VP905 flip book

THE HISTORY OF THE DC-3 DAKOTA
WITH THE INDIAN AIR FORCE
The Dakota – popularly known as the Gooney Bird was the first major transport aircraft
inducted into the fledgling Indian Air Force (IAF). Remembered by IAF pilot veterans
as one of the finest and most forgiving aircrafts in the world, the DC 3 Dakota airplane
has played a sterling role in the history of the IAF. As a transport aircraft used to move
troops to Kashmir in 1947 to being used in the famous Tangail drop during the
Bangladesh War in 1971.
The Dakota was at the forefront of operations from 1947 to 1971 and played an
indispensable role in logistics and transportation during its flying years in the IAF.
No.12 Squadron was the first unit to reequip with this aircraft in 1946 and the Dakota
was at the forefront of operations for the next four decades.
THE SELECTION OF THE DAKOTA
The Douglas DC 3 and its military variant the C47was selected for the transport
squadron of the IAF. The basic version was the DC -3 also called the Dakota. The
plane was powered by 2 piston engines and could seat 28 fully armed troops. It had
a top speed of 150 MPH and a range of a thousand miles. More important the aircraft
had a very low accident rate and in a way, at that time it was the best plane for the
IAF.
INDUCTION INTO NO 12 SQUADRON
In 1946 No 12 Squadron was created at Karachi and was allotted 10 Dakotas. While
being ferried to Karachi, one DC-3 was damaged beyond repair in a storm.
The other 9 aircraft weathered the storm and the training schedule of the IAF pilots
commenced on them. With partition looming over the sub-continent and the chance
that British rule would end No 12 Squadron was moved out of Karachi to India
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