Which C-47?

[Peter Lewis]

A mystery photo.

I assume this is an RNZAF C-47, but the only code visible is '35'.

It would seem not to be NZ3535, as that survived the war to become ZK-AQS.

Any ideas?

[camtech]

Peter, I found a reference to NZ3535 suffering damage during a storm at Whenuapai file ref 25/2/2394, dated 17 August 1946, and judging by the uniforms, looks about right.

[Dave Homewood]

Note there are no propellers.

[Dave Homewood]

Here's a photo from the Australian War Memorial site, the caption reads:
"Darwin, NT. 1945-09-14. New Zealand civilian internees from Singapore leave a Royal New Zealand Air Force Douglas (C47) Dakota aircraft, serial no. NZ3535, on its arrival at the air base"



And another from the same site:
"Darwin, NT. 1945-09-14. Civilian women internees on arrival by air from Singapore in a Royal New Zealand Air Force Douglas (C47) Dakota transport aircraft, serial no. NZ3535. Left to right: Mrs W. Rodger; Miss L. W. Bridgman; Miss Phyllis Briggs, and Mrs B. Powell all of New Zealand."

[tbf25o4]

Camtech reference is correct, the aircraft was in temporary outdoor storage (hence no engines) at Whenuapai, it was transferred to NZNAC on 16/01/1947 and became ZK-AQS, withdrawn from service 30/1/1966 and sold to Taiwan

[davidd]

A C-47 at Wigram suffered a very similar accident at about the same time - however it was an instructional airframe on the strength of the E&W School. Don't think there was an accident report rendered because it was no longer officially an "aircraft" as such. It was blown backwards through a fence, and, like NZ3535, had no engines fitted, which made it even more vulnerable to strong winds. It had been lashed down to concrete blocks, but from memory the ropes snapped. As is normal in Christchurch, really strong winds are either southerlies or nor'westers. (Have just found the very brief details of this incident, RNZAF Wigram unit history 7th July 1949, "Exceptionally strong winds during night moved the Dakota aircraft." This was of course INST. 117 (NZ3518). Despite all the abuse it suffered (it lived outside for all its life at the E&W School), this aircraft was sold to NAC in March 1954, was restored to airworthy condition at Harewood, and was ultimately registered to the corporation as ZK-BEU.

Incidentally, great photos of the repatriated civilians at Darwin - have never seen those before. Looks as though the women have been outfitted with "new clothing" for their return to civilisation, and to my eye these appear to be male tropical items, hardly surprising really, they probably were not aware of how many women were actually involved until fairly late in the piece. They look surprisingly healthy too, although it is impossible to know what they had been through over the preceding 4 years. From notes I have taken from the ChCh Press, the aircraft bringing home the women in the photograph did not depart Singapore until 28th or 29th September, so there seems to be a bit of an issue with the date in the Darwin photographs. There were 3 RNZN officers, 2 Army (Imperial Forces) officers, and ten civilians (including two from Volunteer forces) aboard this aircraft, including the four women. Bridgman, Powell and Rodger gave their home towns as Auckland, and Miss Briggs as Takapuna. Mrs Rodger was accompanied by her husband. NZ3535 seems to be the eighth of twelve C-47s bringing home the ex POWs and internees from Singapore, and arrived back in NZ sometime in early October. A lone Australian was also evacuated in this aircraft, so he naturally disembarked in the lucky country.

David D

[camtech]

Jun 9, 2017 9:56:26 GMT 12 davidd said:

A C-47 at Wigram suffered a very similar accident at about the same time - however it was an instructional airframe on the strength of the E&W School. Don't think there was an accident rendered because it was no longer officially an "aircraft" as such. It was blown backwards through a fence, and, like NZ3535, had no engines fitted, which made it even more vulnerable to strong winds. It had been lashed down to concrete blocks, but from memory the ropes snapped. As is normal in Christchurch, really strong winds are either southerlies or nor'westers.


I guess, David, the aircraft at Wigram would be NZ3518, which suffered damage on 26 July 1949, when the starboard wing hit a fence when landing at Wigram. I believe this was the instructional aircraft, allocated Inst 117, which was later sold to NZNAC as ZK-BEU on 15 Feb 1954.

Another Dakota came to grief at Wigram on 14 April 1952, when NZ3544 ground looped and destroyed the undercarriage. Again NZNAC were the benefactors? when they purchased the aircraft 15 July 1952 and it flew as ZK-BQK after suitable repairs.

[planewriting]

There is reference in the latest "What's New in July at the Air Force Museum?" to RNZAF C-47s visiting Singapore in the mid 1940s (1946?. Can anyone identify these particular aircraft? NZ3535 (later ZK-AQS with NZNAC) is evidently one of them but I would be interested to now what others went to Singapore. Can anyone supply this information? Thanks