THE Puma is the oldest helicopter in RAF service and is due to be phased out by 2010.

Thirty-three of the transport aircraft remain in service, 15 of them at RAF Benson, in Oxfordshire, including the Puma which was involved in the crash on Wednesday night near Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the helicopter, which was part of 33 Squadron, would have been flying "in support of the Army in some sort of manoeuvres or training."

The machines entered RAF service in 1971 and have a single, four-blade main rotor powered by two turboshaft engines.

A Puma can carry up to 20 passengers, or 16 troops in full kit, or up to 3,200 kg of other material slung underneath. It can also be fitted with six stretchers for evacuating casualties.

The aircraft has satellite navigation equipment and an instrument landing system.

Westland made 48 Pumas for the RAF under licence from the French company Aerospatiale.

In April, two British servicemen died when two RAF Pumas collided over Iraq.