World War II Aircraft ‘Dakota DC-3’ Reaches India to Re-Join Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force welcomes the Dakota DC-3, VP905, home. The Aircraft VP905 got airborne from Muscat International Airport, Oman and touched down at Jamnagar Air Force Station (AFS), Gujarat at 16:30 hours on Wednesday. The aircraft was received with a lot of splendour at AFS Jamnagar. To honour the old warhorse in its new residence, induction ceremony is scheduled on 04 May 18 at Air Force Station Hindan.

A Dakota DC-3 aircraft  inducted  into the Vintage Aircraft Fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The vintage fleet was raised in Palam in 1988. A large fleet of Dakota DC-3 served in the IAF till 1988. It was one of the most versatile transport aircraft of its time. The first Dakota aircraft transferred the 1st Sikh Regiment to Srinagar during the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan in 1947 just after India’s independence. It is World War II-era aircraft, which was built in 1944. It also served in the United Kingdom’s (UK) Royal Air Force.

The particular aircraft is recovered from the scarp from the UK by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Rajeev Chandrashekhar. He gifted this aircraft to the IAF. The Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B.S Dhanoa had ceremonially accepted the aircraft into the IAF from Rajeev Chandrasekhar in February this year. His father air commodore M K Chandrasekhar (Retired) was a veteran Dakota pilot in the IAF. It will bear the tail number VP 905, the same one which the first such Dakota which transported troops to Srinagar on October 27, 1947.

The crew is seen posing with the beautiful machine along with the Commander-in-chief SWAC, team Jamnagar & Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar MP Rajya Sabha.

The Dakota DC- is named Parshuram. The IAF had signed a contract with M/s Reflight Airworks Ltd London for upgrading its navigational systems. The Dakota is being flown to India by a joint crew of the Indian Air Force and M/s Reflight Airworks Ltd.