Fleet Air Arm Museum Display - RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam

During 1966, the increased intensity of the war in Vietnam caused the US Forces to request further military support from Australia, particularly helicopter crews and associated maintenance personnel. Australia had just committed a third Army Battalion to service in Vietnam and this would increase demand for airmobile support from US sources.

Navy offered some aircrew and maintenance personnel to be drawn mostly from 817 Squadron based at Nowra. This was refined to 8 pilots, 4 observers and 40 aviation maintenance personnel from all categories. It was eventually decided that this group would integrate with the US Army's 135th Assault Helicopter Company (AHC). The new unit arrived in Vietnam in September 1967. The 135th would be equipped with 25 new UH-1H troop carriers and 8 UH1-C armed attack helicopters.

The team formed up at Nowra in September 1967 with the unit name of the RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV) and joined 723 Squadron for pre-deployment training on UH-1B Iroquois aircraft. After a month of intensive training with assistance from the Australian Army, the RANHFV joined the 135th AHC in Vietnam in early October. Aircrew and maintenance personnel infused into the Company's structure according to rank and category. This first group of the RANHFV was to be deployed for one year, to be relieved by a second group in October 1968. Four groups were eventually deployed with the 135th from 1967 until 1971. The unit lost 5 aircrew, killed in action, over the period.

Aircraft

• Bell UH-1H Iroquois
• Bell UH-1B/1C Iroquois
• Bell 47G-3B1 Sioux