Welcome to RNZAF Wigram – The spiritual home of the RNZAF.
This cache is one in a series to remember the Base that was once here, and some of the Aircraft that are remembered in the Street Names. And this one remembers the Bell 47G Sioux helicopter.
The Sioux is probably best remembered from the Korean War classical TV series M*A*S*H, ferrying wounded soldiers from the battlefield to the Surgical Unit.
The RNZAF bought a total of 13 Siouxs, and were allocated the Tailnumbers 3701 - 3713. 6 were delivered by RNZAF C-130 in late 1965/early 66, with the remaining 7 delivered in 1970. They were all Bought On Charge and allocated to No 3 Battlefield Support Sqn at Hobbsonville.
The Sioux was used for light observation and liaison tasks for the Army, and was originally flown by both RNZAF and New Zealand Army Air Corps (NZAAC) pilots. Throughout its service life it was also the RNZAF’s primary helicopter training aircraft, and it has the dubious honour of having suffered the highest percentage of loss of any RNZAF aircraft in peacetime – eight were lost in accidents.
Up to five Sioux were attached to the Pilot Training Squadron (PTS) at Wigram from 1970. When PTS moved to Ohakea in 1993, the five Sioux were absorbed into No. 3 Squadron at Hobsonville, which took over the role of helicopter conversion training. No. 3 Squadron then relocated from Hobsonville to Ohakea in 2003, where the Sioux continued to operate until its retirement in 2012. Its role has now been taken over by the Agusta Westland A109.
The Air Force Museum’s Sioux, NZ3705, was shipped to New Zealand from the Bell factory at Fort Worth, Texas, by C-130 Hercules in December 1965. During its life it served at Wigram, Hobsonville and Ohakea.
During its production run which ran from 1946 - 1974, a total of 5600 Sioux were built, and it has remained in service longer than any other helicopter.
You'll need to BYOP. Parking shouldn't be a problem, but it may be a bit exposed. Someone is putting in a lot of effort to maintain a garden in the area, Please respect it, and absolutely NO reason to stand on it. In fact can be done from the grass verge. Has been a recent change of container. It is a bit tight, but a light tap will free it. You'll see what I mean. Cheers.