Hobby Master Archive

Originally formed in 1939 the RAAF 9 Squadron was disbanded in 1944 and reformed in June 1962. Originally intended to be a Search and Rescue unit but this was changed to providing airlift for the Australian Army. The Squadron would be equipped with the new Bell UH-1B Iroquois (Huey). In 1966 the unit was sent to Vietnam and mostly provided troop transport and re-supply of ammunition and food to the troops in the field. Eventually the Squadron duties included becoming Dust-Offs, airlifting wounded soldiers to filed or base hospitals. These helicopters provide to be very versatile and were used for dropping propaganda pamphlets and aerial spraying around the Australian bases in an effort to eliminate malaria mosquitoes. In 1969 4 of the Australian helicopters were converted to gun ships. The Squadron left Vietnam for Australia in December 1971 and resumed their duties as airlift for the Army as well as civilian search and rescue. In 1986 all RAAF battlefield helicopters began to be transferred to the Australian Army. In 1988 the 9 Squadron began to be re-equipped with S-70A Blackhawk helicopters.