Originally called a Voyageur, this helicopter was designed as a troop and cargo carrier and was built by Boeing’s Vertol division in Morton, Pennsylvania. When redesigned for search and rescue under Canada’s Search and Rescue Capability Upgrade Program (SAR-CUP), it was renamed the Labrador. The SAR upgrades included new instrumentation, a tail-mounted auxiliary power unit, nose-mounted weather radar, front-mounted searchlights, emergency medical supplies, a cargo hook and an improved high-speed rescue hoist mounted over the side door. It also had a watertight hull, allowing it to land on water.

The Labrador proved a very valuable aircraft and took part in hundreds of rescue missions across Canada before being replaced by CH-149 Cormorants.

The Museum’s Labrador, tail number 11315, was one of the last three of the original 33 Labrador helicopters in service in Canada. It started its career with No. 1 Transport Helicopter Platoon based at Canadian Join Air Training Centre at Rivers, Manitoba in 1965. In the summer of 1966 it moved to the Edmonton Detachment at RCAF Station Namao, which was re-named to 450 Squadron and moved to CFB Uplands (Ottawa) in 1968. Uplands (Ottawa, Ontario), when it was painted olive drab and used for transport. In 1975, it was converted for search and rescue and in October it was moved to 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron at CFB Trenton. While with 424 Squadron it was used to rescue the crew of a Fox Moth that crashed at the Toronto Air Show on September 5, 1976, during the Canadian National Exhibition. When 424 Squadron was moved from Trenton to Summerside, Prince Edward Island, the Labrador went with them. Its next move was to Newfoundland in 1977, and then back to Summerside with 413 Squadron in 1982, and next to Newfoundland to serve with the 103 Rescue Unit in Gander. It returned to 424 Squadron at CFB Trenton in February 1995.

After 40 years of service, Labrador 11315 was retired. It joined the Museum in 2004, and is painted in the SAR (Search and Rescue) colours of yellow and red.