This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Post a reply

Found: Australian Military Aircraft Lost In WWII

Sun Jun 26, 2005 10:03 am

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

Sun Jun 26, 2005 10:59 am

A5-61 is most likely the serial number

Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:01 pm

"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

Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:28 pm

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

DC3 Discovery

Mon Jun 27, 2005 4:36 am

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
Post a reply