Heritage: The Douglas Dakota

When the government approved the formation of the RAN Fleet Air Arm (FAA) in July 1947, the plan involved the purchase of two Majestic class carriers, aircraft, and shore facilities. The major shore base at Nowra was an airfield previously used by the Royal Navy and RAAF during WW2. It was transferred to the RAN on 15 December 1947 and commissioned as HMAS Albatross on 31 August 1948. In May 1949 the first RAN Sea Furies and Fireflies arrived from the UK on HMAS Sydney and disembarked to NAS Nowra. In 1956 HMAS Melbourne delivered the Sea Venoms and Fairey Gannets.    

By 1949 the renovation of the airfield at Nowra was progressing. A major priority was the establishment of training facilities for maintainers and aircrews, and the formation of second line squadrons. To assist training programs, a variety of de-listed RAAF aircraft were transferred to the RAN. This included two Dakota Mk 111 C-47A aircraft, surplus to RAAF requirements; A65-43 on 1 December 1949 and A65-23 on 11 April 1950. These land-based aircraft would play an important role in aircrew training, in particular navigation training. 

A65-43 was also modified along similar lines. When the DH Sea Venoms and Fairey Gannets arrived, both Dakotas had the Fairey Gannet type ASV-19B retractable (underbelly) radome installed. For aircraft interception training A65-43 had a Sea Venom AI-17 radar mounted on the cockpit nose. Both aircraft cabin interiors were modified extensively to house the classroom equipment.

Dakota Pilot Training

By the time the first Dakotas were delivered, the RAN FAA had enlisted many former WW11 RAF, RAAF, RNZAF, and RN FAA pilots. Several of these had twin-engine experience, including those who had flown C-47 Dakotas. Pilots familiar with the Dakota were able to do refresher courses. Other RAN pilots who converted to the type were trained at the RAAF Central Flying School, at East Sale. However, some Dakota training was conducted at NAS Nowra; this included a number of the pilots who gained basic twin-engine experience on the Dakotas prior to being posted to the USA for Grumman Tracker training.

Dakota basics

In 1968 two surplus Dakotas, A65-123 and A65-90, were transferred from the RAAF to the RAN, adopting N2-123 & N2-90 serials. The C-47A & C-47B Dakotas were similar to the civilian DC-3 but with numerous modifications. These included an astrodome in the cabin roof, a large cargo door, reinforced cabin floor, a 24-Volt power system, autopilot, and de-icing equipment. The RAN added Visual Aural Range (VAR) and Instrument Landing System (ILS) to civil aviation standards.  

In 1951, 816 Squadron Fairey Fireflies accompanied by a Dakota flew from Nowra via the east coast to Darwin, returning via Alice Springs and Adelaide. Unfortunately, the Dakota had engine trouble at Darwin which delayed its return to Nowra for some time.

‘The Barrier Miner’ on 10 October 1952 reported that eight RAN Sea Furies from 808 Squadron arrived at Broken Hill aerodrome – about two and a half hours after leaving Sydney; Broken Hill being the first stop on a long-distance flight to Perth. A Dakota back-up aircraft also accompanied the aircraft on the cross-country flight. In all about 20 men were engaged in the exercise. Later, four of the Sea Furies landed on HMAS Sydney,near Rottnest Island, off the West Australian coast. 

In an unusual emergency assistance case ‘The Sydney Morning Herald,’ of 9 Aug 1952, reported that a RAN Dakota parachuted food supplies to lighthouse keepers and their families on Montague Island off the NSW south coast – bad weather had prevented a supply launch from reaching the island for more than two weeks and food was running short. Mr Hughie the lighthouse keeper radioed thanks to the Dakota crew.

At Narrabri, NSW, during the 1955 Hunter Valley floods, two RAN Dakota aircraft assisted in evacuating sick children from the region. The Dakotas were also engaged in transporting food and medical supplies – and fuel for the RAN Sycamore helicopters that were operating in the region during the emergency. 

A confidential Dakota deployment in the early 1960s involved the lengthy detachment of 723 Squadron aircrew and maintenance personnel to Wommera Rocket Range, in South Australia, where the Dakota acted as a flying testbed during the development trials for the Ikara ASW weapon system – making extensive use of the Dakota to track the Ikara Missile. 

 Exit the Dakotas

By the mid-1960s the aging Dakotas were becoming redundant, yet they continued to render useful service into the early 1970s. But with the arrival of the new fixed wing A4G Skyhawks, Grumman Trackers and helicopters, together with the enormous changes in technology, the need for replacement aircraft was pressing. In 1973 the Dakotas were superseded by two Hawker Siddeley turboprop HS748 aircraft delivered to VC851 Squadron – adopting the role of navigation and electronic warfare training aircraft – and assisting with general transport duties.

The first Dakota to be sold was N2-123 on 20 June 1974, then N2-23 on 17 January 1977. N2-90 was sent to HMAS Nirimba on 26 November 1974 for apprentice training until 1985 when it was returned to Nowra – and now forms part of the HARS collection. N2-43, de-listed in 1973, is on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at NAS Nowra.

Postscript

The venerable Dakotas served the RAN for 25-years, covering a wide range of duties, operating variously with 723, 851, 724 and 725 Squadrons. Away from the limelight and publicity they were the quiet achievers. The Dakotas made a major contribution towards aircrew training and remain one of the longest serving aircraft to operate in the RAN FAA.