The Alouette III Gunship

                     

              RMAF AlouetteIII gunship equipped with 20mm Cannon MG151/20mm.

Alouette III first entered service of the RMAF in 1963 and  built by Sud Aviation Aerospatiale, France.This was the most powerful Alouette III gunship helicopter in the RMAF's inventory of the 70s. Powered by 870shp Turbomeca Artouste turboshaft, the SA316B cruises at 115 mph (185km/hr), while the SA319B cruises at about 120 mph (190km/hr). Its capability in changing to multi-roles that made it popular in many countries. The gunship role fitted with a single 20mm Cannon MG151 and supported by two ammo bins of 200 rounds of 20mm bullet in either ball(AP) or standard high explosive(HE) for each bin. HE is a bullet that will explode again on impact and has a killing radius of 10 feet. The ammo are link directly from the ammo bin to the cannon. The gunship has two crews, one a gunship pilot and the other, a qualified air-gunner.

Alouette III MG151/20mm Cannon - Photo found at www.militaryphotos.net

Data on the 20mm MG151(MG151/20).
Developed in 1941 used by the German's fighter bombers during the World War II, had a high muzzle velocity which makes for stable trajectory and high impact speed / longer range.

• Manufacturer : Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Germany.
• Caliber          : 20mm (20 x 82 cartridge).
• Weight          : 42 kg.
• Barrel length  : 43 1/2 inches.
• Barrel weight : 22 lbs 14 ounces.
• Muzzle velocity : 800 m/s.
• Rate of fire : 800 round/min.
• Round types : Ball or armour piercing(AP), standard HE, and HE(M) "mine shot". 
• Round weight: 117g(AP), 115g(HE), 92g HE(M).
• Two version: Normal with percussion firing, and E-model with electrical priming.

MG151/20 20mm Bullet (left of the golf ball).

This escort gunship helicopter were used during the communist emergency between 1975-1980s and most were deployed in northern part of Malaysia including the Thailand/Malaysian borders. It has participated in many operation theatres such as "Operation Daoyai Musnah", "Operation Selamat Sawadee", "Operation Cahaya Bena", "Operation Gonzales" Ipoh, Perak, "Operation Jala Emas" Sungai Siput, Perak, "Operation Ukur" or "Ops Ukur", "Ops Kota Echo",and "Ops Sri Aman", Sarawak. After The Malayan Communist Party(MCP) founded 1930 finally laid down its arms in 1989, the  Alouette III helicopters were ceased down from its gunship operations and its now in the state of dormancy.

The "Operations" had logged me the total of 1300 flying hours and of which 650 hours (50%) allocated for the gunship missions flown from 1977 - 1980 with the total firing of 3,528 rounds of balls and HEs recorded. It was a tough and rough for those era years of gunship flying compared to this present day, and somehow I've contributed to the fullest of my ability for the sake of religion, country and the future generation. I am hoping that the public will treasured, and understood for all the hardships that the RMAF and Malaysian Armed Forces personnels had sacrificed during the past emergency.

                 "Operation Selamat Sawadee" at Kroh Detachment Airfield 1978

Photo:

Lt(U) Yahaya,Lt(U)Johan,Kapt(U)Musa,Kapt(U)Raja Mohd,Col(U)Fauzi(CO RMAF B'woth),Kapt(U) Chong K.L,Mej(U)Stephen Ngiau(OC No3 Sqn.),SAR Crews.

(Front row from left to right)

Sjn(U)Mohd Ismail(self), Sjn(U) Mohd Baki, Kapt(U)Ismail.

(Standing middle row from left to right wearing flying suits)

No3 Sqn ground crews and SAR crews.

(Standing last row)