Shannon Aviation Museum celebrated 60 years of Irish Air Corps Helicopter operations with a fascinating talk held on Saturday 14 October by Lt Col David Browne No 3 Operations Wing and invited guests including GOC Irish Air Corps Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, and former members of No 3 Operations Wing.
Frank Russell former OC No 3 Wing was called up to recount some of his experiences and missions during his command.
The event remembered the late Mighty Mouse Terry Kelly who earned the Distinguished Service Medal for his part to enable a rescue mission at Powerscourt Waterfall with family members Mary and Nicola Kelly. Due to necessity, Terry had to open an SA 316B Alouette III helicopter fuel drain valve with his bare hands to release fuel and so reduce weight to counteract high winds. As a result of Allouette mission after a fuel jettison valve was added by the manufacturer Aérospatiale, a dual achievement for this mighty Shannon man.
No 3 Operations Wing carried out over 2800 Air Ambulance missions on the Allouette alone and since 2011 over 7,000 emergency medical service (EMS) callouts to date.
Lt Col David Browne remembered the crew of 248 Dauphin tragically killed in Waterford in July 1999 on return from mission off Dungarvan.
The No 3 Ops Wing operated over the last sixty years operated Alouettes, Dauphins, SA 342L Gazelles, a leased Puma from Aerospatiale for two years in the early 1980s and Sikorsky S61. Today operates six AW139s and two EC135s. Lt Col David Browne said the plan is to expand operations.
In a significant development No 3 Operations Wing is partnering with the United States Air Force on introduction of MH-139A “Grey Wolf” as the wing has 17 years of AW139 operational experience sharing lessons learned, procedures, tactics and techniques.
The Augusta Westland AW139 operational capabilities including army support, air Ambulance ,civil assistance, General utility and Ministerial Air Transport Service. In summer the helicopter was in high demand due its capability to lift 1.3 tonnes of water for fire fighting duties, equivalent to a fire engine.
Jane Magill presented Lt Col David Browne a beautiful commemoration personalised map of Ireland to mark the occasion, created by Magill Woodcraft Ireland.
Thank you to Jane Magill and team at Shannon Aviation Museum for for their assistance with article.
Image Credit: Jamie Martin 105 Photographic Squadron/Shannon Aviation Museum
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 22 October 2023 All Rights Reserved