Aerospatiale Dauphin 2 VH-PVA in theambulance service colour scheme awaitsfor the next emergency on the apron atEssendon airport. Note the red diagonalstripes and the Victorian AmbulanceService badge on the engine housing.

RESIDENTS OF THE METROPOLITANarea of Melbourne will be familiarwith the distinctive sound of theVictorian Police Air Wing’sAerospatiale Dauphin 2 helicopters fly-ing over their rooftops.

The first helicopter, VH-PVF, wasbrought into service on 10 October1979 amid some controversy over costand suitability, and after a successfulintroduction, it was supplemented bythe purchase of two more similar heli-copters in 1986.

The two later helicopters, VH-PVKand VH-PVA originally came from theRomanian Government, with PVAbeing fitted out to the equivalent of aMICA (Mobile Intensive CareAmbulance) unit, the equipment alonecosting some $80,000. All this extraweight precludes the use of the ‘nightsun’ searchlight and winch on VH-PVA.

The three Dauphin helicopters havesince become regulars on the TV newsservices displaying their ability for sur-veillance, search and rescue and ambu-lance.

This article gives a brief history of theDauphin 2, a description of it’s servicein the Victorian Police Air Wing’s, plusdetail scale drawings and modelling tipsfor converting Heller’s AerospatialeSA365C Dauphin 2 into a police heli-copter.

DEVELOPMENTThe Dauphin was developed as a singleengine replacement for the AerospatialeAlouette III. Designated SA360, it firstflew on 2 June 1972 powered by a sin-gle Astazou XXI turboshaft and waslater re-engined with an Astazou XVIIIA engine.

The first twin engined version, nowcalled SA365 Dauphin 2, flew on 24January 1975 with two 650-shp (485-kw) Turboméca Arriel turboshafts. TheDauphin 2 has proved itself in variousapplications and was the type that theVictorian Government chose as themost suitable helicopter for the newPolice Air Wing.

VICTORIAN POLICE AIR WING SERVICEThe Air Wing consists of 12 pilots (10command, 2 co-pilots), the majoritybeing civilian lateral entries sworn intothe Police force but only serving in theAir Wing. A maintenance crew of 8 (1 chief engineer, 4 airframe engineers,1 electrician, 1 radio technician and 1storeman clerk) is stationed atEssendon airport to support the AirWing.

The helicopters are on call 24 hours aday, 365 days a year for surveillanceand investigations of trouble spots.There are two designated landing sitesin Melbourne; Fawkner Park opposite

the Alfred Hospital and the parklandsnear the Royal Children’s Hospital.Also, anywhere there is a flat vacantarea will be used as was the case duringthe Hoddle Street shooting when VH-PVA was hit by a bullet and had tomake an emergency landing on theCollingwood football ground.

The Air Wing liaise withsnow/bush/sea rescue work and has 4MICA officers attached to the wing.During the high bush fire risk periodsover the summer, a MFB officer is alsoattached.

Special operations like OperationPhoenix (the checking of schools during holidays); and OperationSalamander (the surveillance of summerbeach resorts); keeps the crews busy allyear round.

When operating with the Police AirWing, the Dauphin 2 has an enduranceof 3 hours with a top speed of 120knots (with winch and ‘night sun’) and130 knots when ‘clean’. The helicoptercruises between 80/100 knots. The AirWing usually operate at a height of

VICTORIA’S ‘COPTERSDAVID CONSTABLE DESCRIBES THE AEROSPATIALE SA365C DAUPHIN 2

USED BY THE VICTORIAN POLICE AIR WING

below: A good photo of the underside ofVH-PVF showing the array of antennasthat festoon the underside of the front fuse-lage. Note the loudspeaker housing on theleft and the lifting hook under the fuselage.

right: The Victorian Police emblem as seenon the forward doors of VH-PVF. Theemblem is outlined in black with the over-all colour a light grey. The star has a mid-dle grey shading as has the crown. Thecross, all lettering, inner and outer circles,and scroll are in dark blue. The four trian-gles next to the cross and the crown fabricare red. The laurel around the star is darkgreen.

above: The Police Air Wing’s first Aerospatiale Dauphin 2 VH-PVFsitting in the hangar at Essendon airport with all it’s doors swungopen. Note the rather spartan interior and the lack of a radome onVH-PVF. The dark blue/red/yellow horizontal stripes seen on thefin are remnants of a safety program that was promoted in theearly eighties.

below: VH-PVF from the left side showing the mounting of it’swinch. Note the worn and torn seats with the ugly patterned backreplacement of the outboard seat. Of particular interest is the PoliceAir Wing’s Cessna 414A Chancellor VH-JEH which is used to convey Policemen, forensic scientists, Police public servants and pris-oners from one place to another.

line to compensate for the torque of theengines.

