An Cosantóir

17 The World War Two 'Emergency' years held dangers for Ireland as a result of the conflict in Europe but in the beginning the Air Corps saw only modest increases in personnel and equipment. The first mono-plane twin engine aircraft type of the pre-war Air Corps was the Avro Anson, which also had a retractable undercarriage and a small detachment of these was established at Rineanna (now Shannon Airport) to carry out coastal patrols. By the end of the Emergency it was recognised that the Air Corps had evolved to meet only partially the needs of defending Ireland through the famous No. 1 Fighter Squadron. Although again aircraft were difficult to procure for the Air Corps during the war years, they still managed to purchase and operate small numbers of Hawker Hinds, Hawker Hectors, Westland Lysand- ers, Miles Magisters, Supermarine Type 236 Walrus amphibians and the introduction of Miles Masters and Martinets into the fleet as advanced trainers. During the war approximately 200 belligerent aircraft came down in Irish territory and in many cases Air Corps personnel were tasked with salvaging at these sites and recovery of crews. Some of those aircraft, such as Hawker Hurri- canes, a Lockheed I.214 Hudson I Bomber and a Fairey Battle T.T.I. found their way into the Air Corps fleet helping augment Fighter Squadron as well as other Air Corps training operations prior to its move from Rinean- na to Gormanston. After the war the Hawker Hurricanes and Masters were replaced by two-seat Supermarine Spitfires and Sea- fires and the change from Avro Ansons to Avro XIXs (1946). The 1950s saw the Miles Magisters replaced by DH Chipmunks trainers and the introduction of the Percival Provost and to DH Doves in General Purpose Flight carrying out air-to-ground photography, twin-en- gined pilot training and other roles. Baldonnell Aero- drome ground facilities developed over the years and again to meet the new jet age in 1956 with the con- struction of concrete runways and the arrival of the first DH Vampires for training purposes in July that year. By 1962, as a result of harsh winter conditions and a number of tragedies around the country in the preced- ing decades, the government decided to introduce a He- licopter Rescue Service provided by the Air Corps. The next year, November 1963, three Alouette III helicopters were purchased and the first Search and Rescue (SAR) mission was conducted within weeks, the first Air Ambulance occurred in February 1964. Next year, 2023, marks six decades of helicopter operation during which thousands of SAR and Air Ambulance taskings, as well as many other types of missions have been conduct- ed while operating Alouette, Gazelle, Dauphin, Puma Sikorsky, ECI35 and AW 139 aircraft in support of the community, Defence Forces and State, saving many lives. In that time the courage of helicopter crews has been acknowledged by various awards. The Air Corps helicopter operations wing is the most decorated unit in the Defence Forces with twenty-two Distinguished Service Medals (DSM) having been awarded to its members, four of them posthumously. The 1960s was the decade when the Air Corps trained pilot cadets in Gormanston on short term commissions in preparation for careers in civil aviation with Aerlingus. Up to 2002, when Gormanston Camp closed to Air Corps operations, much of the basic flying training and Army Co-Op were facilitated there with DH Chipmunks and SIAI Marchettis and the Cessna and Alouette III helicopters, especially for army co-operations and support during the 'Troubles' around the border regions. The Fouga Magister also replaced the DH Vampire in this decade as the advanced Jet trainer. The Cessna 172 aircraft were introduced to service in 1972 as one of the direct results of the security situation in Northern Ireland. The expansion of the fleet during these years enhanced the operability of the Air Corps in Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) operations and similar to the Alou- ettes became a mainstay of the multi role service over a very long period. Alouettes served for forty-four years and the Cessna, the longest serving Air Corps type was decommissioned after forty-seven years in the fleet. Ireland's accession to the European Economic Union in 1973 saw the introduction of the Ministerial Air Trans- port Service using the HS 125 jet and the provision of a sustained maritime patrolling capability of our territorial waters and areas of responsibility using two Beech Su- per King 200 aircraft. The HS 125 was replaced by the Gulfstream IV in the 1990s with a Learjet 45Xr acquired during Ireland's European Presidency term in 2004. The King Air's were eventually replaced in 1999 by two Letter ref investigation into purchase of suitable aircraft for military operations from C.F. Russell to Michael Collins and IRA Chief of Staff 1921 (Military archives) A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE IRISH AIR CORPS 1922-2022

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