List of Douglas C-47 Skytrain operators

Further information: Douglas C-47 Skytrain

British Dakota III

List of C-47 Skytrain operators includes the country, military service, known squadrons, and related data. The Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. The C-47 has served with over 90 countries outside of the United States:

This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Operators

Argentina

• Argentine Air Force
• Argentine Naval Aviation

Australia

• Royal Australian Navy
  • No. 723 Squadron RAN
  • No. 724 Squadron RAN
  • No. 725 Squadron RAN
  • No. 851 Squadron RAN
• Royal Australian Air Force

The RAAF drafted civilian DC-3s into military service in September 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. The first true C-47s were delivered to the RAAF in 1942 under Lend-Lease and the first built specifically for the RAAF entered service in February 1943. 124 C-47s were delivered to the RAAF by 1945. They were used throughout World War II, Korea and Malaya and in Occupied Japan. Four were transferred to the Royal Australian Navy) post-war. Most were transferred to civilian government agencies in Australia and New Guinea or sold to airlines in the 1960s. A handful survived in RAAF service into the 1990s with the last two (A65-94 and A65-95) being retired from the Aircraft Research and Development Unit in March 1999. These two are now operated by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society as warbirds.

Belgium

• Belgian Air Force

Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force

Cambodia

• Royal Cambodian Air Force
  • Received ex-RAAF C-47s as foreign aid.

Canada

• Royal Canadian Air Force
• Canadian Forces

Colombia

• Colombian Air Force

Czechoslovakia

• Czechoslovakian Air Force operated C-47s and Soviet-built Li-2.

Denmark

• Royal Danish Air Force

Finland

• The Finnish Air Force operated nine C-47s from 1960 to 1984. One was involved in the deadliest crash involving the Finnish Air Force, killing all 15 crew and passengers, when the aircraft stalled and crashed into a lake soon after takeoff, on 3 October 1978.

France

• The French Air Force operated Skytrains from September 1944 on, when Lend-Lease C-47Bs were delivered to the Groupe de Transport 1/15.

Germany

• 20 used by the post-war West German Luftwaffe

Greece

The single operational C-47 of the Hellenic Air Force.

The Hellenic Air Force has used the type since 1947, when over 80 ex-USAAF and ex-RAF aircraft equipped the 355th and 356th Transport Squadrons. The aircraft were extensively used in operations in the Greek Civil War (1946–49) in cargo transport and bombardment roles. The C-47-equipped 13th Transport Flight took part in the Korean War, earning a U.S. Presidential Citation. Three aircraft remain in the 355/1 Tactical Transport Squadron in Thessaloniki, one of which (s/n 492622, built 1944, codename "Poseidon") is still in flying condition and operational.

Haiti

• Armed Forces of Haiti

Hungary

• Hungarian Air Force operated Soviet-built Li-2s.

India

• Indian Air Force

Indonesia

• Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU)
  • C-47 Dakota with tailnumber RI-001 Seulawah was bought by the Acehnese people in 1948 and used for transportation between Java and Sumatra. After the war of independence ended in 1949 some C-47s were transferred from the Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force.
  • During Operation Seroja two C-47s were converted to Gunships with three M2 Browning machine guns.
  • Also received ex-RAAF C-47s as foreign aid.

Israel

• Israeli Air Force

Italy

• Aeronautica Militare
  • Operated C-47s and C-53 as staff transports and ECM aircraft into the mid-1980s.

Japan

Received C-47'S, also known as L2Ds, 416 received. By Nakajima, received 71. Also built R4D, which had 4 in service.

Laos

• Royal Lao Air Force
  • Received ex-RAAF C-47s as foreign aid.

Mozambique

• LAM Mozambique Airlines and its predecessor Direcção de Exploração de Transportes Aéreos

Netherlands

• Royal Netherlands Air Force
• Dutch Naval Aviation Service
• Royal Netherlands East Indies Air Force - Postwar

New Zealand

• Royal New Zealand Air Force: Operated C-47s between 1942 and 1977.
  • No. 40 Squadron RNZAF
  • No. 41 Squadron RNZAF
  • No. 42 Squadron RNZAF

Norway

• Royal Norwegian Air Force

Pakistan

• Pakistan Air Force

Papua New Guinea

• Papua New Guinea Defence Force
  • A total of seven Ex-Royal Australian Air Force C-47s were transferred to the PNGDF following independence.

Paraguay

• Paraguayan Air Force (FAP)
  • Transporte Aéreo Militar (TAM): Between 1953 and 1998, TAM operated 33 Douglas C-47/DC-3s. The first five aircraft were purchased in the U.S. The U.S. government, through MAP donated 21 C-47s between 1962 and 1973. Chile donated 2 C-47s in 1981 and Brazil 2 C-47 in 1984.
• Paraguayan Naval Aviation (ANP)
  • Servicio Aero Naval (SAN): In 1981, the Argentinian Naval Aviation donated one C-47 to its Paraguayan counterpart.
• Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas (LAP): This airline used one C-47 borrowed from TAM between 1970 and 1974.

