|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2010 1:02:17 GMT 12
When the Queen and Prince Phillip toured in 1953-54 the RNZAF kitted out the Dakota now in Wigram's museum for their travelling about. However I'm wondering did the RNZAF have a second Dakota kitted out for them as a back-up in case the first one fell over? Or did they perhaps have a Devon kitted out for VIP at that stage?
Did the Royal couple use any other air transport in NZ apart from NZ3553?
Also when the tour was over did the VIP aircraft revert to standard transport? Was the VIP kit removable? I know it's still fitted now but was that something that remained in the plane from 1954 till retirement? Or was the VIP kit stored and able to be restored to the plane?
Did the Royals use the same Dakota in subsequent tours of NZ before we got the Andovers?
|
|
|
Post by 14liney on Mar 17, 2010 10:45:29 GMT 12
There were two, I think the other was 3551 and I am sure that I will be corrected if wrong!! As I recall the VIP fit was permanent and of the other aircraft on the squadron in the late sixties one or maybe 2 were paratroopers with one other fitted out as a passenger transport. Again if I remember correctly the seat row numbering of the passenger aircraft went 11, 12, 12A, 14. Shorty probably knows how these machines were configured.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2010 10:50:18 GMT 12
So NZ3551 got the full VIP kit treatment as a back-up then?
Another question about the one in the museum, did it gain the Madame Cholet nose art whislt in service or more recently as a museum piece?
|
|
|
Post by camtech on Mar 17, 2010 11:34:36 GMT 12
From memory, NZ3538 was the para Dak, with '42 as the back up. 3546 and 47 were the regular SATS (Scheduled Air Transport Service) aircraft, set up for passenger work. "38 was occaisionally used on SATS flights - still in para Dak configuration - bloody uncomfortable from Whenuapai to Wigram. I think the Madame Cholet was applied prior to retirement, but could be wrong. NZ3551 was the other VIP aircraft. 3553 was left in permanent VIP configuration, as was 51. For the Royal tour, I believe a Heron was also configured for VIP work, along with Devons 1801 and 02. Bristol Freighters were also used to move Royal Baggage, entourage and cars.
|
|
|
Post by furyfb11 on Mar 17, 2010 14:20:20 GMT 12
NZ3553 was the first VIP C47 having been reconfigured by NAC workshops at Palmerston North in 1949 and was known as a VIP Dakota. On the 5th of June 1953 NZ3551 was flown to the de Havilland factory at Rongotai to undergo a complete upgrade to VVIP configuration for the upcoming Royal Tour.This aircraft became known as the Queens Dakota. NZ3553 was a back up aircraft for the tour but the royals only flew in NZ3551.They flew eight legs all captained by Squadron Leader C.L.Siegert. An NAC de Havilland Heron was used on the leg from Matamata to Gisborne. This was the only tour that the Queen and the Duke flew by RNZAF Dakota,on there next tour in1963 NAC Viscounts were used. NZ3551 was used as a VVIP aircraft untill it was retired in November 1977 and is now displayed in the RNZAF Museum at Wigram having accumulated 12,291 hours of flying
|
|
|
Post by redkiwi on Mar 17, 2010 17:18:35 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2010 17:35:33 GMT 12
Thanks guys, I had the serial of Wigram's one wrong, I should have checked.
So two VIP Dakotas. At what point did NZ3553 withdraw from being VIP? Did it go right up to the end of service as such? Did they get used a lot or very seldom for the rest of their careers? Was it only for world leader visits or did politicians misuse them too?
Those Womble stickers came out when i was at School in the 1970's. I had Uncle Bulgaria on my lunchbox, my older sister had Orinoco, my brother had Tomsk and my little sister had that exact same Madame Cholet sticker. I only actually noticed it on the nose last time I was there in July 2009, despite many hours staring at that aircraft over the years. From memory the stickers came in bread bags for a time.
|
|
glycol
Squadron Leader
Posts: 103
|
Post by glycol on Mar 17, 2010 21:24:18 GMT 12
There were two. When the Queens Flight was first formed at Ohakea the hangar was under guard 24/7. Almost every airman on station including cooks were rostered to polish these two aircraft and the initial shine was absolutely brilliant. 3553 was used as a backup and for luggage but the seating and woodwork was to a lower standard. 3553 also had long range tanks and was later used for trips as far afield as Japan but more often to the Island I remember being taken on a tour of the hangar nearest the Officer's Mess by Ian Brausch and all the Daks in there at the time had Womble names & stickers.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 17, 2010 21:48:11 GMT 12
Thanks glycol, that is cool to know that all the Dakotas had Womble names. No doubt someone on here will recall which Dakota was which Womble? Another little piece of nearly forgotten social history.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 17, 2010 22:35:32 GMT 12
In about August 1963 when I was first posted to Ohakea from Wigram, I flew in the RNZAF DC6 shuttle that used to do the Auckland to Christchurch via Ohakea, Wellington, and maybe Woodbourne each week.
