Aerospatiale SE3130 Alouette II
in
Army Air Corps

The Sud Aviation SE3130 Alouette II in British Army service (Alouette AH.2) was subsequently known as the SA313 derivative under Aérospatiale. Two purchased in 1958 for trials with the British Army during the autumn as a liaison helicopter, to carry passengers and light tactical stores around the battlefield. Following a further competition (against the Hiller 12E and the Saunders-Roe P.531), 15 more were ordered in 1961 as a stop-gap when it became clear that Scout development would take longer than planned. The Alouette was to prove pivotal in the demonstration of versatility under poor weather conditions, when during the hard winter of 1961, it was used by the Army in predominantly civilian rescues for communities isolated by the snow and for airborne replenishment (!) of stranded livestock. It had reasonable hot and high performance and proved technically very reliable in service; one of the reasons for its success with 16 Flt and UNFICYP in Cyprus. The Alouette was replaced by the Gazelle AH.1 in Oct 1988 and on 9 Mar 1990, the remaining fleet (apart from XR232 and XR379, qv) was offered for sale.