A coloured photograph of Andy Perry, Navy Pilot, Bear Cat, Dong Tam, December 1969 - December 1970. Service Number 02877, RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnambehind the wire, photograph, andy perry, dong tam, ran

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of a rotary (helicopter) wing 'Possum' aircraft from 161 (Indep) Recce Flight, stationed at the 1st Australian Task Force Base, Nui Dat, Phuoc Tuy Province, Vietnam. The pilot searches the jungle below, for signs of the elusive NVA/VietCong forces operating in the area.photograph, possum aircraft, 161 recon flt, 1st atf base, nui dat, phuoc tuy province, nva/vc, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, 1st australian task force, viet cong

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. .A black and white photograph of two Huey 'slick" helicopters of the 135th Assault Helicopter Company collecting Vietnamese troops operating in the Mekong Delta area of IV Corps, South Vietnam. This Unit was unique, consisting of half Australian Navy and half US Army pilots.photograph, huey helicopter, mekong delta, 135th us army & ran, 135th ahc ran, gibbons collection catalogue, photographer, vietnam war, denis gibbons, vietnamese troops, iv corps

Black and white photograph pilot Roger DeSusa stepping out of Jayrow Helicopter with another person, DCNR fire fighting training. Lakes Entrance Victoriafirefighting, training

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of a Huey Gunship from the 1st Platoon 334th Armed Helicopter with its windscreen sprayed with mud from the explosion after firing two rockets into a VietCong sampan, loaded with explosives and ammunition attempting to enter South Vietnam down the Mekong River from Cambodia. The sampan was blown to pieces with all on board being killed and the force of the explosion pushing the nose of the helicopter upwards. nearly turning the aircraft over. The pilot had to fight the controls to regain a normal flying attitude.photograph, 1st platoon, 334th armed helicopter coy, huey helicopter, the playboys, mekong river, cambodia, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, vietcong, sanpan

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of two Navy pilots from the Sea King anti-submarine helicopter on board "the Vung Tau Ferry" HMAS Sydney, delivering the 9th Battalion to war service. They prepare to take off on patrol once HMAS Sydney reached the waters off Vietnam.photograph, ran, wessex, hmas sydney, vung tau ferry, 9th battalion, anti-submarine, sea king, navy, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, australian navy pilots, sea king anti-submarine

The Forests Commission developed the use of helicopters for aerial ignition from the mid 1960s. Bryant and May at Richmond worked with the Commission to develop a Delayed Action Incendiary Device. DAIDs as the were known, had an overall length of 180 mm, striker end length - 10 mm. Ignition end length - 80 mm, then a layer of high melting point wax (to prevent accidental ignition when rubbing together in transit). Both ends coated with a modified match head compound with safety fuse exposed length between coated match ends. There was a 17-second delay from when the small end was struck to an intense flaming of the large end, which lasted for 40 seconds. DAIDs were dangerous so were stored in a metal box outside the helicopter along with a disposable striker patch attached with a quick release pin to a special half-door. The first test was with a Bell 47G on 4 October 1967 and the first use, anywhere in the world, of DAIDs to backburn a large bushfire was undertaken in north eastern Victoria in February 1968. There was a crash of an FCV helicopter conducting aerial ignition near Wandiligong on 19 April 1978 with the tragic death of two forest officers and their pilot. The crash led to the immediate end of the use of DAIDs and the adoption of the safer Premo ping-pong ball incendiary machine which originally came from Canada but was modified at the Altona workshops. Overall, the development of aerial ignition techniques by the Forests Commission from the mid-1960s resulted in a steady climb in the area burnt each year…. peaking at 477,000 ha in 1980-81 and with an impressive 10-year rolling average of 220,000 ha around the time of 1983 Ash Wednesday Bushfires.Developed in Victoria for aerial ignition by the FCV and Byant & MayLarge double ended match used for aerial ignition and back burning by dropping from a helicopterforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, planned burning

This book is the prsonnal story written by Cliff from his early childhood years to spending time in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot.vietnam, helicopters, alan reed

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection. A black and white photograph of two South Vietnamese rangers sharing a joke as they are lifted into an operation by the 135th Assault Helicopter Company. The Unit was unique in South Vietnam in that it consisted of both Royal Australian Navy Pilots and US Army pilots.photograph, south vietnamese rangers, 135th aslt helicopter co. emus, ran, us army pilots, gibbons collection catalogue, australian navy pilots, denis gibbons, royal australian navy

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of Pilots of the 1st Platoon 'The Playboys' 334th Armed Helicopter Coy wearing their black Vietnamese flying suits led by Capt Ken Rubinalk walk past their Hueycobras at Ben Hoa after a day of flying missions.photograph, ben hoa, helicopter, the playboys, gibbons collection catalogue, 1st platoon, flying suits, capt. ken rubinalk, 334th armed helicopter coy, commanding officer, denis gibbons