Sports car built from military helicopter being auctioned off

By Dean Murray via SWNS

An incredible sports car built from a veteran RAF helicopter is to be sold at a charity auction.

The Caterham 360R is a bespoke build created in partnership between the car firm and the Royal Air Force.

It celebrates 50 years of the acclaimed Puma HC2 helicopter – and it will be offered to benefit injured service men and women, with funds raised for Mission Motorsport and The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

Auctioneers Collecting Cars, who believe the vehicle could sell for in excess of $90,000, say: "The inspiration for this project was a specific Puma HC2, registration XW232, which entered service in 1972, just a year before Caterham Cars Ltd was formed."

Puma XW232 was deployed for operations around the globe, with its military service eventually spanning Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Iraq during both Gulf conflicts.

XW232 was operated by Joint Aviation Command (JAC) at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, and as its service life came to an end, a special project was conceived between the personnel at Benson and Caterham Cars that would pay homage to this linchpin of the armed forces.

Starting with a Caterham Seven 360R as the basis, the car given a military makeover using original components from XW232.

Aluminum skin sections from the aircraft’s tail boom and doors are used for part of the car’s bodywork; retaining the rivets, RAF insignia and helicopter serial number.

The internal rear bulkhead is even in place behind the seats, incorporating the Puma’s emergency door jettison handle. Other panels were repainted in NATO Green to match, while the chassis was refinished in authentic Desert Sand.

Collecting Cars said: "The assembly of this unique hand-crafted sports car was a joint endeavor between Caterham staff and serving personnel at RAF Benson, making this a true one-of-a-kind build, and reflecting the purpose of the project."

The auction is scheduled to commence on Aug. 15.

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