C-47B Dakota A65-124, Perth Airport, May, 1981, name added at Edinburgh, acknowledging it was the last of the RAAF's Dakotas. Photo: Mick Mirkovic
This aircraft was built by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation at their Oklahoma City plant, for the United States Army Air Force, and was allocated tho serial 45.957, and the manufacturer's construction number 16960. This number was later changed to 34220 due to a duplication in Douglas's records. Douglas' records also record the fact that the. aircraft was completed on July 17th 1945, and was then flown to Long Beach, California, via Amarillo Texas on the 20th, prior to its long flight across the Pacific to Australia.
The machine was received by No.3 Aircraft Depot, Amberley, Queensland on August 7th, and re-serialed A65.124 two days later. It was the last of the 124 Dakota aircraft acquired by the R.A.A.F. The aircraft was delivered to No.36 Squadron at Schofields, N.S.W. on August 27th 1945, and whilst at that base on February 26th 1943 it was involved in a taxying accident, and the port wing tip was damaged. Following repairs, the aircraft was allocated to No. 86 Wing at Schofields.
On July 13th 1950, the aircraft was received by 10 Squadron at Townsville, and on March 28th 1952 whilst landing at Finintegu airstrip in the highlands of Papua New Guinea became bogged. The pilot had mistaken the light aircraft strip for Goroka, and had landed in error. In attempting to take off four days later, April 1st 1952 the aircraft was again caught in soft sand and tipped on its nose and the Dakota had to stay at Finintegu for 4 months for repairs.
On November 20th 1952 the aircraft's record sheet shows that it was allocated to "carry out Ministerial committments", and on April 23rd 1953 it was allocated to temporary duties at Manus Island. On November 1st 1954, the aircraft was received by 86 Wing, ex No.l Aircraft Depot at Parafield, and served with that unit until the early 1960's.
In Septmber 1964 the aircraft was allocated to No.38 Squadron at Richmond, N.S.W. ,and on the 26th November 1965 it was allocated to No.2 Squadron at Butterworth, Malaysia. At this time the aircraft had flown a total of 8013 hours. Soon after arrival ( January 6th, 1966 ) the aircraft had V.I.P. seating fitted, and continued to serve with the R.A.A.F. in Malaysia until October 1967, when it was issued to A.R.D.U. ( Aircraft Research and Development Unit) at Laverton, Victoria.
C-47B Dakota A65-124, Perth Airport, May, 1981. Photo: Mick Mirkovic
One of the aircraft*s more unusual missions occurred on the 7th December 1972, when it flew 38 Cape Barren geese from Flinders Island to King Island in Bass Strait. The geese are a rare species, and the flight was part of an attempt to extend the breeding grounds of the birds. On April 10th 1975 the aircraft was flown from Laverton to Hawker de Havilland's facility at Bankstown N.S.W. for an engine change and at that time the machine had flown 10385 hours.
The aircraft was then allocated to the Base Squadron at Laverton, but on the 30th April 1975 was flown to 2 A.D. Richmond for a repaint, following which it was allocated to the Base Squadron at Darwin to replace the Dakota destroyed in Cyclone Tracey on Christmas Eve 1974. The 12.9 hour delivery flight to Darwin was undertaken on June 18th 1975. The aircraft was used mainly for coastal surveillance flights around the Darwin region, and the northern coast of W,A., and was a frequent visitor to Broome and other W.A. ports. As well as the surveillance flights looking for drug runners, illegal fishing, Vietnamese "boat" people .and the like, other flights were also undertaken.
For example the aircraft log for May 31st 1979 shows a series of Army support flights being undertaken. The logs also show that the aircraft visited Swan Hill, Victoria on January 11th 1979 before returning to Darwin the next day, and another southbound flight was undertaken some weeks later when the aircraft visited A.R.D.U. Edinburgh, South Australia and returned to Darwin on March 13th 1979.
For example the aircraft log for May 31st 1979 shows a series of Army support flights being undertaken. The logs also show that the aircraft visited Swan Hill, Victoria on January 11th 1979 before returning to Darwin the next day, and another southbound flight was undertaken some weeks later when the aircraft visited A.R.D.U. Edinburgh, South Australia and returned to Darwin on March 13th 1979.
On December 16th 1979 the aircraft was alloted to the R.A.A.F. Base at East Sale, Victoria and arrived at the base the following day, after its flight from Darwin. The machine remained at East Sale for some months, and in September 1980 the cargo door was removed to enable parachuting to be carried out. It had earlier been decided that the aircraft would be scrapped, and on July 28th 1980 approval was given to use the aircraft as a target for Karinga cluster bomb tests.
I believe this photo was taken at Mallala during the period when it was allocated there for the cluster bomb tests, (Steve - Editor).
On August 14th the aircraft was given as a "free issue" to the Defence Central Service Laboratories and Trials Division, and on 14th October 1980 many of the more sophisticated navigational aids were removed from the aircraft, and a few days later it was flown to A.R.D.U. Edinburgh, South Australia. Still later it was flown to Evett's Field, Woomera, and placed in a hanger with Dakota A65.94, which was also destined to be used in the cluster bomb trials. This proposed destruction of historic aircraft immediately brought a strong public outcry, and this together with the Air Force Association's continued requests for a Dakota for its Aviation Museum, received considerable newspaper and TV coverage, and questions were asked in Federal Parliament on the matter. As a result of this intense lobbying, the bomb trials were called off, and the Minister for Defence decided that the aircraft would be given to the Association (Air Force Association).
