Three centuries-old cannons stationed at St Michael's Mount in Cornwall have been airlifted by the Royal Navy to undergo professional restoration work. The historic weapons required removal from the island location, a task that could only be accomplished through aerial transport.
A Merlin Mk2 helicopter operated by Atlantic Flight 814 Naval Air Squadron executed the delicate operation, ferrying each cannon individually from the island. The mission was coordinated by personnel stationed at RNAS Culdrose, the Royal Naval Air Station positioned near Helston in Cornwall.
The cannons have suffered significant deterioration over their three-hundred-year lifespan, with prolonged exposure to corrosive salt spray from the surrounding sea environment causing extensive damage to the metal surfaces. The restoration process will take place at Dorothea Restorations, a specialist facility based in Bristol, where conservators will treat and repair the weapons to preserve them for future generations.
