From Sky to Road: The Fascinating Story of the Caterham RAF Seven 360R
Helicopters often don’t get the attention they deserve in the world of aviation. For car enthusiasts, the spotlight is rarely on air force fleets unless there’s a thrilling race against a fighter jet. But Caterham has crafted something truly extraordinary to change our perspective—meet the Caterham RAF Seven 360R, a car built from decommissioned parts of a Puma helicopter.
A Unique Collaboration
The Royal Air Force (RAF) of the United Kingdom has been using Puma helicopters since the late 1960s for transporting personnel and equipment. When it was time to retire one of these loyal workhorses, a Puma HC2 that entered service in 1972, RAF Benson base struck up an innovative collaboration with Caterham. The idea? To repurpose parts of the decommissioned Puma into the iconic Caterham Seven sports car.
The Making of a Masterpiece
The aluminum skin from the Puma’s doors and tail boom were creatively integrated into the body of the Caterham Seven. You'll find the bird's XW232 tail number gracing the sides of the roadster’s cockpit, adding an authentic touch. Everything is dressed in NATO Green with contrasting Desert Sand accents on the sills and center tunnel, giving it a military-esque aesthetic.
In the cockpit, the rear bulkhead proudly displays the emergency jettison handle from the Puma’s door. Caterham didn't stop there—the carbon fiber seats, driveshaft tunnel, and inner bodysides are all lined with the Puma’s quilted soundproof material. RAF patches featuring stitched Pumas adorn the headrests, adding an extra layer of homage to this unique vehicle.
A Touch of Legacy
The winning details continue with the incorporation of the Puma's switches as part of the switchgear on the once mundane black dash panel of the Caterham. Caterham even developed a three-stage start process to emulate starting the original helicopter, complete with flipping collective and cyclic toggles. The car’s clock, borrowed from the Puma’s cockpit instruments, feels like a Bell & Ross timepiece, symbolizing the union of air and road.
Performance and Specs
Under its custom skin, the Caterham 360R operates with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, kicking out 180 bhp. At 1,274 pounds, it’s a lightweight wonder, though it doesn’t quite match the Puma’s impressive 3,600 hp from two turboshaft engines. The Caterham delivers a 0.14 horsepower-per-pound ratio compared to the Puma’s 0.45 hp/lb, but let's be honest—you're not going to need that kind of power to parallel park on the High Street.
In a final touch of ingenuity, Caterham reimagined the helicopter’s ammo box as the car's battery box, rounding out this homage to aeronautical engineering repurposed for the road.
On Tour and Up for Auction
The Caterham RAF Seven 360R made its public debut during the British Formula 1 Grand Prix and will soon be going on a tour before hitting the auction block on the Collecting Cars website. Supported by Caterham, the Royal Air Force, Mission Motorsport, and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the proceeds aim to raise at least £100,000 ($120,060 U.S.) to benefit injured service members. The auction will run from August 15 to September 12.
Why You Should Care
This build isn’t just a tribute to impeccable engineering; it’s also a testament to innovation, history, and charity. Leveraging the heritage of the RAF, Caterham has not only created a unique car but also provided a platform for supporting a noble cause. Whether you’re an aviation buff or a car aficionado, the Caterham RAF Seven 360R is a story worth following—and perhaps, bidding on.