Multi-Era Military Helicopter Crew Signing Event - Sunday 26th April
Meet former military helicopter crews spanning operations from the Falkland Islands conflict through to Afghanistan and see an array of military and civilian rotary aircraft flying in!
PLUS, listen to an engaging tech talk from Richard Spreckley on the Detention Operations at Camp Bastion during Operation Herrick.
Save the date — more details coming soon.
Our guests include:
RICHARD SPRECKLEY VR MSc BA(Hons) DipEd FHEA FSET is a former Staff Sergeant in the British Army Reserve, whose service included operational tours in Afghanistan on Herrick XIII with 16 Air Assault Brigade and Herrick XIV with 3 Commando Brigade. Serving with the Military Provost Staff Corps, he was responsible for delivering detention operations across Helmand Province, working alongside British forces as well as US Army and Marine units. His role frequently saw him operating aboard Joint Helicopter Force assets, including Chinook, Sea King HC4, Merlin, C-130 Hercules, Boeing C-17 and the US V-22 Osprey and CH-53E Super Stallion.
Across more than two decades in uniform, Rich also deployed with NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Germany as part of the Royal Military Police Multinational Military Police Battalion. Alongside his military service, he completed a 30-year career with Sussex Police, gaining extensive operational experience across firearms, public order, aviation support and major incident response.
Flight Sergeant ANDY UNSWORTH (Air Loadmaster) began his military career with the Scots Guards in 1989 before transferring to the Royal Air Force in 1996, qualifying as aircrew through RAF Cranwell, Shawbury and the Puma Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Benson.
His early RAF service saw him return to Northern Ireland with 230 Squadron, followed by a deployment to Kosovo with KFOR, where he later qualified as both a Crewman Trainer and Tactics Instructor.
Andy went on to serve with the Merlin Force, completing operational tours in Bosnia and multiple deployments on Op Telic in Iraq. He later flew as a Search and Rescue Winchman on Sea Kings at RAF Boulmer, conducting missions across the UK and deploying to the Falkland Islands.
Returning to Merlin operations, he deployed to Afghanistan on Op Herrick before transitioning to 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, flying the C-17 on global operations. His final years of service included Op Pitting, the evacuation of Kabul.
Since leaving the RAF in 2024, Andy remains closely connected to aviation, now flying with Historic Helicopters — and, on occasion, still building the aircraft he once flew.
Since leaving the RAF in 2024, Andy now enjoys making Airfix models of aircraft but still misses flying them, although he has recently started flying again on the RAF Sea King with Historic Helicopters.
Flight Lieutenant IAN EDWARDS BSc (Hons) RAF is a former Puma HC1 pilot who joined the Royal Air Force in 1985, completing three tours on the aircraft between 1989 and 1997. He served with 33 Squadron at RAF Odiham and 230 Squadron at RAF Aldergrove, before returning to Odiham as a Qualified Helicopter Instructor with 27(R) Squadron, the Puma Operational Conversion Unit. Ian’s operational experience includes Op Granby during the First Gulf War, as well as a tour in Northern Ireland. A highlight of his flying career was operating alongside the US Marine Corps during Op Granby, before being attached to 7th Armoured Brigade — a connection he still honours by wearing the ‘Desert Rat’ badge on his flying suit.
His time flying in theatre included low-level operations using night vision goggles, exposure to Scud missile activity, a suspected (though ultimately false) chemical weapon alert, and being locked by a surface-to-air missile system. Ian has recently retired from aviation and is somewhat relieved that his logbook contains an equal number of take-offs and landings.
This is a FREE-to-attend event, but you must please book your tickets here for entry, so we can comfortably manage numbers!
📍Aces High Gallery, Steventon, Oxfordshire, OX13 6SN
