Formed by the Royal Rhodesian Air Force at New Sarum on 28 Feb 1962, the first 3 (of eventually eight) Alouette III arrived by air towards the end of Mar 1962 and 501 was reassembled and flown on 29 Mar. Two more Alouette III arrived on 6 Jul 1962 and three more were ordered in Jan, which arrived in Aug 1963. From c Oct 1967, the unit maintained more or less permanent detachments at Hwange (Wankie) and Kariba.
During a long campaign against insurgents, (sometimes in co-operation with the Portuguese in adjacent Mozambique) the unit deployed detachments for specific operations, such as 4 Alouette III to the airstrip near Chicoa between Nov 1970 and Feb 1971 and another 4 Alouette III deployment to Nyamasoto in support of ground forces in 1972.
The unit merged with 8 Squadron in 1980 but was reformed in 1983, with the AB412.
During a long campaign against insurgents, (sometimes in co-operation with the Portuguese in adjacent Mozambique) the unit deployed detachments for specific operations, such as 4 Alouette III to the airstrip near Chicoa between Nov 1970 and Feb 1971 and another 4 Alouette III deployment to Nyamasoto in support of ground forces in 1972.
The unit merged with 8 Squadron in 1980 but was reformed in 1983, with the AB412.
Locations
| 1962- | FVHA HRE | Harare International Airport |
| 1967-?? | FVWT WKI | Hwange Town |
| 1967-?? | FVKB KAB | Kariba International Airport |
| 1970-1971 |  Chicoa airstrip |
Models
| AB205 | |
| 1962-1980 | Alouette III |
| 1973-?? | Alouette II |
| 1983-?? | AB412SP |
Operations
| 23 May 19681968 | 30 Jun 19681968 | Operation Flotilla |
| 31 Dec 19721972 | Jan 19801980 | Operation Hurricane |