ZG920 was part of the 1st production batch of 16 Lynx AH9 for the Army Air Corps. All were built by Westland Helicopters Ltd, Yeovil against Contract H11b/38. Serials were allocated on 18th August 1988 as ZG884-ZG889, ZG914-ZG923. All but one were later upgraded to AH9A standard.
ZG920 (c/n 359) first flew at Yeovil on 22nd April 1992. It was accepted by the Army Air Corps on 6th May 1992 on arrival at Wroughton. ZG920 was exhibited at Middle Wallop in early May 1992.
ZG920 departed Wroughton on 21st August 1992 on delivery to 9 Regiment AAC at Dishforth, coded ‘8’.
ZG920 was noted with 3 Regiment AAC, at Wattisham by May 1999. Subsequently transferred to 4 Regiment AAC at Wattisham by July 2001.
Air-freighted from Lyneham to Basra, Iraq on 21st May 2004 for use on Operation Telic. Noted still in Iraq on Operation Telic during September 2005.
Subsequently airfreighted back to the UK.
Flown to Gutersloh on 27th July 2007 (along with ZG889) for 1 Regiment AAC.
In 2008 an Urgent Operation Requirement was issued to upgrade the Lynx AH9 fleet with much more powerful CTS800-4N engines to allow for much improved hot and high performance in Afghanistan.
Each airframe upgrade required 3,500 new parts, 12,000 man hours, and took about 8 months to complete.
ZG920 was the 6th conversion and was re-designated AH9A on 17th March 2010.
On 21st April 2010 to Brize Norton for onward air-freight to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick.
Subsequent service including 667 Sqn Army Air Corps, 847 NAS at Yeovilton, 1 Regiment at Gutersloh, 657 Sqn and 9 Regiment at Dishforth.
In 2015 ZG920 was air-freighted to Kenya for service with BATUK.
Declared non-effective on 17th December 2016 and returned to UK by air-freight to join the Wildcat donor programme at Middle Wallop.
To Ground Instructional use at Porton Down by 2018. In early 2019 underwent some trials at Donna Nook as an underslung load of a RAF Chinook, ZA706.
In July 2023 ZG920 was transported to Wattisham, and subsequently transferred to the Museum in June 2026.
