VP905 flip book

The Dakota became a standard transport aircraft of the IAF. It did a commendable
job. But its greatest use was in the East in transporting troops and supplies to
inaccessible regions in Assam and Nagaland.
The capability of the Dakota to take off from underprepared strips and hardy frame
and engine was a bonus and troops and supplies were ferried without any attrition.
Detachments of Dakotas from No. 43 Squadron and IL 14s from No. 42 were
engaged in these logistic support operations. Enormous quantities of PSP (Perforated
Steel Plates) were carried to the important forward bases to construct runways. When
China announced the construction of their road through the Aksai Chin region in
1957, India was taken by surprise. Therefore, the Army immediately directed to set up
forward posts and required men and supplies to be airlifted, which was fulfilled by
Dakota.
ROLE OF DAKOTA IN THE INDO - PAK WAR 1971
In the 1971 Indo – Pak War, the Dakota contributed significantly to the liberation
of Bangladesh.
Primarily, a civil passenger plane, the Dakota was converted into a war plane
which the soldiers used for a crucial para drop operations in central Tangail on
11 December 1971 four days ahead of Pakistan military’s historic surrender to
the India-Bangladesh Joint Command on December 16.
The main objective of the Tangail drop ( the biggest and most ambitious air
drop operation since WW II ), was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna
River which would cut off the Pakistani 93rd Brigade which was retreating from
the north to defend Dhaka and its approaches. The Tangail Airdrop and the
subsequent capture of the Poongli bridge gave the advancing Indian Army the
manoeuvrability to side-step the strongly held Tongi-Dacca Road to take the
undefended Manikganj-Dacca Road right up to Mirpur Bridge at the gates of
Dacca.
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