FLOWN TO OHAKEA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 29 August 1945, Page 5

FLOWN TO OHAKEA

AIRMEN FROM NELSON R.N.Z.A.F. STATION SPEEDING UP DEMOBILISATION TWO DAKOTA TRANSPORT PLANES USED In order to speed up the demobilise tion of Air Force personnel at the Nelson station two Dakota troop transports flew approximately 50 men to Ohakea R.N.Z.A.F. station this afternoon. On arrival they were to be issued with travel warrants and dispersed to their homes in various parts of the North Island. The Dakotas are the largest planer, to have landed at the Nelson aerodrome. The Dakota was developed from the Douglas DC/3 civil airliner, the best known aircraft on United States airways. It is used by the Allied forces in all parts of the world for transporting troops and supplies and Dakotas have given good service to the R.N.Z.A.F. both in the Dominion and in the Pacific. To the U.S. Army the aircraft is known as the Skytrain (C-47) when used for cargo-carrying and glider towing and as the Sky trooper (C-53) when used as a personnel transport. The machine is built under licence in Russia, where it is standard transport and it has helped create a new Burma road by air. The Dakota is a low-wing monoplane, some models being fitted with Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp engines and some [ with Wright Cyclones.