Warbird Information Exchange

Found this on ANN.
Is an A65-61 Dakota, what we Yanks refer to as the C-47?

Found: Australian Military Aircraft Lost In WWII
Dakota Carried 29 On Their Final Mission

A formal military funeral with full
honors is being planned for 29 men lost just after the close of
World War II when their A65-61 Dakota went down in the mountains of
Indonesia.

The Royal Australian Air Force searched for the wreckage in a
joint operation with the Indonesian military, officials said. The
cargo plane was transferring patients from a military hospital in
Biak to another in Townsville.

"The successful recovery exercise demonstrates the importance of
the close working relationship with our regional neighbours and
serves to forge even closer ties between our respective air
forces," Defense Minister Robert Hill said in a statement.

There's one last search tied to this story -- the search for
relatives of those who died. They're being asked to contact the
RAAF.
FMI: www.defence.gov.au/raaf

A5-61 is most likely the serial number

"A5-61 is most likely the serial number"

Nope... It really is A65-61

A65-61 (also Civil Registration VH-CUT/CIL )

C-47B-5-DK C/N 25999 and 43-48738

See: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/c-47/A65-61.html

and

http://www.adf-serials.com/2a65.shtml

wow a great find!!!! think of all the souls that can now be at peace, & after 60 + years any close surviving family members will have piece of mind. wreck chasing is much more than finding the big buck holy grail, indiana jones persona, etc. i have the same walter mitty dreams too, i admit it!!!! but when something of this magnitude surfaces it benefits both our generation, & our ww 2 era's fallen generation. a real piece of news that gets you in the heart. best, tom

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Great news!

Congrats to those family members who have kept up the pressure to complete this long overdue recovery. Lets hope the RAAF continue the great work and locate A65-83 (VH-CIZ) which dissapeared in similar circumstances and with similar casualties.

Digger