Most of the information contained in the table below is by courtesy of ADF Serials, to whom we offer our grateful thanks. The job would have been infinitely harder without their work!
|
Serial |
US Serial | Const No. | Aircraft History |
| N9-881 | 63-12953 | 881 | Delivered 05/64. RAN Code:856/896. Served with 723 Sqn RAN. Crashed 05/06/68.Fatal. Coded as 896 had just delivered an Officer to the Bombardment Range at Beecroft Head NSW,when it crashed into the sea killing the crew of Leut(P) P.C Ward RAN, POACMN D.J Sanderson & SAR diver NAMAE R.K Smith. |
| N9-882 | 63-12954 | 882 | Delivered 05/64. RAN Code:857/897. Served with 723 Sqn RAN. Withdrawn 31/05/89. Training Aid HMAS Nirimba. Now at RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra NSW |
| N9-883 | 63-12955 | 883 | Delivered 05/64. RAN Code:858/898. Served with 723 Sqn RAN. Crashed 11/11/64. Near Jervis Bay NSW. Flown by Leut(P) G.O’Day RAN and a pupil. Crashed among trees near Jervis Bay Airfield when pilot was demonstrating a forced landing. Pilot seriously injured but recovered. Aircraft written off. See description and photos here. |
| N9-3101 | 64-17621 | 3101 | Delivered 1965. RAN Code:853/893. Served with 723 Sqn RAN. Withdrawn 31/05/89. 893 is currently under restoration and looking good at the RANHF. Registration VH-NVR Their intention was to fly her for a while in original Navy colours and then repaint her as a 135th Gunship Vietnam era to display for all the Vietnam Veterans that are still around These plans were shelved with the disbandment of the RAN Historic Flight in 2016 Stored at the Air Affairs Australia facility at Nowra on behalf of new owners Historic Aircraft Restoration Society |
| N9-3102 | 64-17622 | 3102 | Delivered 1965. RAN Code:854/894. Served with 723 Sqn RAN. Ditched in Jervis Bay 25/11/1970 when flown by S/LEUT (P) Andrews RAN after suffering engine trouble. Crew of five rescued and aircraft later recovered. Withdrawn 31/10/88. In December 1995 placed on a pole in the car park of the Heathcote Inn Hotel, Heathcote NSW. Later when the pub changed hands it was withdrawn and returned to the Museum. In 09/98 it was placed on a pole on the south side of the Nowra bridge over the Shoalhaven River. In 2002 the RAN withdrew the helicopter for refurbishment at Nowra. In 2003 it was returned up a new and higher pole in Nowra. In 07/2013 it was taken down for another refurbishment returning to the pole in 09/2013 It was remounted facing in the opposite direction now facing North. |
| N9-3103 | 64-17623 | 3103 | Delivered 1965. RAN Code:855/895 Served with 723 Sqn RAN. Crashed 26/03/81,on airfield at RANAS Nowra NSW,whilst on a training exercise. Both pupil and instructor uninjured but helo written off. Converted to components. One half of aircraft in Vietnam display at FAA Museum Nowra NSW |
| N9-3104 | 65-12846 | 3104 | Delivered 1965. RAN Code:898. Served with 723 Sqn RAN. On the 29 March 1971 with LEUT Nelson(P)& LEUT Mayfield(P) RAN. Engine flamed out whilst the crew were practicing forced landings. Aircraft crashed in a gully South of the HMAS Albatross airfield and was burnt out, with crew suffering only minor injuries. The aircraft was repaired and placed back into service. Withdrawn 31/05/89. Registered VH-NVV and flew with the RAN Historic Flight. Grounded with the disbandment of the RAN Historic Flight in 2016 Stored at the Air Affairs Australia facility at Nowra on behalf of new owners Historic Aircraft Restoration Society. |
Note: There is a further Iroquois on display in the FAA Museum at Nowra. This was UH1-H 66-16290 which was one of many US Army helicopters flown by members of the Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV) as part of the US Army’s 135th Assault Helicopter Company. This combined US/Australian unit was designated an Experimental Military Unit (EMU) and naturally the nickname ”Emus” stuck. It operated in Vietnam between 11/67 and 06/71.
The aircraft was retired to AMARC arriving on 03/10/95 (AMARC code AHXA0532)
It was recovered from the Boneyard and donated by the US Army to the RAN Fleet Air Arm Museum arriving at Nowra in 2004, airlifted by RAAF 36 Squadron.
