Historical information

This is a set of four photographs of Bell 47G-2 helicopters used in Royal Australian Survey Corps Field Operations. c1965. From 1957, helicopter transport of survey parties revolutionised transport in remote areas. The most common helicopter used by the Royal Australian Survey Corps at this time was the civilian Bell 47G-2 and the Sioux, the Australian Army’s’s equivalent. equivalent. From 1964 an Aerodist MRC2 airborne Electronic Distance Measuring (EDM) system was extensively used for topographic surveys over long distances by trilateration to replace traverse requiring survey station intervisibility. In 1965 the command field survey unit personnel attached to the Army Survey Regiment’s Topographic Squadron were used mainly in support roles such as station clearing, tower operations, station monumenting, Aerodist computations, forward base operations, geodetic observations on the north-south traverse and logistic support for Remote teams. .1P is a photo of a civilian Bell 47G-2 helicopter Registration / Serial VH-UTB owned by Helicopter Utilities from Mascot, NSW c1965. In the background of this photograph is three personnel and vehicles at a field survey camp. The left-hand vehicle is a Willys Jeep with trailer and on the right is probably a Truck, 2 1/2 ton, 6x6, General Service GMC. The Bell 47G-2: VH-UTB was destroyed, and its pilot killed in tragic circumstances during a civilian survey operation on Cape York Peninsula in June 1966. .2P is a photo of a a civilian Bell 47G-2 helicopter Registration / Serial VH-IHB taken in Wyndham, WA. As the letters ‘TAA’ appear on the fuselage, the helicopter was charted from Trans Australian Airways. .3P is a photo of a Bell 47G-2: VH-UTC with survey camp in background. .4P is a photo of a Bell 47G-2 equipped with floats and unidentified personnel loading stores, possibly in Darwin. Acknowledgement: Royal Australian Survey Corps – Aerodist Years 1964-1975 Version 2021.0 Authored by Peter Jensen.

Physical description

This is a set of four photographs of civilian Bell 47G-2 helicopters used in Royal Australian Survey Corps Field Operations. c1965. The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. The photographs were scanned at 300 dpi.
.1) - Photo, black & white, c1965, Bell 47G-2 helicopter: VH-UTB with survey camp in background.
.2) - Photo, black & white, c1965, Bell 47G-2 helicopter: VH-IHB with survey station in foreground.
.3) - Photo, black & white, c1965, Bell 47G-2 helicopter: VH-UTC with survey camp in background.
.4) - Photo, black & white, c1965, Bell 47G-2 helicopter: Unidentified personnel loading stores possibly in Darwin.

Inscriptions & markings

.2P – annotated on bottom of photo ‘Wyndham Area – Helicopter drops observing party’
The other photographs are not annotated.