Hurn 1948. Photo: Hampshire Airfields.
G-AGKG was with BOAC from September 1944 until October 1949. Then to Field Aircraft Services where sold to Union of Burma Airways as XY-ACL in March 1950.
Source as captioned.
Sadly written off:
https://aviation-safety.net/database...?id=19530110-0
Source as captioned. (Mosquitoes were bad at Bovingdon that Spring).
Prior to being sold to Union of Burma Airways this Dakota had served as ZS-BJZ with Suidair International Airways of Rand Airport Johannesburg (They traded c 1947-1950).
Not without excitement:
https://aviation-safety.net/database...?id=19470306-0
The swamp was drained- a road built and the aeroplane was salvaged and flown out in August 1947.
At Rangoon. Photo:Late Capt Charles Eather.
I was interested to see what appears to be an Airspeed Oxford under the Dak's port wing. It transpires that the Burmese Air Force had both Oxfords and Consuls armed up to the teeth. Which are which in the next snap I know not, it purports to show Oxfords.
XY-ACP was then registered with Field Aircraft Services in 1955 as G-AOFZ and in July 1956 re-registered as VP-YON with Hunting Clan African Airways.
At Mongu in what was Northern Rhodesia but is now in the Western Province of Zambia.
In February 1960 this Dak was restored to the British Register as G-AOFZ and served with Derby Airways/BMA until April 1966.
At Hucknall in 1963. Capt. Jim Shaw left. Photo Dave Welch with thanks.
Not without a slight upset in six years:
https://aviation-safety.net/database...?id=19640929-0
G-AOFZ was next off to Gulf Aviation Bahrain in April 1966. I'm afraid that I have looked high and low for an image of her in Gulf's livery but it seems her tenure with the airline was so brief that photographs are hard to come by. In lieu I offer G-AMZZ who served with the company from 1960 until withdrawn from use in May 1971. This is the genuine article unlike the Dak in the Museum at Sharjah.
Sharjah 1962.
Unfortunately in August 1966 G-AOFZ was destroyed when:
https://aviation-safety.net/database...?id=19660817-1
I've tried to source an image of the airstrip at Azaiba without any luck as it has long since disappeared. I've transcribed some brief (very) posts from PPRuNe.
' There was an airfield called Azaiba used by Petroleum Develoment Oman and Gulf Air Charter for PDO just to the East of Seeb. It is now built over. '
(From Mearns Loon )
' I seem to remember Azaiba was situated about 15 miles northwest of Muscat slightly inland on the flat ground to the west of what became Seeb. I only landed there a couple of times. Bait was on the edge of Muscat town in a small valley. '
(From brakedwell)
The only image I came across was this of a pranged York at Azaiba. I hope Michael Stokes doesn't mind me using it. I suspect the photo might have been taken by his Dad, Captain Jimmy Stokes who was very well known to all in GF, joining the company in 1961.
