Aircraft N54AA Data

This aircraft was delivered to the USAAF on 2/5/44, but was diverted as a Lend-Lease aircraft to the RAF as Dakota Mk. III KG440. It was delivered to the RAF via No. 45 Group at Dorval, Montreal on 2/14/44, then ferried to arrive in the UK on 2/28/44, being assigned to No.233 Sqdn at Blakehill Farm, Wiltshire, on 3/8/44. “This squadron carried out casualty evacuation flights from Normandy and supplied 37 sorties to the Arnhem airlift during the first two days, followed by 35 re-supply missions, losing three Dakotas in the process.” The plane was transferred to No. 1336 Transport Conversion Unit based at Welford, Berkshire, on 8/26/45. Four months later it went to No. 1382 TCU at Wymeswold, Leicestershire. On 6/26/46 the plane went into storage with No. 22 Maintenance Unit at Silloth in Cumberland. It was then purchased by Canadair Ltd on 7/17/46. Registered as CF-GHL, it was delivered to McIntyre-Porcupine Mines of Toronto, Ontario. On 1/31/51 the plane was acquired by Algoma Steel Corp of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Over the next several years the plane changed hands numerous times until December 1979 when it was purchased by Nunasi Central Airlines, Ltd of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, by then having been re-registered as C-FGHL. On 5/17/86 the aircraft fell through the ice while landing at Nejanilini Lake in Manitoba. The plane was recovered, repaired and put back into service. (information from Arthur Pearcy’s 1988 book “Douglas DC-3 Survivors.”)

This former USAAF C-47A 42-92651 of Allied Air Freight crashed shortly after take-off from Nassau International Airport, New Providence Island, Bahamas on July 20, 2000. The pilot had reported engine problems and was attempting to return to the airport when the crash occurred. Sadly, both pilots were killed.