| | delivered to USAAF Dec 28, 1943 as 42-100882 and assigned to 9th AF Troop Carrier Command Feb 1944 and operated by 87th TCS. used during Operation Elmira, towing gliders on D-Day for 82nd Airborne Division. 438th Troop Carrier Group, Greenham Common, Berkshire; fitted with model 80 Glider pick-up gear to recover an assault glider from the D-Day landing grounds for refurbishment/re-use in future operations; towed an assault glider in Operation Elmira on D Day (carried soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division) and re-supply after the landings; recovered WACO assault gliders from Normandy landing grounds July/August 1944; To RAF as Dakota III TS422 Sep 2, 1944 from USAAF stock in UK. Assigned to No 1 Heavy Glider Servicing Unit, 38th Airborne Forces Group at Netheravon, Wiltshire Sep 2, 1944. Recovered gliders from Normandy landing grounds and collected and delivered WACO, Hadrian and Airspeed Horsa assault gliders to RAF bases prior to Operation Market Garden (Arnhem) and later, in March 1945 in readiness for operation Varsity, the Rhine Crossing; No.435 (RCAF) Squadron, Down Ampney, Wiltshire August 1945. To RCAF Apr 1, 1946; Foreign Liquidation Commission; ferried to Canada April 946; operated throughout Canada in numerous roles, including glider tug, parachute transport, search and rescue and medi-vac (fitted with skis and jet take off rockets), Pilot conversion trainer, Military freighter and troop carrier; operated in the far North of Canada, well above the Arctic Circle using specially fitted sun compass, due to the proximity to the North Pole; SOC 1966; To civilian registry as CF-KAZ, later as C-FKAZ. Registered as CF-KAZ Keir Air Tpt Ltd, Edmonton 29Mar67. Registered to Air Commonwealth Alberta Ltd, Edmonton 1ODec69. Registered to Trans Provincial Airlines 20Jul70. To Laurentian Air Svces 1975. Trans Provincial Airlines Ltd 1975. Reregistered C-FKAZ 1976. Pacific Coastal Airlines Jul78. Airwest Airlines Ltd, Richmond May80. Superior A/ws Sep80. Ontario Central Airlines, Gimli, Manitoba, Apr81. Ilford Riverton, Dec81. Bearskin Lake Air Service, Dec82. Cancelled Feb 25, 1985. To N5831B. Registration N473DC reserved Aug 2, 2005, taken up Jun 14, 2006. Currently operated by Dakota Heritage of Liverpool, England painted in original USAAF colors [code 3X-P].
Courtesy Joe Baugher. |
by Ronald @ EHMZ
by Steve Wright @ EGHF
by B777juju @ LFRC
by B777juju @ LFRK