Douglas C-47A Dakota N2-23 (originally A65-23 when in RAAF service) was built in 1943 in Oklahoma City. Initially serving with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) it transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), in 1950. Now display at Lions Park in West Wyalong New South Wales.
Delivered to the RAAF in June 1945, Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-114s first role was repatriating POWs from Singapore. Later it operated in the Korean War. The aircraft was often used as a VIP transport. During this time, it flew Prime Ministers Ben Chifley and Sir Robert Menzies, Governor General Sir William Slim, famous explorer Sir Douglas Mawson and General ‘Red Robbie’ Robertson. After serving 10 years with No. 38 Transport SQN (Richmond) it moved to Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) at Laverton in 1964. The Dakota moved to Edinburgh, SA, in December 1976 when ARDU transferred there.
On 17 October 1986 the aircraft suffered an engine failure on take-off at Edinburgh which resulted in the left undercarriage collapsing, causing substantial damage. Withdrawn from use and later purchased by the South Australian Aviation Museum in November 1991.
Douglas C-47B Dakota A65-114Douglas C-47B Dakota A65-114Douglas C-47B Dakota A65-114
HARS has two DC-3s, they were both built during WW11 in Oklahoma City in early 1945. Both were delivered to US Army Air Force on the same day, 20th April, 1945. They are #76774 and #76764. They were delivered to the RAAF as A65-94 and A65-95 in May, 1945.
Both aircraft were flown by the RAAF in New Guinea and the South West Pacific theatre during WW11. Both aircraft served with many different RAAF Squadrons, and at times were used for VIP transport, air crew training and pilot currency, general transport duties, and weapons trials at Aircraft Research Development Unit (ARDU).
Both aircraft were decommissioned from the RAAF in 2000 at 55 years of age with ~14,600 and ~14,900 flights hours respectively.
Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-L Nov 2021 Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-L Nov 2021 Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-L Nov 2021Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-L Douglas C-47 Dakota EngineDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-95 VH-EAE in its Original 38 Squadron WW2 Colours PK-LDouglas DC-3C VH-AES in TAA Colours November 2021Douglas DC-3C VH-AES in TAA Colours November 2021Douglas DC-3C VH-AES in TAA Colours November 2021 Douglas C-47 Dakota Douglas C-47 DakotaDouglas C-47 DakotaDouglas C-47 DakotaDouglas DC-3 in TAA ColoursDouglas DC-3 in TAA ColoursDouglas DC-3 in TAA ColoursDouglas DC-3 in TAA ColoursDouglas DC-3 in TAA ColoursDouglas DC-3 in TAA ColoursDouglas DC-3C VH-AES in TAA Colours Douglas C-47 Dakota Douglas C-47 DakotaDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-94 VH-EAFDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-94 VH-EAFDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-94 VH-EAF Nov 2021
Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-94 VH-EAFDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-94 VH-EAFDouglas C-47 Dakota A65-94 VH-EAFDouglas DC-3 Cockpit at HARS Aviation MuseumDouglas DC-3 Cockpit at HARS Aviation MuseumDouglas DC-3 Cockpit at HARS Aviation MuseumDouglas DC-3 Interior at HARS Aviation MuseumDouglas C-47B Skytrain N2-90 of the Royal Australian Navy. Being Restored at HARS Nov 2021Douglas C-47B Skytrain N2-90 of the Royal Australian Navy. Being Restored at HARS Nov 2021
