5V-TAH Aerospatiale AS.332L Super Puma c/n 2120 of the Togo Air Force, at Groningen Airport in Holland on 06/04/1990

The Eurocopter AS.332L Super Puma is a twin-engined medium-weight transport helicopter for up to 2 crew and 22 passengers powered by two Turbomeca Makila 1A1 turbine engines. The SNIAS SA.332 Super Puma was derived from the SA.330 Puma that flew for the first time on 15 April 1965 under the Sud-Aviation banner. On 1 January 1970, Sud-Aviation was merged with a number of other French aerospace companies to form the SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale). Development of the AS.332 Super Puma with more powerful engines and an enhanced rotor system started in the late 70s. On 5 September 1977, the Maklia-powered test-bed SA.331-01 F-WZAT, a modified Puma flew first. The first production standard Super Puma, the AS332-01 F-WZJA, was flown on 13 September 1978. On 1 February 1980, the AS332 C flew first, followed by the AS332 L version (L for long) on 10 October. The AS 332L Super Puma was certificated in 1983. From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale. The Super Puma is in use in several military and civilian roles. In 1990, the military Super Puma designations were changed from AS 332 to AS 532 Cougar to distinguish between the civil and military variants of the helicopter. The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group. New Eurocopter designations were added: EC 225 Super Puma (civilian versions) and EC 725 Cougar (military versions).

On 6 April 1990, Togo Air Force Super Puma 5V-TAH came in for fuel at Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands when on delivery from Forus in Norway. Before it departed to Villacoublay in France, the next stop on the route to Togo, Jack Poelstra photographed it. This 1984-built AS.332L was operated before as LN-OLE with Helikopter Service. In service with Togo Air Force-Escadrille Presidentialle the 5V-TAH was reregistered 5V-MCD. In December 1996, the registration F-WQDX was allotted and finally the aircraft was registered G-BWZX with Bristow Helicopters Ltd. on 6 January 1997.