picture 203798

The first armed helicopters in Iraqi service were about 50 Aerospatiale SE.316C Alouette IIIs, acquired in several irregular batches during the 1970s. Most went to the Iraqi Army Aviation Corps when this was established in 1980, and they saw intensive service early during the war with Iran – often armed with AS.12 ATGMs or launchers for unguided rockets. All wore a standardised camouflage pattern consisting of sand, mauve and dark green over, and light blue under, and had a large Iraqi national flag on the fuselage. Serials – known examples are 1076 (shown here), 1214 and 1298 – were applied on the boom with a brush. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)