H-81 Aerospatiale SE.3160 Alouette III c/n 1381 - RNethAF SAR Flight - Leeuwarden AFB, Holland - 26 April 1990

The SE-3160 Alouette III is a single-engined utility helicopter that can accommodate up to 7 passengers. The Alouette III was derived from the Alouette II featuring a more powerful turboshaft and enlarged cabin. Development of the SE-3160 Alouette III started in the late 50s under the Sud-Aviation banner. The first of two prototypes of the Alouette III, the F-ZWVQ powered by one 550 hp Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft, was flown on 28 February 1959. Four pre-production machines followed the prototypes, and the first production helicopter of this type flew in July 1961. In the military role, the Alouette III was used either to transport six fully equipped troops or as an assault helicopter. Certification was achieved on 12 December 1961. The initial SE-3160 Alouette III remained in production until 1969, when it was replaced by the improved SA-316B Alouette III. The Alouette III was developed over the years and remained in production until the 1985. Over 1450 helicopters of the different versions of the Alouette III were built, including production under licence in India, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Romania and Switzerland. On 1 January 1970, Sud-Aviation was merged with a number of other French aerospace companies to form the SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale). From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale. The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group.

The SAR (Search and Rescue) flight of the Royal Netherlands Air Force was established in 1959 as part of the 298sqdn and operated 8 Alouette II for their SAR and TAR tasks. In 1966, the Alouette II was replaced by 5 Alouette III helicopters. The SAR flight was based at Ypenburg, with one of the helicopters stationed at Terschelling. On 23 September 1968, the SAR flight moved to Soesterberg and the TAR task was replaced by a photography task. On 30 June 1977, the SAR-flight moved to Leeuwarden and the photography task was dropped. Alouette III H-81 "Fred" was delivered to the SAR flight on 8 July 1966. After the remaining 4 Alouette III helicopters of the SAR Flight of the Royal Netherlands Air Force were replaced in 1994 by 3 Agusta Bell AB-412SP, the H-81 was withdrawn from use on 18 March 1994. Alouette III H-81 was sold to the Pakistan Navy "138" on 9 August 1994. The SAR-flight Alouette III H-81 was photographed at Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands 26 April 1990.