Aircraft of the ADF — N5 Bristol Sycamore

The first three RAN Sycamores, designated the Mark HR.50 and based on the Mark 3, were serialled WA219 to XA221 (c/s 13063 to 138065), and delivered to Australia aboard HMAS Vengeance. The helicopters flew onto the Vengeance off Weymouth during January 1953, berthing in Sydney on March 11 1953. Although similar to the Sycamore HR.13, the Australian HR.50 introduced a taller landing gear for shipborne operation. These first Sycamores were received by 723 Squadron at HMAS Albatross during March.

Further orders placed by the RAN were for the HR.51 variant, equivalent to the HR.14, which in turn was the RAF’s SAR variant of the developed Mark 4. In the HR.14, and consequently the HR.51, the pilot’s position was changed from left to right hand to conform to American standard practice. Also other modifications of the earlier models were incorporated into one universal design, including a four-door arrangement and enlarged baggage compartment.

The first three HR.51s, serialled XD654 to XD656 (c/ns 13146 to 13148) were delivered to the RAN in November 1954 with a fourth aircraft, XD653 (13071). This last aircraft had initially been intended as a Mark 4, but had been completed as the first HR.14 and registered G-AMWJ. These four Sycamores were delivered by the merchant vessel Braeside, and joined the earlier aircraft in 723 Squadron.

Over this period from 1953 to 1955, a Sycamore was embarked aboard the loaned carrier HMAS Vengeance. In addition to SAR duties during 1955, tasks included mapping work in Tasmania for the Hydro Electric Commission and flood rescue work in rural NSW. During the floods the Sycamores proved invaluable in their rescue and supply work together in the 1950s. This was to pave the way for future widespread use of the helicopter for humanitarian tasks. XA221 was written off during these operations in a crash at Maitland, and XD654 was damaged at Dubbo. Later that year on October 12, XD655 was ditched in shallow water in St George’s Basin, south of Jervis Bay.

A further two HR.51s followed in March 1956 aboard HMAS Melbourne on its maiden voyage from England to Australia. These were offloaded at Jervis Bay on May 8 1956 with the RAN’s new delivery of Sea Venoms and Gannets. These aircraft, XK902 (13401) and XL507 (13407), replaced the earlier losses of XA221 and XD655. With the arrival of the Melbourne, a Sycamore was normally embarked for SAR duty, and this was to remain standard practice until 1964.

723 Squadron disbanded on October 25 1956 and the six remaining Sycamores were transferred to 724 Squadron. This arrangement was only to last a matter of months, with 723 reforming on February 18 1957 for the training of helicopter pilots, and taking the Sycamores back on strength. One of the most recently delivered aircraft, XK902, was lost during survey operations in support of HMAS Warrego in January 1958. The Warrego was charting NSW coastal waters, with the Sycamore transporting survey marker poles when it crashed on the Bald Knob coastal range, 40 kilometres south of Grafton. The helicopter rolled down a slope and off a cliff, but fortunately lodged on a narrow ledge, and all of the five occupants were able to escape.

Apart from dedicated HR.51 production by Bristol, other earlier Mark 4 machines were retrofitted to HR.51 for the RAN. XN448 (c/n 13270) had originally been registered as G-AOBM, and served during 1955 as a Bristol demonstrator in Canada and Mexico as CH-HVX. Returning to Bristols at Filton, the aircraft was modified to HR.51 standard as G-18-5, and delivered to the RAN by merchant vessel in June 1958. It is interesting to note that on delivery to Australia this aircraft was marked as 13270, with its constructor’s number initially being used as its RAN serial number.

The next two replacement deliveries, XN449 and XN450 (13504/05) were completed as HR.51s and delivered in June 1959. These were the last two Sycamores built, and brought production of the type to 178.

Over 1960 and 1961, Army pilots completed helicopter training courses with 723 Squadron in preparation of delivery of the newly ordered Bell 47G Sioux.

The last aircraft, which replaced XD654 which had ditched off HMS Hermes in March 1961, was XR592 (c/n 13070). This aircraft had originally been built as a Mark 4 (G-AMWI) in September 1953 as a Bristol demonstrator. It was modified to HR.51 standard and delivered in August 1961, initially marked in error as XN635. As this serial number had already been allocated to an RAF Jet Provost T.3 trainer, the new Sycamore was renumbered XR592.

In addition, two Sycamores served with Australian National Airways and then Ansett ANA. These two aircraft were VH-INO (c/n 13403, ex G-AODL) which crashed in NSW’s Nundle State Forest on January 11 1960, and VH-INQ (c/n 13068, ex G-AMWG) which crashed at Lengyle, Queensland, on September 4 1961.

A fact often overlooked is that the RAAF also operated the Sycamore from 1951. Two served in air force colours, a Mark 3, A91-1 (c/n 12894), and a Mark 4, A91-2 (13202), which served initially with the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU), and then with the Air Trials Unit (ATU) at Woomera. A91-2 crashed in 1960, and components from this machine kept A91-1 flying, until it was retired in 1965, and sold as VH-GVR.

The Sycamores continued to serve with 723 Squadron, and in November 1963 all fixed wing training aircraft passed to 724 Squadron, leaving 723 again as a solely rotary wing squadron.

The replacement for the RAN’s Sycamore was the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, the first three of which joined 723 Squadron in May 1964. The last Sycamores were withdrawn from RAN service in June 1965, and three were subsequently sold that September. Of these, XN448 became VH-SYC and XR592 became VH-BAW.

Like other naval aircraft of that period, although in 1964 the type had received an “N” prefix (in this case N5-), as the Sycamore was retiring, no N5- serials were ever applied.

Sycamore survivors include XA220, the only remaining HR.50, on static display at the Australian Naval Aviation Museum (ANAM) restored in its original colours and coded “907”. The ANAM also houses XD653, the Camden Museum of Aviation hold XN450 and XR592, and XN448 is displayed at the Air Force Association Museum in Perth.