Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 18, 2022 0:11:08 GMT 12
Interesting to read this article about discussions that were the genesis of No. 3 (Battlefield Support) Squadron, and see the different helicopter types being considered. A few "what if" helos in there. This is from The Press, dated 22 July 1963:
Comment From The Capital Combined Helicopter Unit Plan
(from Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 21.
An Army air unit comprising three light and three medium helicopters and six small fixed-wing aircraft is being considered as the basis of an Armed Services organisation which would meet all service needs for these types of machines and be available, when required, for search and rescue operations.
This is what the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) was referring to when he said in Parliament, in reply to a question: “There will be one set of helicopters for the three services.’’
Army co-operation is the main function of the proposed unit. The six fixed-wing aircraft will perform much the same tasks as the Austers and other light aircraft of World War II: reconnaissance and, particularly, artillery spotting.
This type of craft is closely linked with New Zealand's aerial topdressing industry. A high R.A.F. officer recently spent some time in New Zealand examining the operations of topdressing pilots and the aircraft used by them. Planes of the Cessna and B.A.C. Beagle class might be used in the new unit.
For the light helicopters the French-built. Sub-Aviation Alouette 111, the British Westland Scout, and the American Bell 47J-2A Ranger have been mentioned. The Westland machine, in one of which the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) flew during his recent trip to the United Kingdom, is powered with a Bristol Siddeley Nimbus shaft turbine of 685 horse-power and has a maximum speed of 138 miles an hour. It is almost identical to the Navy version Wasp, which is intended for submarine strike duties.
The Wasp is the Navy’s choice for the new Leander class frigate, so that a unit maintaining both Army and Navy machines is a probability.
The Alouette (Skylark), of which more than 200 have been ordered, is powered with a 550 horse-power motor, and has a maximum speed of 130 m.p.h. The Bell Ranger has a 240 horse-power motor and a speed of 105 miles an hour, and is available in a number of variants.
In the heavier category, the machines to be evaluated are likely to include the American Sikorsky S58, which serves with the United States Army as the Choctaw, with the Navy as the Seabat, and with the Marine Corps as the Seahorse. It can carry 12 to 18 passengers, eight stretchers. or a 4000lb payload over 100 miles, and is powered with a 1525 h.p Wright motor. About 1500 of them have been built.
Although nominally under Army control, the new unit will have men from all three services The ground crews and maintenance staff are likely to be supplied by the R.N.Z.A.F. The pilots will come from all three services. The RN.Z A.F. has trained a number of Army pilots, who retain their military ranks and are employed in artillery spotting and Army co-operation. The Navy is expected to follow suit with naval officer pilots, who will add pilot skill to their knowledge of maritime matters as members of a submarine hunter-killer group.
Comment From The Capital Combined Helicopter Unit Plan
(from Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 21.
An Army air unit comprising three light and three medium helicopters and six small fixed-wing aircraft is being considered as the basis of an Armed Services organisation which would meet all service needs for these types of machines and be available, when required, for search and rescue operations.
This is what the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) was referring to when he said in Parliament, in reply to a question: “There will be one set of helicopters for the three services.’’
Army co-operation is the main function of the proposed unit. The six fixed-wing aircraft will perform much the same tasks as the Austers and other light aircraft of World War II: reconnaissance and, particularly, artillery spotting.
This type of craft is closely linked with New Zealand's aerial topdressing industry. A high R.A.F. officer recently spent some time in New Zealand examining the operations of topdressing pilots and the aircraft used by them. Planes of the Cessna and B.A.C. Beagle class might be used in the new unit.
For the light helicopters the French-built. Sub-Aviation Alouette 111, the British Westland Scout, and the American Bell 47J-2A Ranger have been mentioned. The Westland machine, in one of which the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) flew during his recent trip to the United Kingdom, is powered with a Bristol Siddeley Nimbus shaft turbine of 685 horse-power and has a maximum speed of 138 miles an hour. It is almost identical to the Navy version Wasp, which is intended for submarine strike duties.
The Wasp is the Navy’s choice for the new Leander class frigate, so that a unit maintaining both Army and Navy machines is a probability.
The Alouette (Skylark), of which more than 200 have been ordered, is powered with a 550 horse-power motor, and has a maximum speed of 130 m.p.h. The Bell Ranger has a 240 horse-power motor and a speed of 105 miles an hour, and is available in a number of variants.
In the heavier category, the machines to be evaluated are likely to include the American Sikorsky S58, which serves with the United States Army as the Choctaw, with the Navy as the Seabat, and with the Marine Corps as the Seahorse. It can carry 12 to 18 passengers, eight stretchers. or a 4000lb payload over 100 miles, and is powered with a 1525 h.p Wright motor. About 1500 of them have been built.
Although nominally under Army control, the new unit will have men from all three services The ground crews and maintenance staff are likely to be supplied by the R.N.Z.A.F. The pilots will come from all three services. The RN.Z A.F. has trained a number of Army pilots, who retain their military ranks and are employed in artillery spotting and Army co-operation. The Navy is expected to follow suit with naval officer pilots, who will add pilot skill to their knowledge of maritime matters as members of a submarine hunter-killer group.
