Chopper Squad

For the 1975 Italian crime film, see La polizia accusa: il Servizio Segreto uccide.

Chopper Squad
Genre	Drama
Written by	Everett De Roche (pilot only) Denise Morgan Don Battye and others
Directed by	Simon Wincer Rod Hardy Graeme Arthur and others
Starring	Dennis Grosvenor Robert Coleby Eric Oldfield Graham Rouse
Theme music composer	Mike Perjanik
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producer	Don Battye
Cinematography	Paul Onorato
Running time	50 minutes
Production companies	Reg Grundy Organisation (series) Network Ten (pilot)
Original release
Network	Network Ten
Release	5 November 1976 (1976-11-05) – 18 February 1979 (1979-02-18)

Chopper Squad is an Australian television series produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the 0-10 Network (as it was then known).

The series followed a helicopter rescue team operating on Dee Why beach in Sydney.

Production

Pilot

The original pilot was made in 1976, airing in Melbourne in November 1976 and Newcastle in August 1977. There was quite a time lag between the pilot and the series going to air in April 1978.

As with many series there were changes between the initial pilot and the broadcast series. Three actors from the pilot did not continue into the series - Rebecca Gilling, Max Osbiston and Tony Bonner. Additionally, the surnames of characters Phil and Tim were changed.

Series

The pilot was followed by two series with a total of 26 episodes airing between 1978 and 1979. Shortly after the show began, the helicopter base on the show moved its operations from Dee Why Beach Surf Life Saving Club to Palm Beach Surf Lifesaving Club.

Broadcast

During 1988, the Ten Network in Sydney replayed a select few episodes of the first 1978 series during the Saturday or Sunday afternoon, usually around the 4pm timeslot to try capitalise on a nostalgic period as a lead in to the 5pm Eyewitness News.

The complete series was later rescreened weekday mornings at 5am for the final time during the early 1990s. It has not screened in Australia since that time, nor received a home media release.

Cast

Main cast

• Dennis Grosvenor as Jebbie Best
• Robert Coleby as Barry Drummond
• Eric Oldfield as Phil Trayle
• Jeanie Drynan as Georgia Beattie
• Graham Rouse as Roley
• Tony Hughes as Tim Gray

The helicopters

VH-UCH

VH-UCH, a Bell 206A, only appeared in the pilot.

VH-FHF

VH-FHF was used for the main series. In real life VH-FHF a Bell 206B "Jet Ranger II" was initially used from approximately 1977 by Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service, that was established by Surf Life Saving Australia in 1973 on an initial sponsorship of $25 000 from the Bank of New South Wales (now Westpac).

After serving the Wales rescue team, VH-FHF was bought by PHS, professional helicopter services. It's still in operations serving the Government of Victoria as Firebird 301 and does tourist flights at Uluru. The JetRanger VH-FHF became registered VH-PHF.

VH-FHF registration number was given to a MBB Kawasaki BK-117B-2. The "new" VH-FHF is operated by the NSW Rural Fire Service.

External links

• Chopper Squad at IMDb
• Chopper Squad at Classic Australian Television
• Chopper Squad at AustLit
• Chopper Squad at the National Film and Sound Archive