When was the Dakota withdrawn from RAF service

[airborne_artist]

I know that BBMF has one - (belongs to the Paras, I believe), but the q. is when was the a/c withdrawn from service with UK forces?

[Conc]

The BBMF Dakota is actually the former RAE Farnborough aircraft. The aircraft that the Parachute Regiment was donated by the South African airforce, G-BVOL, was used in a composite rebuild with a Dutch aircraft now flying as PH-PBA with the Dutch Dakota Association.

[Tiger_mate]

The Australian Dakota in Berlin (Berlin Airlift memorial) Landed at Gutersloh - Germany with an RAAF serial and departed to fly along the Berlin corridor with an RAF serial and "Royal Air Force" markings. Therefore with the exception of any that ETPS-RAEstablishment may have flown this was the last operational flight of an "RAF" Dakota. circa 1980ish, I have some photos somewhere of this aircraft in both schemes.

Only RAF - US and french military aircraft were "allowed" to fly the corridor at the time. How times have changed:

[Kolibear]

Being pedantic and splitting hairs simultainaeously :O I would think that the Dakota is still in service with the RAF, as the BBMFs example is has never been struck off charge, it probably has a Form 700 & all the other paperwork.

I believe that HMS Victory is in the same situation as she's never been paid off either.

Now as for when the Dakota was withdrawn from Squadron service, sometime in the 1950's maybe?

[airborne_artist]

Ok, when was the Dakota withdrawn from squadron service, and for a bonus point, when did an RAF Dakota in squadron (not BBMF) service last make a static-line drop of parachutists?

[BossEyed]

Going somewhat OT (but what the hell, it is PPRuNe :hmm: ), but this:
Only RAF - US and french military aircraft were "allowed" to fly the corridor at the time. How times have changed:

Reminded me of a story I read long ago about Hughie Green (yep, Paula Yates' Dad) flying himself to Berlin for a show in some light aircraft or another. Apparently the Reds decided this wasn't on, and started shooting from MiGs. Fortunately for him he was able to go IMC and avoid them.

Anyone recall the details of the story? e.g. What was he flying? what in fact were the legalities? How come the MiGs couldn't intercept in cloud? (No airborne radar?) Is it, in fact, true?

[Blacksheep]

According to the Royal Air Force, the last Dakota (http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/line1970-79.html) was withdrawn from service on 4th April 1970.

More here (http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/douglas-dakota.htm) from the RAF Museum. I don't remember seeing many of them about in those days, though. We usually went by Hastings or Beverly.

Aaaah Petrol, the only way to go...

[Tiger_mate]

Hughie Green owned a Beagle Terrier or other such Auster like like aircraft that he later donated to the Air Cadet organisation.

AL1 It was Beagle Husky D5/180 G-AWSW which became XW635 with 5AEF at Teversham.


Russian and East German fighters received all orders from the ground. (Ground Controlled Intercept) A Mig hitting an Auster because he went IMC would be a hell of a birdstrike!http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/airshow02/abingdonII/Husky.jpg

NB (From the MOD - RAF website

4 Apr 1970 - After 27 years service, the RAF finally retires its last Dakota from service. 23 years later in March 1993, the type re-entered service when ZA947 joined the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight!

RAFM Website

Most RAF Dakotas had been retired or sold by 1950, the last active aircraft leaving the service in 1970. The Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough operated a former Royal Canadian Air Force example (ZA947) from 1971 until 1993, when it joined the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

[RileyDove]

Hughie Green owned a Cessna 336/337 which he bought from Rogers at Cranfield.

[BossEyed]

Thanks, Riley - that's triggered a further memory: The article I read was in the "Reader's Digest" of all place (my excuse is that my Grandad had a sub), and contained an artist's impression of what at this distance in time does seem to have been a Skymaster variant. It must have been the late 70s early 80s I read that story.

Now, if only I could recall what I had for lunch... :confused:

[pr00ne]

I think you will find that Hughie Green was flying a Cessna 310 when this incident occured.

He used to do commercial ferrying at one time.

[FJJP]

The Husky was flown by 5AEF at Marshalls of Cambridge Airport in the early 70s...

[BeauMan]

...and also in the eighties. My old 3822 shows that I flew in it in 1983. Always preferred the Chipmunks though. ;)

Back on topic - the BBMF Dakota last year had a full set of para seats installed, along with static line for the D-Day para drop. It also still has the grafiti inside from where Canadian servicemen scrawled their signatures on the aeroplane in 1944.

[Speedbird48]

Not the last C-47 in service with the RAF but I flew on KN452 from Gibraltar, when it was part of the Station Flight, in 1959/60. It had Royal Air Force Coastal Command on the side at the time and was a VIP aircraft with only 10 seats and lots of oak panelling.

It was replaced by a Devon and I came across the same airplane in Kenya when it arrived for the Police Air Wing to replace another that had crashed. I believe it now resides in Canada?

Huggie Greens epic to Berlin was in a Cessna 310. I was on the Metropolitan Communications Squadron at Northolt at the time. The boss came around asking what I knew about 310's as the Russians would not let Huggie fly it out and we were going to go and get it? It all died and I never heard any more. I did come across the man when he was flying a Dan Air DC-3 around Europe on one of his TV show deals. I was in Rome with a Bristol Freighter when they arrived.

[Peter Pickering]

I don't know if this will help you in piecing together the jigsaw of Dakota history, but RAF Dakotas KB452 and KP208 were both still operational in Aden in June 1963


Aden Airways information, facts and photos (http://adenairways.com)

[JW411]

KN452 was still at Khormaksar with 21 Sqn when I was on 105 Sqn in 1966/67.

[mcdhu]

I'm sure someone else will come in with the details, but surely the last Dak - apart from BBMF's - was the one based in Oslo Fornebu as the personal transport of the CinC North. This was replaced by a VIP version of the Mk1 Andover (mil version of the HS748) which was eventually withdrawn and said officer was provided with transport from 32 Sqn (RAF Northolt) when he needed it.

Cheers
mcdhu

[Speedbird48]

The Oslo Dak' was KP208 now at Aldershot, I believe? Or it was. It was up there as a Valetta would not start in the winter due to sleeve valves etc.

It was maintained at Northolt and a Tech' called Polly Perkins always wore his "Yankee" hat (baseball cap) when he worked on it!!

I was there on the CAS Valetta VX580 also in a museum I believe.

I am worried I will get stuffed and put in the same place next!!

Speedbird.