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.

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Vital Statistics

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.
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