The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Iroquois helicopters coming in over 2 RAR's lines to land at Luscombe Airstrip. The helicopters are from an American unit that Task Force would have hired for a troop insertion. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squadron, relating to his service in Vietnam between 1967 and 1968. Sig Weller remembers: "In a slightly ragged line the Hueys came in over the rubber above Luscombe Bowl. The digs in 7 RAR were about to go to work. I think the term used in Vietnam for a flight of helicopters like this was a ‘stick’. Each helicopter could carry about nine soldiers so if the stick consisted of say, 10 aircraft, in a very short time a unit of some 100 men could be inserted into a zone. The helicopters in this stick came down one side of Luscombe and another stick came down the other. The men were bunched in groups every twenty metres or so down the edge of the strip, and as a helicopter landed, the soldiers quickly piled on. There were no seats – this form of helicopter (in essence, a troop carrier) was known as a ‘slick’ – and I’m sure the men would have practiced this form of loading and unloading many times. I remember marvelling at the speed with which the whole pick-up was achieved. The first helicopter was lifting off some time before the last helicopter had even landed."
Bell AH-1 "Huey" helicopters coming into land at Luscombe Airfield, Nui Dat. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squad
Iroquois helicopters coming in to land and pick up a load of 7 RAR soldiers at Luscombe Airfield. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Wel
Fuel storage bladder at Luscombe Airfield, Nui Dat, Vietnam. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squadron, relating to
Members of 7 RAR at Luscombe Airfield, preparing to go out on an operation. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squadr
An Australian Iroquois helicopter stationed at Kangaroo Pad, Nui Dat. A small kangaroo painted on the nose identifies it as Australian. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784
The entrance crawl-way to the mortar pit behind the tent of 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squadron. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by Sig Weller r
Sand bag pit used by members of 104 Signal Squadron. One of 477 colour 35mm transparencies taken or collected by 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squadron, relating to his ser
Informal oudoor portrait of 2784336 Signalman (Sig) Stuart Lindsay Weller, 104 Signal Squadron (on right) and 5714254 Lance-Corporal Ross Graeme Bond, at the Manila American Memorial. Sig Weller visit
