New Dakota for Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

[CWH Museum]

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is pleased to announce the recent donation of a Douglas C-47 Dakota (C-GRSB) from Environment Canada. This particular Dakota has a very significant history having flown in D-Day with the RAF as FZ692 (in fact the BBMF have painted their Dakota in these colours) and in September 1944 joined No. 437 Squadron RCAF. It was later renumbered as 12945 and operated with the Canadian Armed Forces where it served with No. 424 Squadron at CFB Trenton. It performed a JATO ignition in flight at the 1970 Canadian National Exhibition Air Show. The aircraft is currently in storage in Ottawa and will be ferried to Hamilton sometime in 2014. Pictured is the Museum's new Dakota returning to the UK in July 1944 with wounded troops from the Normandy battlefront.

[shrike]

If it is restored to this scheme, will that make the BBMF's the "Movie Dakota"?

[goshikisen]

I wonder what will happen to the CWH's current DC-3 now that they have a second. They're both historically significant in their own right. I believe their current Dakota is one of the oldest airworthy examples of a DC-3 but it spent its life as an airliner. The new one is an actual warbird so it might be a tough call. Is there enough room in the CWH's hangars to house two DC-3/C-47s?

[k5083]

Congratulations on this magnificent and significant addition to the collection.

August

[DH82EH]

I will definitely add my congratulations
What a wonderful acquisition.
I can't think of a more fitting home for this veteran.

Andy Scott

[Steve Nelson]

Fantastic! Personally, although I love the "Canucks Unlimited" scheme, I'd like to see the CWH DC-3 returned to a civie scheme. Of course, this would put her kind of at odds with the "Warplane" theme...maybe the CWH should consider expanding its scope a bit...


SN

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great news! Congrats!

[vernicator]

This is bittersweet for me in that it's the very last DC-3 to have called Ottawa "home". I grew up in the area watching this aircraft, as well as as the government and Bradley Air Service (now First Air) DC-3s, flying over head. I'm glad it will finally get a good home and continue on flying as it has not flown in a few years now. Congratulations to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum on this latest acquisition!

Please, it would be most kind of you to pass on exactly when the aircraft will depart for it's new home in Hamilton. I would love to be present for this most historic moment.

[Thomas_Mac]

Please, it would be most kind of you to pass on exactly when the aircraft will depart for it's new home in Hamilton. I would love to be present for this most historic moment.

The museum is pretty active on their Facebook account compared to here, I am sure when they get a better idea they will let us know

https://www.facebook.com/CanadianWarpla ... um?fref=ts

[lbarber]

Fantastic news! Look forward to seeing her in person!

[rcaf_100]

Crossing my fingers for a post-war paint job

[Big Daddy]

A big congrats to our friends at CWH!!!!

[vernicator]

Crossing my fingers for a post-war paint job

Agreed.

On a related note, it did wear the post-war CAF colors for a little while after becoming C-GRSB.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31a/8224313510/

[CH2Tdriver]

CONGRATS CWH on the new addition! I'm thinking what I'd like to see at Geneseo 2014 this year, 3 C-47's?!

Now all you need is someone to donate an airworthy Spit and Mosquito to you and your all set!

[k5083]

Crossing my fingers for a post-war paint job

Daks in that scheme are awesome, but just look at the top pic in this thread, think of the history. Could you really consider anything else for FZ692?

Repainting the existing Dak would be better; but then, the Burma scheme is awesome too.

What we need is just more Canadian painted Daks so we can see all the schemes.

August