Bob Macintosh: Fighter Pilot & ‘Copter Pilot. Korea, Malaya, Vietnam
Posted on: Mon 11 Mar 2019
Robert (Bob) Macintosh AFC OAM MID: Fighter Pilot Korea; ‘Copter Pilot Malaya and Vietnam; Clergyman Rural Australia
It would be difficult to envisage that quietly spoken, gentlemanly Bob Macintosh, who turns 90 in a couple of weeks, saw active service as a fighter pilot in Korea, then went on to train on helicopters and to serve during the Indonesia – Malaysia Confrontation and the Vietnam War. He was ‘dust-off’ at the battle of Long Tan and there in the thick of it flying 34 sorties during Operation Bribie, extracting our troops under heavy enemy fire.
The Bell UH-1B Iroquois A2-1019 helicopter that Bob and his co-pilot, plus a crew of 2 flew during Operation Bribie is now part of the Australian War Memorial’s collection.
Bob went on to become a Clergyman with a difference when he eventually retired from the RAAF. This is a ‘not to be missed interview!”
Interviewer Helen Meyer
Main Photo: Vietnam: Vung Tau Special Zone, Vung Tau 1966 37576 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Robert Andrew (Bob) MacIntosh, of Ainslie, ACT, inside a helicopter cockpit. Flt Lt MacIntosh was one of the pilots of a helicopter that was fired on seven times when they went into a small clearing to rescue wounded Australian soldiers. AWM copyright expired
Vietnam, February 1967. Group portrait of No 9 Squadron, RAAF, helicopter aircrew, standing in front of a UH-1B Iroquois helicopter. Identified personnel are, left to right, Back row, (standing): (1) 51626 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Robert Max Hayes, pilot, of Cottesloe, WA; (2) 315143 Corporal Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Leonard R (Len) Triplett, gunner of Newstead, Vic; (3) 223382 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Thomas Barry (Tom) Farr, gunner of Bathurst, NSW; (4) 315814 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Paul Michael Covington, of Shepparton, Vic, (gunner); (5) 43221 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Robert George (Bob) Grandin, pilot of Moorabin, Vic; (6) 57049 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Trevor James ‘Fred’ Monahan, door gunner of Kilbin, SA; Middle row: (standing): (7) 52449 Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) Henry S ‘Zaney’ Rees, pilot of Mount Pleasant, WA; (8) 219176 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Leslie Wilfred (Les) Morris, pilot of Frenchs Forest, NSW; (9) 56669 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Brian Boyd (Ron) Hill, gunner of Subiaco, WA; (10) 214552 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) William J (Bill) Shepherd, pilot of Hurstville, NSW; (11) 111550 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Alan Clarence Bloxsom, door gunner of Maryborough, Qld, (killed in action 31 March 1971); (12) 317046 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Edward Frederick (Ted) Munday, pilot of Fairlight, NSW; (13) 33062 Wing Commander (Wing Cdr) Roy Stewart Royston, of Canberra, ACT Commanding Officer (CO) of No 9 Squadron; (14) 37553 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Geoffrey A Banfield, pilot of Latrobe, Tas; (15) 23446 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Leigh Oxley (Laddie) Hindley, of Goulburn, NSW (pilot), later awarded DFC in November 1967; (16) 112542 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) David Ranald Spalding, door gunner of Southport, Qld; (17) 110839 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Dennis Wayne Young, crewman of Enoggera, Qld; (18) 32932 Corporal (Cpl) William Rex (Bill) Harrington, crewman/gunner of West Ryde, NSW; (19) 312600 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Kevin John Sharpley, of Sunbury, Vic (pilot); (20) 33785 Sergeant (Sgt) James Henry Roche, crewman/gunner; (21) 310798 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Philip Kenneth (Phil) Cooke, pilot of Watson, ACT; 2237576 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Robert Andrew (Bob) MacIntosh, pilot of Ainslie, ACT; Front row (sitting): (23) 57288 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) David Anthony (Dave) Darcey, gunner of Perth, WA; (24) 18781 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Dennis Frederick Olsen, crewman/gunner of Clayfield, Qld; (25) 218798 Pilot Officer (PO) Michael John (Mick) Haxell, pilot; (26) 21702 Sergeant (Sgt) Gordon D Buttriss, of Sefton, NSW, crewman/gunner awarded George Medal in February 1967; (27) 18504 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Brian V Taylor, crewman/gunner of Rockhampton, Qld; (28) 43428 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Bruce Ivan Lane, pilot of Canberra, ACT; (29) 19652 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) David Hammerton (Dave) Champion, pilot of Canberra, ACT; (30) 221540 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) David John (Dave) ‘Blue’ Collins, crewman/gunner of Ainslie, ACT; (31) 216204 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Francis Patrick (Frank) Riley, pilot (Commander of the Long Tan relief flight), of Goulburn, NSW. Photo from Australian War Memorial no known copyright
Mustang Fighter, model P51-D date unknown. All the mustangs in Australia were in the non camouflage polished aluminium finish. AWM Copyright expired
