During the 1970s and 1980s, the SLAF acquired a total of 20 Bell 212s from a range of sources. Known construction numbers and associated serials were 31198/CH566, 31208/CH536, 31217/CH537, 31282/CH539, 31283/CH540, 31224/CH541, 31235/CH542 (shown here), 31239/CH543, 31240 CH544 (re-registered as CH565), 31243/CH545, 31258/CH546, 31235/CH547, 31236/CH548, 31259/CH548, 35026/CH560, 35027/CH561, 35028/CH563, 35029/CH564, 31240/CH565 and 31198/CH566. They wore a range of different camouflage patterns, including sand and dark green, dark earth and dark green, or dark green overall. During the early 1990s, they formed the backbone of the SLAF’s helicopter fleet and were used for a wide range of purposes, including liaison, transport and as machine-gun and rocket-pod-armed gunships. (Artwork by Luca Canossa)