AWM installs UH-1B in Vietnam Gallery.

[corsair67]

Vietnam War chopper for War Memorial
July 29, 2007 - 5:44PM


One of the first Australian Iroquois helicopters to see action in the Vietnam War will be lifted by crane into its new home at the Australian War Memorial on Monday.

The Bell UH-1B Iroquois A2-1019 will be the centrepiece of the new Vietnam gallery, which will include multimedia experiences of a helicopter landing and a medical evacuation.

The helicopter arrived in Vietnam in May 1966 and carried out 489 missions over the next two years, crewed by 9 Squadron RAAF.

After the war, it was used for training and operations at air force bases Williamtown in NSW, Pearce in Western Australia and Butterworth in Malaysia.

The Australian War Memorial acquired it in 1985 and has restored the aircraft to how it would have looked in 1967.

© 2007 AAP

[Dave Homewood]

I wonder if RobinK flew that particular helicopter when he was with the squadron?

[corsair67]

I was wondering that myself, Dave; although I seem to recall that he'd said something about being there in 1969-70, and I think A2-1019 was withdrawn from Vietnam service in 1968. I guess he could have flown it in training if he spent any time with 5SQN?

Would be interesting to know for sure though.