Philippines

• Philippine Air Force
  • President Magsaysay of the Philippines was killed in the crash of a Philippine Air Force C-47 in 1957.
  • Some were ex-RAAF C-47s received as foreign aid.

Poland

• Polish Air Force operated C-47s bought post-war from US stocks and Li-2s bought in Soviet Union.

Portugal

Section source: Geocities C-47

The first C-47 Dakota (always known as Dakota in Portugal) operated by Portugal arrived in 1944, and like many other aircraft during this period of time, as a consequence of World War II. This first Dakota, with the serial number D-1, was the only aircraft of this type in service with Portugal until 1958. Already at the service of the Portuguese Air Force, she was used for the transport of higher officer ranks. In September 1958, more C-47s were delivered to Portugal from the United States and some airlines. These aircraft were used for all type of missions, in Portugal and in Africa: transport of troops and cargo, medic evacuations, aerial photography, and search and rescue. C-47s were also converted to conduct special missions; at least one aircraft (6155) was used as a bomber in Guiné-Bissau during the Portuguese Colonial War, and another two were converted to release pesticides on crops in Africa.

The C-47 was finally retired in 1976. One (6157) was preserved for the Museu do Ar (Air Museum).

Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation)

• Esquadrilha Independente de Aviação de Caça-Secção de Transportes Aéreos (Fighter-Air Transport Section of Independent Aviation Squadron)

Portuguese Air Force

• 81 Squadron - Transport mission
• E.I.C.P.A.C. - Esquadra de Instrução Complementar de Pilotagem de Aviões Pesados (Heavy Transport Training Squadron). Formed at B.A.2 Ota in 1960 with C-47s.
• E.L.T.S. - Esquadrilha de Ligação de Transporte Sanitário (Sanitary Transport Squadron). Also based at Lisbon, had aircraft equipped for VIP and medical transport.
• 101 Squadron - Formed at B.A.10 - Beira (Moçambique) on February 5, 1962 with C-47s. Later transferred to Lourenço Marques as Esquadra 801.

Rhodesia

• Rhodesian Air Force

South Africa

• South African Air Force
  • 35 Squadron SAAF: Still in use, flying the Turbo Dakota.
  • 44 Squadron SAAF: Employed in 1944 and 1945 to support operations in the Greek Civil War.

Southern Rhodesia

• Southern Rhodesian Air Force

Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force: The Lisunov Li-2 was a licensed copy of the DC-3, produced in Russia, some 6000 were made between 1939 and 1952, operated by the Soviet Union, and presumably some of its allies and client states. The Soviet Union also operated C-47s supplied under the Lend-Lease system during World War II.

Sweden

The Swedish Air Force started using C-47s soon after World War II for transport purposes. A few were converted to SIGINT platforms and eavesdropped on Soviet radio communications and radar stations in the 1950s. One such aircraft was shot down by Soviet fighters in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in 1952 with all of the crew killed.

Turkey

• Turkish Air Force

United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force: RAF Transport Command was supplied with over 1,900 Dakotas under the Lend-Lease system during World War II and the type was flown by at least 46 operational squadrons, plus numerous support units. In total the RAF flew 50 Dakota I (C-47), 9 Dakota II (C-53), 962 Dakota III (C-47A) and 896 Dakota IV (C-47B). RAF Dakotas were assigned to the European, North African, Middle East and Far East theatres of war. C-47 Dakotas of the RAF and USAAF played an important role in dropping paratroopers and equipment and towing gliders to the Normandy landings and to Arnhem. Four squadrons of Dakota IVs took part in the Berlin Airlift in 1948/49. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight operates a single Dakota.
• BOAC: 59 C-47s were supplied to BOAC to maintain international air links.

United States

• US Army Air Corps
• US Army Air Force
• US Air Force
• US Marine Corps
• US Navy
• National Test Pilot School

Vietnam

Vietnam operated ex-South Vietnamese captured C-47s.

Republic of Vietnam

• Air Vietnam
• Vietnam Air Force

Yugoslavia

• SFR Yugoslav Air Force

Yugoslav Air Force operated C-47s for about forty years (from 1946 until 1986). In 1953-1954, Yugoslavia received twenty aircraft as military aid. They were used for transport of people and cargo, and training of paratroop units. The military C-47s were retired by the end of 1976; one aircraft was used by SUKL (Federal ATC Authority) equipped for navid calibration until 1986. A total of 41 C-47 aircraft were operated by YuAF. Yugoslav Air Force also operated a number of Soviet Li-2 aircraft. Yugoslav Airlines also operated around 20 converted military Dakotas bought from Great Britain between 1947 and 1976.

Zimbabwe

• Air Force of Zimbabwe

See also

• List of Douglas DC-3 operators