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vsq 8

marine luchtvaartdienst

8 squadron
Royal Netherlands Navy

1950 to 1968

Unit History:

In 1950 fourteen C-47 Dakotas of the Oostelijke Verkennings en Transport Squadron (Easterly Reconnaisance and Transport Squadron) gained autonomy as vsq 8 at Biak. After independance of Indonesia the Dakotas were transferred to AURI and vsq 8 was disbanded. In March 1952 the unit was reformed at Valkenburg flying Mitchells and Sea Otters. In 1953 it became the first helicopter unit of the navy after accepting the sole S-51 and three S-55 in september. After the S-51 had been withdrawn in 1959 and one of the S-55 had crashed two Oh-23B Ravens were loaned from the Air Force. From early 1960 the first SH-34J came into service for duties on board of the aircraft carrier Karel Doorman (other sources mention 1963). Late 1968 the SH-34J was transferred to vsq 7 and vsq 8 was disbanded

Bases / Heliports of this unit:

Years	Base / Heliport
1952/68	Valkenburg
1950	Biak/Frans Kaisiepo

Models served in this unit:	Login to Edit

Years	Models
1960/68	s-58 H-34
1959	UH-12E Raven
1953/59	s-51 H-5
1953/63	s-55 H-19

Construction Numbers in this Organisation: (Not all in this unit)	Help Us

C/N	Version	Built	In this Organisation	In other Org
58-1597	sh-34j		134: Map BuNo 150729. preserved museum Soesterberg
58-1611	sh-34j		135: MAP BuNo 149840
58-1430	sh-34j		136: MAP BuNo 149841. 8 sqd. w/o near Noordwijk 17aug65
58-1442	sh-34j		137: MAP BuNo 149842. to civ as N59333
58-1373	sh-34j		138: Map BuNo 149131. to civ as N59331
58-1374	sh-34j		139: Map BuNo 149132. w/o Moray Firth 25oct61
58-1375	sh-34j		140: Map BuNo 149133. 8 sqd. w/o near Gibraltar 31jan63.
58-1145	sh-34j		141: MAP BuNo 147631. 8 sqd 8-1. w/o 22sep65
58-1150	sh-34j		142: MAP BuNo 147632. 8 sqd 8-2. to civ as N59329
58-1153	sh-34j		143: MAP BuNo 147633. 8 sqd 8-3. preserved museum Seifertshofen
58-1158	sh-34j		144: MAP BuNo 147634. 8 sqd 8-4. to civ as N59330
58-1160	sh-34j		145: MAP BuNo 147635. 8 sqd 8-5. w/o near Gibraltar 31jan63

12 C/N found in this Organisation.