Type

ROYAL THAI ARMY

It is intended that this page will ultimately include as full a listing as possible of the aircraft operated by the Royal Thai Army. This listing is largely based on personal observations and research, with thanks also due to the Royal Thai Army, many Air Britain publications, Flight International, Martin Best (helicopters), Jeremy Parkin (helicopters), Rudolf Merison (CH-47), Paul Rushton (Maules), Marco Dijkshoorn (Scramble), Tom Milliken, Neil Aird (Beavers), Derek King, Ed Young’s “Aerial Nationalism – A History of Aviation in Thailand” (Smithsonian 1995), Sakpinit Promthep, Vasapa (Tango), Mike Ody (Canadian data) and others.

The Thai Army first established an independent air arm in 1952.

Other websites which refer to Royal Thai Army aviation include:-

Rusty’s Thai Chinook Page

Serial number system

Army aircraft are usually marked by the Thai characters ทบ which can be translated as the letters ‘t.b.’, an abbreviation for ‘tahan bok’ = Army

Aircraft usually wear serials derived from their previous USAF serial or c/n, e.g. O-1A ‘1618’ is ex 50-1618; UH-1H ‘6039’ is c/n 16039.

The list below summarises aircraft operated by the RTA. Highlighted links lead to more detailed data on the more prolific types (e.g. UH-1H, O-1 etc). An attempt has been made to list the aircraft chronologically:-

Type

Serial / Code Worn

Previous Identity

C/n

Notes

(1952) Piper L-4

‘A few' transferred from RTAF 1952; reported as 22

1348*

Preserved at Lopburi Nov-95 & Jan-05

(1952) Stinson L-5

‘A few' transferred from RTAF 1952; reported as 5

(1952) Percival P.54 Survey Prince Series 3A

0041 / P.41

G-AMNT (canx 4-Apr-52)

P.41

dd Apr-52; possibly operated by Army until transferred to RTAF 1955

(1956) Cessna 305/O-1 Bird Dog

MAP deliveries (probably including Air Force and Navy) total 233. At least 37 known to have come from the JGSDF (Japanese Army). 45 active Apr-99, but type withdrawn by 2001.

(1958) Sikorsky S-55C

Five delivered 1958/59

N9F

55-1206

Exported to Thailand 18-Jul-58; left factory gates 23-Jul-58

51207

N9F

55-1207

Exported to Thailand 18-Jul-58; left factory gates 24-Jul-58

55-1215

Exported to Thailand 26-Jan-59; left factory gates 02-Feb-59

55-1222

Exported to Thailand 26-Jan-59; left factory gates 03-Feb-59

51223

55-1223

Exported to Thailand 03-Feb-59; left factory gates 04-Feb-59

(1963) Kawasaki Vertol KV107/II

3 KV107/II-2 and 1 KV107/II-7 VIP delivered 1963/4

KV107/II-2

4001

dd 05-Mar-63; sold to AICE Enterprises (Thai) Co. Ltd; sold to Columbia Helicopters 26-Apr-76 & to N184CH Sep-76

KV107/II-2

4003

dd 09-Jul-63; sold to AICE Enterprises (Thai) Co. Ltd; sold to Columbia Helicopters 26-Apr-76 & to N185CH Sep-76

KV107/II-2

4005

dd 14-Nov-63; sold to AICE Enterprises (Thai) Co. Ltd; sold to Columbia Helicopters 26-Apr-76 & to N186CH Sep-76, canx 05-Feb-91; to P2-CHA; canx 16-May-91; to N186CH

KV107/II-7

4012

dd 16-Mar-64; initially operated for Government Lottery Office, then for Office of Prime Minister; sold to AICE Enterprises (Thai) Co. Ltd; sold to Columbia Helicopters 26-Apr-76 & to N187CH Sep-76; canx 28-Jan-99; to HC-BZP; canx 30-Jul-99; to N187CH

(1963) Aero Commander 500A

1 delivered 1963; possibly Survey Dept

1267 / 78392* / 2540*

N78392

1267-90

Exported to Thailand 3-Aug-63; at Prestwick on dd 10-Aug-63; noted at Don Muang Nov-70 as 78392; preserved at Lopburi by Nov-95 (as 78392) thro’ Aug-02 (as 2540)

(1963 ?) DHC U-6A Beaver

MAP deliveries are recorded as 5 U-6A in 1963 & 1 U-6A in 1967

16811

51-16811

294

Noted at Vancouver Sep-84

26151 / 16151*

52-6151, French Army, 52-6151

547*

Preserved at Lopburi

26157* / 16257*

52-6157, French Army, 52-6157

555

Preserved at Lopburi

15462

64-15462 ?

