RAAF MUSEUM'S SIKORSKY S-51 Dragonfly


Photo from the collection Alf Batchelder.

Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly A80-374

The second helicopter operated by the RAAF, A80-374 was received at No 2 Aircraft Depot on 17 May 1951, and on completion of servicing was issued to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) in June of that year. In July, A80-374 was allotted to No 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron, and in January 1953 returned to ARDU for fitment of VHF radio and training search equipment. In February, A80-374 was allotted to No 21 (City of Melbourne) Squadron, in the Search and Rescue role. In August 1953, the Aircraft was returned to No 22 Squadron, and in September 1958, A80-374 was transferred to No 2 Operational Conversion Unit.
In April 1963, with the life of type expiry imminent, A80-374 was submitted for disposal, but this was cancelled, and the aircraft was allotted to the RAAF School of Technical Training at Wagga Wagga, for use as a training aid, arriving in 1964. After replacement as a training aid by later helicopter types, A80-374 was issued to Base Squadron Point Cook for the RAAF Museum in 1974.