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New Zealand troops board helicopter

Submitted by Editorial team on 2 September 2008 - 4:44am.
New Zealand troops board helicopter, 1971

A New Zealand infantry patrol boards a helicopter of No. 9 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, at a Fire Support Base in South Vietnam, 1971.*

*It has been suggested that this picture may have been taken in New Zealand rather than Vietnam. See comments below for more information.

Image courtesy Imperial War Museum
Collection number: 7210-08
Photo number: MH 16980

Permission of the Imperial War Museum, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

 

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Comments

THERE ARE 5 COMMENTS
Rob9 commented:
Tue, 02 September 2008 - 11:32am
Notwithstanding its apparent credentials, I seriously doubt that this is a 9 Sqn RAAF Iroquois, or that the photograph was taken in Viet Nam. There are lines of power pylons in the background, which I would not recognise as being in Viet Nam - much more likely to be Waiouru. The vegetation also looks like Waiouru tussock to me. The aircraft has a zigzag HF antenna down each side of the tailboom. The 9 Sqn aircraft in Viet Nam were not equipped with HF and did not therefore sport the antenna. An aircraft number is just visible on the side of the tail fin. RAAF Iroqois carried the serial number on the nose and side doors, not on the fin. It's not clear, but I would guess that this aircraft is more likely to be NZ3803, of No 3 Sqn RNZAF than one from No 9 Sqn RAAF. There is no sign of mounted door guns, which were standard kit with 9 Sqn in Viet Nam. In short, I think the photograph has been mis-identified
Rob9 commented:
Tue, 02 September 2008 - 09:49pm
Further to my last, additional research suggests that my memory was flawed re the tail numbers. RAAF Iroquois in Viet Nam (or at least some of them) did have serial numbers on the tail fin. But they were painted in black, not white. I'm still convinced it's an RNZAF Huey, not Australian; and that it's Waiouru (or Tekapo), not Viet Nam!
Lloyd Roberton commented:
Mon, 08 September 2008 - 08:49am
As the Vicar of Diblys Jim Trott is oft heard to say...no...no...no...not Vietnam...more likely Waiouru...and were did this photo originate from?
Admin commented:
Mon, 08 September 2008 - 11:33pm
Thanks for the feedback regarding this image. We have asked the Imperial War Museum for more information about the caption and will let you know the details when we hear back from them. Gareth Phipps - Website Content Officer
Admin commented:
Wed, 14 January 2009 - 03:30am
Update: After consultation with the Keeper of Photographs at Wigram Air Force Museum we can confirm that the photo was not taken in Vietnam. He states that: "The photo was definitely not taken in Vietnam. If you look closely at the 'tail' of the Iroquois you can just see part of the 8 and 03. This is the end of the aircraft serial number which would be NZ3803. RNZAF Iroquois were never operated in the Vietnam theatre... I think that this photo was taken in New Zealand, probably during an exercise at Waiouru (look at the landscape, very reminiscent of the Waiouru area). I can't say for definite the location apart from, most likely in New Zealand. Definitely not Vietnam.”