertheless encouraging that Morayvia might be afforded the opportunity to purchase a Sea King through a private treaty sale.
“Morayvia will now redouble its fund-raising efforts to ensure we can secure this vital piece of heritage so familiar and important to Moray, the Highlands & Islands and the northeast of Scotland.”