Douglas DC-3 Dakota

Already in the 1950’s the Douglas DC-3 (known in the RAF as the Dakota) had been in service for twenty years.

Many had been massed-produced in WW2 and had been the mainstay of both postwar airlines and air forces during the period. EAA obtained Dakotas after it discovered that they were more efficient than the Lodestars. They were operated from 1949 right through to when EAA was dissolved in 1977. A remarkable aircraft with some still operating today.

Click to enlarge

Registration	Aircraft	c/n	Previous	Acquired	Disposal	Remarks
VP-KHK	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	14654/26099	43-48838,KJ928,G-AGKI	1949	1953	Kongwa Pioneer later “Sagana”. Sold USA 4/53 and later to French AF as 14654. W/o Prestwick (UK) 19/09/69
VP-KHN	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	15276/26721	43-49460,KK139,G-AGNE	1949	1953	Iringa Pioneer. Sold 1/53 as G-AGNE. Later to French AF as 215276. Scrapped at Tours.
VP-KIF	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	141/25606	43-48345,KJ822,G-AKDT	1950	1952	Mbeya Pioneer. Returned as G-AKDT. Later F-BGOU and ET-ACZ
VP-KJP	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16077/32825	44-76493,KN402	1952	–	Seyyid Said Bin Sultan. Re-registered 5Y-AAD
VP-KJQ	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16096/32844	44-76512,KN418	1952	–	Lord Delamere. Re-registered as 5Y-AAE
VP-KJR	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16097/32845	44-76513,KN419	1952	–	Sir John Kirke. Re-registered as 5X-AAQ
VP-KJS	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16463/33211	44-76879,KN581	1952	–	J. Hanning Speke. Re-registered as 5X-AAR
VP-KJT	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16530/33278	44-76946,KN625	1952	1963	Joseph Thompson. Destroyed by fire Francistown 29/8/63
VP-KJU	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16577/33325	44-76993,KN638	1952	–	Sagana II, re-registered 5Y-AAF
VP-KKH	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16820/33564	44-77236,KP266,G-AMSO	1953	1955	David Livingstone. Crashed Mawenzi Peak, Mt Kilimanjaro, 18/5/55
VP-KKI	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16207/32955	44-76623,KN478,G-AMST	1953	–	Sir Richard Burton, re-registered 5Y-AAL
VP-KLA	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	15880/32628	44-76296,KN322	1953	–	James A. Grant, re-registered 5H-AAJ
VP-KLC	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	14370/25815	43-48554,KJ876	1953	–	Alexander M. Mackay, re-registered 5H-AAK
VP-KNU	Douglas C47A Dakota 3	12166	42-92373,FZ611,ZS-BXI	1956	1956	Leased from SAA. Restored as ZS-BXI in 1956
VP-KTS	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	15908/32656	44-76324,KN341,ZS-DHX,VR-TBJ	1963	–	To 5X-AAS
G-AMYB	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16598/33346	44-77014,KN652,	1955	May 1956	Leased from Eagle Airways. Later BEA, Sudan (SN-AAL), USA(N6CA). Finally Mexican AF ETM-6053

Aircraft registered in Tanzania after 1963

5H-AAJ	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	15880/32628	see VP-KLA	1953	1977	To Sunbird re-registered 5Y-BBU. W/o as ST-AHH 10/11/1979
5H-AAK	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	14370/25815	see VP-KLC	1953	1973	w/o 5/07/1973 at Mbeya, Tanzania
5H-AAL	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16207/32955	see VP-KKI	1953	1977	To Sunbird re-registered 5Y-BBM. Later ST-AAH (w/o)

Aircraft registered in Uganda after 1963

5X-AAQ	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16097/32845	see VP-KJR	1952	1977	Sold to Sunbird. Reregistered 5Y-BBN. Later Air Kenya. W/o 2/92 Musiara, Masai Mara.
5X-AAR	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16463/33211	see VP-KJS	1952	1968	Sold to Air Malawi 31/1/68 as 7Q-YKN. Later ZS-EYN Air Cape, 6870 (SAAF) converted to turboprop. N332RD with Dodson Int’l Air. Stored at Mena (AZ).
5X-AAS	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	15908/32656	see VP-KTS	1963	1968	Sold to Hunting Surveys 10/68 as 9J-RHZ. Re-registered A2-ZFD 1970. Later ZS-DHX and converted to turboprop. W/o 31/08/92 at Jamba.

Aircraft registered in Kenya after 1963

5Y-AAD	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16077/32825	see VP-KJP	1952	1968	Sold to Zambia Airways 6/2/68 as 9J-RGY,later SAAF 6874, N81952. Fuselage stored in SA.
5Y-AAE	Douglas C47B Dakota 4	16096/32844	see VP-KJQ	1952	1977	Sold to Sunbird then Air Kenya. Later ZS-OJE. W/o 02/2002 with Air Katanga.