VH-PVA and VH-PVK have a radomeinstalled on the front of the helicoptersbelow the windscreens. This could bebuilt up with the modellers preferedmedium.

The main undercarriage of the kithelicopter is very narrow and wouldrequire having some plastic sheet addedto thicken them up. A set of new widerwheels from the spares box are neededto give the undercarriage some sub-stance. Luckily, the wheels are partiallyhidden so hub detail is not critical.

The main rotor hub on the modelwould benefit with extra detail addedfrom plastic rod and stretched sprue.

Where the modeller can really bringhis model to life is in the internal fit-tings which are visible through theextensive glazing of the cabin area,especially the ambulance version, butthis would be up to the builders choice.

Each aircraft has it’s own fitment ofantennae and the loud speaker housingsdiffer as well.

300/500ft during the day and 400/700ftat night.

COLOUR SCHEMESAs mentioned earlier, VH-PVF was thePolice Air Wing’s first helicopter.

It started its service painted in overallwhite with a dark blue cheat line alongthe lower fuselage with the VictorianPolice emblems positioned on both for-ward doors. The words POLICE andthe call sign VH-PVF were painted inlarge black letters on both sides of therear fuselage and tail boom respectively.This scheme has been revised a fewtimes over the years with the originaldark blue cheat line gaining a lowerlight blue line and now being enlargedto a more striking dark blue scheme. Atthe time of writing1, VH-PVF still hadblue, red, and yellow horizontal stripeson the fin; a legacy of the safety cam-paign of a few years ago.

VH-PVK and VH-PVA have the samestyle colour scheme as VH-PVF but in amedium blue instead of dark blue.VH-PVA, the ambulance helicopter, alsosports diagonal red stripes along thelower fuselage and top of the fin withthe emblem of the Victorian AmbulanceService placed on each side of theengine housing.

MODELLING THE HELLER DAUPHIN 2

Though a basic kit, especially for 1/50scale, the Heller Dauphin 2 can be builtinto the Victorian Police Air Wing heli-copter with some modification to theairframe.

The main work involved would be theexhaust area of the model which is aquite simplified affair when comparedto the actual aircraft.

The Police helicopter has it’s fin heightincreased by 830mm (321/2 inches) forincreased stability. The fin is alsoangled so that the starboard sideappears parallel to the centre line withthe port side tapering into the trailingedge. Likewise, the endplates on thetailplane are angled at 8º to the centre

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSI would like to thank the VictorianPolice Air Wing and especially S/C RonPage for allowing us access to the heli-copters for this article.

REFERENCESAHSA Newsletter Vol 5 No 2 1989.Various general aviation books/maga-zines.

ENDNOTES1 The photographs in this article weretaken on 19 August 1987 and the bodyof the article written soon after thoughthe aircraft described have not changedsignificantly over the ensuing years.All photographs: David Constable

The overhead console in VH-PVF. The interior roof and console arean off-white. The two handles on the console have yellow grips. Thefloor of the Dauphin is mid blue, the seats dark blue (with greylambs wool covers in the front) and the rear bulkhead, internalstructure and front door trim covered in a dark blue vinyl.

The left hand loud speaker on VH-PVF. There is also a speaker situ-ated on the right hand side of the under fuselage. Compare theshape of the housing with that on VH-PVA/PVK. Note the bladeantenna and the lifting hook that is carried on VH-PVF. The steprail under the doors has a black anti-skid material applied.

VH-PVA on the Essendon tarmac. Note that the middle door win-dow does not have the openening panel as on the left side.

The rotor hub of VH-PVA with detail of the Victorian AmbulanceService badge. The badge has a black outline with red cross and let-tering. The four spoked wheel is yellow. The coloured double stripeson the rotor hub are yellow, red, black, blue in a clockwise directionwhen read from this angle. The ‘Collins’ logo seen on the front bladeantenna is mid blue. There is also another under the tail boom.

The exhaust detail of the Dauphin 2 which needs to be altered on theHeller kit. See also the general arrangement drawings on page 14/15.

The loudspeaker housing peculiar only to the left side of VH-PVA/PVK. Note the step rails which will need to be scratchbuilt.

The fenstron of VH-PVA. The rotor huband blades are bare aluminium. This isapplicable to all three helicopters. Note thered diagonal stripes at the top of the fin.The tail wheel hub and leg are bare metal.

VH-PVA from the rear. Note how the leftside of the fin curves round to make theright side flat, thus making the trailingedge offset to the right.

A good front on shot of VH-PVA showingto good effect the radome housing whichonly VH-PVA/PVK have. The anti-glarepanel is painted flat black.

The nightsun as attached to VH-PVF. The light is overall black andall wiring is black. Note the two black whip aerials on the underfuselage.

