Douglas DC-3C-S1C3G

Douglas DC-3C-S1C3G

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02/28/2007. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was ordered by the USAAF as a DC-3A-360 and delivered as a C-47-DL s/n 42-32817 on February 13, 1943. This was one of the C-47s ordered by the USAAF for delivery to the RAF under Lend-Lease and it was delivered to the RAF on March 7, 1943, designated Dakota Mk.I s/n FD789. During its days with the RAF, this aircraft was based in England and assigned to No. 24 and No. 512 Squadrons at RAF Hendon, MIddlesex (April 1943-March 1944); No. 105 (Transport) Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Bramcote, Warwickshire (March-November 1944); No. 108 OTU at RAF Wymeswold, Leicestershire (November 1944-April 1946); and No. 1384 (Heavy Transport) Conversion Unit at RAF Ossington, Nottinghamshire (April 1946-April 1947). After World War II, hundreds of C-47s were converted to civilian airliners and redesignated DC-3C; this particular aircraft is equipped with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3G reciprocating engines thus the designation DC-3C-S1C3G.

This aircraft was sold to Scottish Aviation Ltd and registered G-AKNB on November 28, 1947 and converted to a DC-3C. It was then sold to several companies in the UK before being sold to the Union of Burma Airways of Rangoon, Burma, on March 8, 1950 and registered XY-ACN. Seven month later, it was sold to British European Airways (BEA) of London, England, and delivered on June 5, 1951 registered G-AKNB. BEA operated it for eight years until selling it to Silver City Airways of Lydd, Kent, England, on December 11, 1959 and naming it 'City of Bradford'. In January 1962, Silver City Airways was renamed British United Airways and they continued to operate this aircraft until it was sold to Ulster Air Transport of Belfast, Northern Ireland in February 1968. Eight months later it was sold to Autair who sold it to Intra Airways on Jersey Island in the Channel Islands on February 3, 1969. In October 1978, it was sold to the Irish airline Clyden Aviation and registered EI-BDU. Clyden operated it until going bankrupt in 1981 and it was then stored at Dublin Airport. In 1982, it returned to the UK registered G-AKNB and passed through several owners. At one point, it was painted as an RAF Dakota marked FD789 and appeared in an unknown film.

In July 1985, it was sold Northern Airways of Vermont, USA and registered N59NA. After being sold to several companies, it was finally purchased by Champlain Air of Plattsburgh, New York, who restored it as a USAAF C-47 of the 99th Troop Carrier Squadron, 441st Troop Carrier Group, 50th Troop Carrier Wing, IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force that was based at Merryfield, Somersetshire, England, on D-Day, June 6, 1944."


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02/28/2007. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was ordered by the USAAF as a DC-3A-360 and delivered as a C-47-DL s/n 42-32817 on February 13, 1943. This was one of the C-47s ordered by the USAAF for delivery to the RAF under Lend-Lease and it was delivered to the RAF on March 7, 1943, designated Dakota Mk.I s/n FD789. During its days with the RAF, this aircraft was based in England and assigned to No. 24 and No. 512 Squadrons at RAF Hendon, MIddlesex (April 1943-March 1944); No. 105 (Transport) Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Bramcote, Warwickshire (March-November 1944); No. 108 OTU at RAF Wymeswold, Leicestershire (November 1944-April 1946); and No. 1384 (Heavy Transport) Conversion Unit at RAF Ossington, Nottinghamshire (April 1946-April 1947). After World War II, hundreds of C-47s were converted to civilian airliners and redesignated DC-3C; this particular aircraft is equipped with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3G reciprocating engines thus the designation DC-3C-S1C3G. This aircraft was sold to Scottish Aviation Ltd and registered G-AKNB on November 28, 1947 and converted to a DC-3C. It was then sold to several companies in the UK before being sold to the Union of Burma Airways of Rangoon, Burma, on March 8, 1950 and registered XY-ACN. Seven month later, it was sold to British European Airways (BEA) of London, England, and delivered on June 5, 1951 registered G-AKNB. BEA operated it for eight years until selling it to Silver City Airways of Lydd, Kent, England, on December 11, 1959 and naming it 'City of Bradford'. In January 1962, Silver City Airways was renamed British United Airways and they continued to operate this aircraft until it was sold to Ulster Air Transport of Belfast, Northern Ireland in February 1968. Eight months later it was sold to Autair who sold it to Intra Airways on Jersey Island in the Channel Islands on February 3, 1969. In October 1978, it was sold to the Irish airline Clyden Aviation and registered EI-BDU. Clyden operated it until going bankrupt in 1981 and it was then stored at Dublin Airport. In 1982, it returned to the UK registered G-AKNB and passed through several owners. At one point, it was painted as an RAF Dakota marked FD789 and appeared in an unknown film. In July 1985, it was sold Northern Airways of Vermont, USA and registered N59NA. After being sold to several companies, it was finally purchased by Champlain Air of Plattsburgh, New York, who restored it as a USAAF C-47 of the 99th Troop Carrier Squadron, 441st Troop Carrier Group, 50th Troop Carrier Wing, IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force that was based at Merryfield, Somersetshire, England, on D-Day, June 6, 1944."