List of Douglas C-47 Skytrain operators
List of C-47 Skytrain operators includes the country, military service, known squadrons, and related data. The Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. The C-47 has served with over 90 countries outside of the United States:
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Operators
The RAAF drafted civilian DC-3s into military service in September 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. The first true C-47s were delivered to the RAAF in 1942 under Lend-Lease and the first built specifically for the RAAF entered service in February 1943. 124 C-47s were delivered to the RAAF by 1945. They were used throughout World War II, Korea and Malaya and in Occupied Japan. Four were transferred to the Royal Australian Navy) post-war. Most were transferred to civilian government agencies in Australia and New Guinea or sold to airlines in the 1960s. A handful survived in RAAF service into the 1990s with the last two (A65-94 and A65-95) being retired from the Aircraft Research and Development Unit in March 1999. These two are now operated by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society as warbirds.[2]
- The Finnish Air Force operated nine C-47s from 1960 to 1984. One was involved in the deadliest crash involving the Finnish Air Force, killing all 15 crew and passengers, when the aircraft stalled and crashed into a lake soon after takeoff, on 3 October 1978.[3]
- The French Air Force operated Skytrains from September 1944 on, when Lend-Lease C-47Bs were delivered to the Groupe de Transport 1/15.
- 20 used by the post-war West German Luftwaffe
The Hellenic Air Force has used the type since 1947, when over 80 ex-USAAF and ex-RAF aircraft equipped the 355th and 356th Transport Squadrons. The aircraft were extensively used in operations in the Greek Civil War (1946–49) in cargo transport and bombardment roles. The C-47-equipped 13th Transport Flight took part in the Korean War, earning a U.S. Presidential Citation. Three aircraft remain in the 355/1 Tactical Transport Squadron in Thessaloniki, one of which (s/n 492622, built 1944, codename "Poseidon") is still in flying condition and operational.
- Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU)
- C-47 Dakota with tailnumber RI-001 Seulawah was bought by the Acehnese people in 1948 and used for transportation between Java and Sumatra. After the war of independence ended in 1949 some C-47s were transferred from the Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force.
- During Operation Seroja two C-47s were converted to Gunships with three M2 Browning machine guns.
- Also received ex-RAAF C-47s as foreign aid.[2]
- Aeronautica Militare
- Operated C-47s and C-53 as staff transports and ECM aircraft into the mid-1980s.
Received C-47'S, also known as L2Ds, 416 received. By Nakajima, received 71. Also built R4D, which had 4 in service.
- Paraguayan Air Force (FAP)
- Transporte Aéreo Militar (TAM): Between 1953 and 1998, TAM operated 33 Douglas C-47/DC-3s. The first five aircraft were purchased in the U.S. The U.S. government, through MAP donated 21 C-47s between 1962 and 1973. Chile donated 2 C-47s in 1981 and Brazil 2 C-47 in 1984.
- Paraguayan Naval Aviation (ANP)
- Servicio Aero Naval (SAN): In 1981, the Argentinian Naval Aviation donated one C-47 to its Paraguayan counterpart.
- Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas (LAP): This airline used one C-47 borrowed from TAM between 1970 and 1974.
- Polish Air Force operated C-47s bought post-war from US stocks and Li-2s bought in Soviet Union.
- Section source: Geocities C-47[4]
The first C-47 Dakota (always known as Dakota in Portugal) operated by Portugal arrived in 1944, and like many other aircraft during this period of time, as a consequence of World War II. This first Dakota, with the serial number D-1, was the only aircraft of this type in service with Portugal until 1958. Already at the service of the Portuguese Air Force, she was used for the transport of higher officer ranks. In September 1958, more C-47s were delivered to Portugal from the United States and some airlines. These aircraft were used for all type of missions, in Portugal and in Africa: transport of troops and cargo, medic evacuations, aerial photography, and search and rescue. C-47s were also converted to conduct special missions; at least one aircraft (6155) was used as a bomber in Guiné-Bissau during the Portuguese Colonial War, and another two were converted to release pesticides on crops in Africa.
The C-47 was finally retired in 1976. One (6157) was preserved for the Museu do Ar (Air Museum).
- Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation)
- Esquadrilha Independente de Aviação de Caça-Secção de Transportes Aéreos (Fighter-Air Transport Section of Independent Aviation Squadron)
- Portuguese Air Force
- 81 Squadron - Transport mission
- E.I.C.P.A.C. - Esquadra de Instrução Complementar de Pilotagem de Aviões Pesados (Heavy Transport Training Squadron). Formed at B.A.2 Ota in 1960 with C-47s.
- E.L.T.S. - Esquadrilha de Ligação de Transporte Sanitário (Sanitary Transport Squadron). Also based at Lisbon, had aircraft equipped for VIP and medical transport.
- 101 Squadron - Formed at B.A.10 - Beira (Moçambique) on February 5, 1962 with C-47s. Later transferred to Lourenço Marques as Esquadra 801.
- Soviet Air Force: The Lisunov Li-2 was a licensed copy of the DC-3, produced in Russia, some 6000 were made between 1939 and 1952,[5] operated by the Soviet Union, and presumably some of its allies and client states. The Soviet Union also operated C-47s supplied under the Lend-Lease system during World War II.
The Swedish Air Force started using C-47s soon after World War II for transport purposes. A few were converted to SIGINT platforms and eavesdropped on Soviet radio communications and radar stations in the 1950s. One such aircraft was shot down by Soviet fighters in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in 1952 with all of the crew killed.[6]
- Royal Air Force: RAF Transport Command was supplied with over 1,900 Dakotas under the Lend-Lease system during World War II and the type was flown by at least 46 operational squadrons, plus numerous support units. In total the RAF flew 50 Dakota I (C-47), 9 Dakota II (C-53), 962 Dakota III (C-47A) and 896 Dakota IV (C-47B). RAF Dakotas were assigned to the European, North African, Middle East and Far East theatres of war. C-47 Dakotas of the RAF and USAAF played an important role in dropping paratroopers and equipment and towing gliders to the Normandy landings and to Arnhem. Four squadrons of Dakota IVs took part in the Berlin Airlift in 1948/49. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight operates a single Dakota.
- BOAC: 59 C-47s were supplied to BOAC to maintain international air links.
Vietnam operated ex-South Vietnamese captured C-47s.
Yugoslav Air Force operated C-47s for about forty years (from 1946 until 1986). In 1953-1954, Yugoslavia received twenty aircraft as military aid. They were used for transport of people and cargo, and training of paratroop units. The military C-47s were retired by the end of 1976; one aircraft was used by SUKL (Federal ATC Authority) equipped for navid calibration until 1986. A total of 41 C-47 aircraft were operated by YuAF. Yugoslav Air Force also operated a number of Soviet Li-2 aircraft. Yugoslav Airlines also operated around 20 converted military Dakotas bought from Great Britain between 1947 and 1976.
See also
References
- ^ pictorial
- ^ a b c d e f ADF Serials list of Australian military DC-2s/DC-3s/C-47s retrieved 2010-06-19
- ^ Aviation Safety Network
- ^ Portugal Service
- ^ Brouwer, Maarten. "Lisunov Li-2 (NATO: Cab)". http://www.centercomp.com/cgi-bin/dc3/story?1332. Retrieved 2006-07-05.
- ^ Bortom Horisonten : Svensk Flygspaning mot Sovjetunionen 1946-1952 by Andersson, Lennart, Hellström, Leif