A close shot of the winch on VH-PVF. The winch is black overallwith a grey coloured cable. The spoked disc below the winch is yel-low with dark blue tape wrapped around the cable.

This photo shows how the winch isattached to the fuselage at three points.The winch support is white. The interior iscovered in dark blue vinyl. Note patternedseat rear support which is tan in colour!

A photo of the right side fenstron of VH-PVF. Note the red and yellow stripes at thetop of the fin. The metal flange on theleading edge is burnished aluminium. Thewhip and ‘towel’ rail antenna are white.

A close up of the cockpit area of VH-PVF.The coaming is black with a mid blue trim.All controls are light grey. Note the yellowfire extinguisher attached to the structure(there is also one located on the other side).

A close-up of the radome on VH-PVA showing the various bladeantennas and whip aerials. Note the Melways (Melbourne metropol-itan road map) lying against the lower left window for navigation!

The left front side of VH-PVA. Note the viewing panes on the fronttwo door windows. The overhead windows are tinted a blue/greencolour.

At the time of taking the photographs, VH-PVK was undergoing amajor overhaul.The stripped down airframe may be of interest tomodellers. Perhaps a diorama subject?

There wasn’t much left of the airframe at this stage. Having beingpurchased at the same time as VH-PVA, VH-PVK shared the samelivery and interior colours.

An interesting photo of the bare undercar-riage of VH-PVK. It is always interesting toknow how something works under it’souter covering.

The rear compartment seen from the right front door. The inflatablemattress is a dull orange with red folded blankets. The strap on topis blue. The roll tied to the centre frame is black with orange straps.The interior door upholstery is a light tan with black handles. Thesame colour interior applies to VH-PVK.

The rear compartment of VH-PVA from the right side doors. Thestretcher is bright metal with white bedding. The bedding has agold/tan edging and the words ‘ROYAL MELBOURNE HOSPITAL’written in red across the pillow covering. The clear container on theframe has an aqua coloured top with clear yellow tubing on the top.

The front of the rear compartment. Theoverall colour is off white including thecentral cabinet which has clear trays. Thefloor is a pale grey in colour. The twowarning lights on the left top frame are redin yellow (left) and white (right) housings.

The left rear compartment. The cabinet onthe right is white with clear fronted draw-ers. The seat is tan with a blue bag tuckedunderneath. The tank located top left onthe rear bulkhead is a deep yellow with aclear ripple tube and stainless pipe below.

The open radome of VH-PVK showing themounting and the shape of the cross sec-tion of the radome at the front fuselage.Only VH-PVK/PVA have a radome. Theearlier purchased VH-PVF does not havethis facility. Not long after these photoswere taken, VH-PVK was once again seenflying over the Melbourne skies!

The interior of VH-PVA showing the arrayof equipment directly behind the pilot’sseat. The bags are an assortment of khakiand blue in colour. The instrument panel ismedium grey with black dials. Note thePolice ‘checkered’ blue band on the helmut.

Scrap view of the nightsun as used on VH-PVF

Scrap view of winch as used by VH-PVF

Not to scale

Not to scale

Not to scaleNot to scale

Victorian Policebadge

VictorianAmbulanceServicebadge

VH-PVF early scheme Dark BlueFS 15102 (approx.)

Aqua BlueFS 15190 (approx.)

VH-PVF later scheme Dark BlueFS 15050 (make darker)

RedFS 11302 (approx.)

YellowFS 13538 (approx.)

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1/50 scale

VH-PVA ambulance scheme Mid BlueFS 15056 (approx.)

RedFS 11302 (approx.)

VH-PVF standard scheme Mid BlueFS 15056 (approx.)

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AEROSPATIALE SA365C DAUPHIN 2Colour scheme drawingsby David Constable

AEROSPATIALE SA365C DAUPHIN 2Colour scheme drawingsby David Constable

1ft 2ft 3ft 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft 8ft 9ft 10ft

1/50 scale

AEROSPATIALE SA365C DAUPHIN 2General arrangement drawingsby David Constable

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Scale scrap view of winch used on VH-PVF

Scale scrap view of winch used on VH-PVF Endplates angled 8˚

Radome on VH-PVA/PVK

Right side of fin is parallel tocentre line

VH-PVF

VH-PVA/PVK

Droop of rotor blades when at rest

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1/50 scale

1ft 2ft 3ft 4ft 5ft 6ft 7ft 8ft 9ft 10ft

1/50 scale

AEROSPATIALE SA365C DAUPHIN 2General arrangement drawingsby David Constable

AEROSPATIALE SA365C DAUPHIN 2General arrangement drawingsby David Constable

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VH-PVF

VH-PVA/PVK