The Westpac Rescue Helicopter's longest serving aircraft in the Hunter is being retired after flying it's final mission.
Affectionately known as Mildred, the Bell 412 airlifted a 4-wheel drive accident victim from Wallsend last night, bringing down the curtain on 24 years of service.
The helicopter was purchased from the Toyota Corporation in 1993 and underwent an extensive refit before going into service later that year.
Mildred has flown countless missions, helping to save thousands of lives. She was involved in the dramatic rescue of the crewmen from the deck of the stricken Pasha Bulka coal ship which ran aground in heavy seas at Nobbys Beach in June 2007.
Named in honour of a generous donor from Port Stephens, Mildred is being shipped in pieces to Germany where she'll be reassembled to help with fighting bushfires.
Her departure coincides with the arrival of a new fleet of state-of-the-art helicopters to service the Hunter region.
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| "Mildred" About To Take Off From The Helipad at John Hunter Hospital |
Watch as "Mildred" helps rescue 22 crewmen from the Pasha Bulker 2007
https://youtu.be/QI0mesE3KbE