1542 ?

Not confirmed; marks on a preserved Beaver at Lopburi

(1964) Mitsubishi-Sikorsky S-62A

2004

M62-004

dd 18-Mar-64; preserved at Bang Khaen since at least 1990

(1964) Beech 65 Queen Air A-80

06892

N6892Q

LD-199

Exported to Thailand 4-Dec-64 to "Command HQ, Bangkok"; possibly operated by Army for Survey Dept until transferred to RTAF 1982

(1964) Kawasaki KH-4

6 delivered to "Thai SCHQ" 1964/65; believed Survey Dept

2019

JA7378

2019

Produced 18-Dec-63; completion of production 06-May-64; dd 29-Dec-64

2037

dd 29-Dec-64

2039*

2039

dd 07-Jan-65; ground instructional at Lopburi

2040

2040*

dd 07-Jan-65; preserved in RTAF Museum

2042

To RTAF 1982

2050

dd 25-Nov-64

Accidents to unknown KH-4’s have been on 23-Sep-65 (assumed as KH-4)

(1966 ?) Beech 65/80 Queen Air

1 known; possibly Survey Dept

A-80

02018

N2018W, HS-RID

LD-255

W/o 21-Jan-68

(1966) Cessna 411A

0167

N4967T

0167

Exported to Thailand 7-Mar-66; possibly operated by Army for Survey Dept; dismantled at Don Muang Mar-83

0241

N3241R

0241*

Exported to Thailand 31-Oct-66; possibly operated by Army for Survey Dept until transferred to RTAF 1982

(1966 ?) Douglas C-47

4 reported, replaced by SD330 in 1984

9414

42-23552, FD868, G-AGHN, VH-BZB, HS-TDF

9414

dd Dec-66; noted at Don Muang Jan-69, Oct-76 & Mar-83; displayed at Bangkok Science Museum by Aug-02 with RTAF titles

48159

43-48159, RLAF

25420

Noted Nov-78, 1982, Mar-83 & 1985

76638

44-76638, VNAF ‘CF’

32970

dd by Oct-77; noted Nov-78, Mar-83, Jan-84 & Feb-85

49468

43-49468, KK146, French AF, RLAF, (F-ODEL)

26729

Noted Feb-68, Mar-83 & Jan-84

42-68742, NC49559, N200KC

11669

Exported to Thai Government 15-Aug-58; assumed Army

125768

43-48507, Bu17265, NC91014

25768

Exported to Thai Government 20-Feb-59; assumed Army

213560 / 13560

42-93627, KG693, CF-TEF, N5590A

13560

Exported to Thai Government 28-Mar-59; noted at Don Muang Nov-70 (213560); noted Mar-83 & Jan-84 (13560); noted 1985; assumed Army

An Army C-47 was w/o at Don Muang 21-Jun-77

(1968) Bell 47G / OH-13

12 OH-13S delivered late 1968 / early 1969; procured under MAP (6 in 1966 & 6 in 1967), at Baht1,210,000 each. Other MAP deliveries to Thailand (including RTAF) were:-

1969 – 2 OH-13S

1970 – 2 OH-13S

1971 – 2 OH-13S

1971 – 13 OH-13H

1972 – 3 OH-13S

9 (OH-13H ?) acquired from RTAF c.1973

OH-13S

67-15872

3921

MAP

OH-13S

67-15873

3922

MAP

OH-13S

67-15874

3923

MAP

OH-13S

67-15875

3924

MAP

OH-13S

67-15876

3925

MAP

OH-13S

15877*

67-15877

3926

MAP; airworthy with ‘Tango’ Lopburi at least 1996 thro’ Jan-07

OH-13S

67-15878

3927

MAP

OH-13S

67-15879

3928

MAP

OH-13S

67-15880

3929

MAP

OH-13S

67-15881

3930

MAP

OH-13S

67-15882

3931

MAP

OH-13S

67-15883

3932

MAP

OH-13H

57-6227

2156

Noted at Caboolture, Australia Feb-02

OH-13H

4948*

59-4948 ?

2531 ?

Ground instructional at Lopburi

OH-13S

5345*

64-15345 ? (in store Red River Depot, Tx. Mar-71)

3213 ?

Preserved at Bang Khaen

OH-13S

5405*

64-15405 ? (in store Red River Depot, Tx. Mar-71)

3273 ?