When we stopped at Wellington Air Movements Hangar, the DC6 had a problem starting one engine so there was a delay. The Royal Dak 3551 was just about to leave to return to Ohakea so I was one of three off-loaded from the DC6 to travel in luxury to Ohakea.
About half way to Ohakea the DC6 caught up to us and formated briefly on us to our starboard on a slow overtaking movement, then throttled-up and went into Ohakea ahead of us. It had to go there for other north-bound pax which was just as well because my kit was not transferred to 3551.
Before we got to Ohakea, the Pilot of our little "royal" flight came back into the cabin and chatted with us for a while, but he could not get back into the cockpit because the door latched failed internally. After many attempts he reverted to chopping into the door with the crash-axe to free up the latch and get back for the landing.
We watched all this (the splintering of the prized veneer) as we were in the forward lounge (3551 only had eight passenger seats, in two lounges 4x4 as I recall) That was my bit of excitement for the day.
The VIP aircraft were used now and again by the Governor-General, whenever he had to open a new girls toilet in Oamaru or some similar task (while the crew went golfing)!
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 18, 2010 9:43:53 GMT 12
Great story OJ. Was it better insulated from noise than a normal C-47?
Also, did the DC-6's land at Wigram or at Harewood on the SATS flights?
|
|
|
Post by tbf25o4 on Mar 18, 2010 10:57:48 GMT 12
Dave,
chapter five of my book DC3 Southern Skies Pioneer covers all the aircraft and operations of the royal flight DC3s in 1953-54 Three aircraft used NZ3551 (newly refitted), the original NZ3553 VIP aircraft and NZ3545 backup and positioning of steps etc. These were in turn backed up by Devons NZ1801/1802
cheers
Paul
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 18, 2010 14:05:44 GMT 12
Thanks Paul. I will have a look next time I'm in the library.
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Mar 18, 2010 19:03:22 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 18, 2010 20:14:25 GMT 12
Thanks for posting those photos Peter, obviously taken at at least two different occasionas as the paint scheme differs in some from others. Some shots also show it with a DF loop and others don't.
It's interesting to see the old colour schemes on the aircraft, I actually like the more modern look on NZ3551 as it is nowadays. Note the blue line used to be above the windows whereas now it is on the window level. The blue looks darker in some of these photos than in others too. I know they did use a deep blue on the VIP Devons at one stage so it may be the same colour. And the really noticeable differences in the photos above are the tapered blue lines on the tail which are absent in some shots.
By the way Mark (Red Kiwi) I like your website on the Dakotas mate. Well done.
|
|
|
Post by oj on Mar 18, 2010 20:52:35 GMT 12
It was quieter than your standard NAC Dak Dave, and the DC6 operated from Harewood.
My first contact with the DC6 was being told to stow my kit in the forward cargo hold. I had to be lifted up into it as it is too far up without a step or ladder. The loadmaster who lifted me up said stow your kit in the rear of the compartment and stay up there to do all the others.
I thus had to work my passage so to speak. It was hot work. Later in the cabin en-route, I was surprised and most grateful to have a WAAF hostess come around and give us cold orange cordial as in-flight refreshment.
20 years later I was to spend (intermittently) many hours in the identical under-floor cargo holds of the two Carvairs during their overhaul and modification at JAL. The DC4 and DC6 were identical in that regard.
At JAL we had to install smoke detectors in the main cargo area and in each baggage hold. A lot of new wiring associated with this.
I feel another series of photos coming along. If I can find them ......
|
|
|
Post by barf on Mar 23, 2010 8:07:33 GMT 12
It's interesting to see the old colour schemes on the aircraft, I actually like the more modern look on NZ3551 as it is nowadays. Note the blue line used to be above the windows whereas now it is on the window level. The blue looks darker in some of these photos than in others too. I know they did use a deep blue on the VIP Devons at one stage so it may be the same colour. And the really noticeable differences in the photos above are the tapered blue lines on the tail which are absent in some shots.
Hi Dave, re the paint colours, you are correct that the blue stripes on the earlier scheme is "darker". It is 'Roundel blue' on the older schemes but changed to the lighter 'Dulux Zenith Blue' on the final scheme (although the roundel blue remains the darker 'insignia blue') In the final schemes (up to retirement in 1977) 51 & 53 also had the polished metal wings/tail-plane and lower fuselage, all the others had the standard 'alluminium' paint, the same as the Vampires. Yes the Womble sticker was an "in-service" marking.
The 'Visitors book' from '51' reads like a 'who's who' of dignitaries and world leaders from the 60's and 70's. The old girl certainly earned her keep in the VIP role.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 23, 2010 9:45:34 GMT 12
Thanks Barf, very interesting stuff.
I guess this aircraft must have originally worn the Olive Drab and wartime Pacific Roudels like all the others in WWII. Do photos exist from its early career?
|
|
|
Post by baz62 on Mar 25, 2010 17:56:19 GMT 12
Heres a picture of NZ3551 I posted a while back taken in 1980 on one of our Sunday ground runs. The smoke on the grass beyond the Dakota is from the Avenger starting up with myself at the helm!
|
|
|
Post by camtech on Sept 10, 2017 16:01:55 GMT 12
|
|