Combined Helicopter Unit Plan

[Dave Homewood]

It is interesting to see this article from The Press dated 22nd of July 1963, where we see the initial announcement of a unit that would later form as No. 3 (Battlefield Support) Squadron, RNZAF. Also interesting is the options they were looking at for helicopter purchase. Some modelling what-ifs there.

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 III, 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.NZ 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.

[dutchkiwi]

I have seen documents somewhere (not sure but could be at ADF-serials.com forum) that the Cessna aircraft were Cessna 310 (or the military variant U-3 Blue Canoe). But would like to have it confirmed.

Thanks

[davidd]

Cannot agree that Cessna 310s were being considered for this role - did any military in the World chose the type for this kind of work? (apart from USAF that is!) However, as the Australian Army had ordered some Cessna 180s at about this time, I think this was probably the Cessna type in question. However it was later that the Helio Courier came to the fore, but in the end the surviving few (and very humble) Austers, purchased as long ago as 1947, sans engines, were pushed into service - a bird in hand is worth at least three in the bush!

[Dave Homewood]

Helio Couriers would have been a very cool addition to the RNZAF. Or more Beavers.

[Antonio]

Oct 30, 2023 10:26:40 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Helio Couriers would have been a very cool addition to the RNZAF. Or more Beavers.

I remember seeing an article about the Couriers in the Wellington Evening Post back then with a photo of one on a STOL climb out. The article stated that NZ was looking to purchase 6 of them. 
I was into scrop books then and I cut it out to add to my (long-gone) collection.

[Dave Homewood]

From The Press, 13 April 1966:

New Light Planes For Army?

The purchase of six reconnaissance planes for the New Zealand Army from an American company is believed to be recommended in the White Paper on defence to be published soon.

The plane being talked of as a replacement for the ageing Austers used by the Army is the Helio Courier made by the Helio Aircraft Corporation.

More than 275 Helio Couriers have been sold for civilian use in 26 countries. Each costs about £13,650.

The first report that six light aircraft had been recommended was published early this month in Wellington, but no plane was named.

However, a recent report from Canberra said that the president of the American company (Mr R. B. Kinnach) had indicated that he had reached a verbal agreement with the New Zealand Government for the sale of a number of Mark II Couriers. Mr Kinnach was in Wellington last month.

The New Zealand agent for the corporation (Mr D. Harding) has said that although the Army has shown interest in the plane there has been no understanding to buy it.

The Courier is an all-metal, high-wing monoplane. It was first flown in May, 1964, and 25 had been sold by the spring of 1965. Army sources have indicated that New Zealand may be interested in the plane for use in reconnaissance and in providing close ground support for the New Zealand force in Vietnam.

[Dave Homewood]

From The Press, 16 March 1967:

No Action On Major Military Proposals

(from Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, March 15.

Although the financial year ends on March 31, the Government has not acted on any of the major military measures promised in its 1966 Defence White Paper.

The Army recruiting programme is well below its required quota, the Army re-equipment programme has been slowed, and purchases of light army support aircraft and new Air Force strike aircraft have not been made.

If sufficient members are available, the Minister of Defence (Mr Thomson) hopes to convene a meeting of the Cabinet Defence Committee next Tuesday. This will consider the White Paper proposals, but final decisions will be for Cabinet itself.

Mr Thomson leaves the following week for a fortnight’s trip to South-east Asia.

The White Paper, published last May, outlined “action during 1966-7 on 12 specific points.” Some, including the hiring of a Royal Navy frigate, the delivery of a new frigate (then under construction), and the delivery of maritime reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters, required no fresh action, and have since occurred.

With the arrival of Orions, the White Paper promised the withdrawal of the Sunderland flying-boats. They will cease operations on March 31.

ARMY GAPS
The Government undertook vigorous recruiting to fill Regular Army manpower gaps. The recruiting campaign is in progress—but is well short of its required quota. The aim was to put 300 men into camp in May to proceed overseas in November.

The Regular Force had a strength on March 31, 1966, of 5549 men — 175 more than a year earlier. The latest total is slightly lower, and the New Zealand commitment overseas has recently been increased by one company of 160 men. The Regular Force ceiling calls for 6250 men.

The clamp on State spending has made capital equipment the most vulnerable item in the Defence vote. Mr Thomson is known to be concerned that it may not be possible to complete field force re-equipment by March 31, 1968, as envisaged in the 1963 five-year plan.

Purchases of Army field force equipment were to be more than doubled to £2.6 million this year—but actual procurements are believed to have been less.

Some £250,000 was budgeted for the purchase of up to six light Army support, planes (probably the Helio Super Courier). An order for them seemed last year as imminent as the frigate order—but nothing appears to have developed.

CANBERRA SUCCESSORS
Ten months ago the Air Force told the Defence Council that it wanted MacDonnell Phantom F-4 strike planes to replace its Canberras. The White Paper promised an order this financial year to permit the new aircraft to be come operational by 1970. The delay between order and delivery is about two years.

Late last year the Defence Council apparently endorsee the R.N.Z.A.F. choice in recommendations to the Cabinet Defence Committee. Then it appeared that enough money for 14 Phantoms, at some £750,000 each, would be available.

FUNDS REDUCED
However, the amount has since been reduced, and some pressure has been applied to buy planes which are less costly but which have a poorer performance. Whatever happens, the R.N.Z.A.F. will have less time than expected to get its flying and maintenance crews ready for service.

Phasing-out of the Canberra will probably be delayed, as the initial order will be for not more than eight Phantoms. The Canberras are quite , capable of flying efficiently beyond 1970, but by that time they will be on their own, as the Sunderlands are today. Britain, the United States and Australia will have discarded them.

[dutchkiwi]

Oct 30, 2023 2:31:31 GMT 12 dutchkiwi said:

I have seen documents somewhere (not sure but could be at ADF-serials.com forum) that the Cessna aircraft were Cessna 310 (or the military variant U-3 Blue Canoe). But would like to have it confirmed.

Thanks

Ah, yes! That's it. Cessna 180/185 Skywagon. Called U-17 in US military.