Photos:-Chris Aylmer

DOUGLAS DAKOTA III. KG437
On 5th June 1944 at 10.50pm, thirty Dakotas towing six Horsa gliders and carrying 407 Paras began taking off from Blakehill Farm as 233 Squadron joined the force that dropped the main elements of the 3rd Parachute Brigade in advance of the main landings on D.Day. One of the aircraft involved was Douglas Dakota III KG437 of 233 Squadron which was again involved in the ill-fated Operation 'Market Garden'. KG437 was struck off RAF charge on 8th February 1946 to begin a long and varied civilian career that began with the fledgling British European Airways as G-AGYX 'RMA George Holt-Thomas'. It served in this capacity until April 1961 when it was sold to Libya before finding its way to the Netherlands for use on charter work for Martinair. Some time was later spent in Nigeria and Malta before being seen as derelict in Khartoum in 1980. By 1987 the aircraft had been moved to Malta but was minus its wings and engines. Eventually the aircraft was returned to the UK for use in the Dakotas 'American Bistro at John Woodhouse's Flying Services Facility at Fleet in Hampshire. It was at this point that the nose section parted company with the fuselage, the fuselage and tailplane being placed in Fleet Pond as a display feature to attract custom, the fuselage itself having been cut longitudinally to form two sides of the cocktail bar. The cockpit, main undercarriage leg, tailwheel oleo and a refurbished R1830-92 engine went on display in the bar.

Photo:-Tony Stigle
By 2002 the Bistro had closed down and was converted into a pub. Fortunately the remnants of KG437 were acquired by the RAF Museum, being delivered to the Cosford facility in June 2002. Since then the fuselage has been rejoined and repainted into its original 1944 period olive drab colour scheme by the RAF Restoration Team and has now been incorporated into the 'Aeronauts' interactive educational gallery at Hendon.

The nose section was delivered to MAPS in March 2003 for restoration. This took three years and KG437 was taken back to the museum during 2006 where it remains an instructional airframe.

The aircraft was built in 1944 as Douglas C-47 Skytrain 42-92648 with the manufacturers serial number 12472. It was delivered to the USAAF for immediate transfer to the RAF as Lend/Lease Dakota III KG437 in February 1944. On the 29th of that month it was delivered to 233 Squadron for the build-up to D.Day. MAPS are proud to have been part of the history of such a prestigious aircraft.

Robin J Brooks

Photo:-Tony Stigle

More photographs showing the history of this aircraft in PDF format

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