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Douglas DC-3 and C-47 in Rhodesia
Royal Rhodesian Air Force RRAF
Rhodesian Air Force
Air Force of Zimbabwe
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Dakota Formation
Photograph supplied by Kevin Milligan via ORAFs Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods
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Reg
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C/N
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History
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152
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15967/32715
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Dakota 152
TYPE: C-47B-25-DK
C/N 15967/32715
44-76383
Contract no. AC-2032
Delivery date: 19 February 1945
KN352 RAF Montreal 24 February 1945
300 Wg 3 March 1945
ACSEA 23 February 1946
SHQ Bassingbourn 30 December 1947
8 MU 29 September 1948
SAL 31 August 1954
SR 152 Royal Rhodesian Air Force 3 Squadron colour scheme of VP-YZR (1957)
Written off August 1964
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
C/N 32715
RRAF 152
Royal Rhodesian Air Force
Photographer: Unknown
Source: Bill Sykes collection
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3700
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13164
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Dakota 3700
TYPE: C-47A-20-DK
C/N 13164
Delivery date: 1 May 1944
KG 572 RAF Nassau 12 May 1944
ACSEA 18 June 1944
Indian Government 30 January 1947
Scottish Aviation Ltd 2 October 1947
G-AKJH Maharaja of Baroda 1 April 1948
Skyways ltd. 18 May 1950
BEA Edward Hillman 21 November 1950
Pionair 8 May 1951
Leased to WAAC
Derby Aviation Ltd. 17 April 1961
Derby Aviation Ltd. Monsuldale (or Monsildale)
British Midland Airways 1 October 1964
Gregory Air Services 12 April 1965
EI-ARR Leased to Emerald Airways 15 June 1967
C-AKJH Gregory Air Services 5 December 1967
VQ-ZJB Swazi Air 12 August 1968
3D-AAH re-registered April 1977
A2-ZHR Air Botswana (Protea Airways) July 1973
Botswana Air Service, Jan Smuts Airport
ZS-KAT Protea Airways 4 May 1977 via Aviation Equipment
R3700 Rhodesian Air Force 3 Squadron 8 January 1978
26,849 Flying Hours
3700 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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3702
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13865/25310
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Dakota 3702
TYPE: C-47A-30-DK (Oklahoma City)
C/N 13865/25310
43-48049
Contract no. AC-40652
Delivery date: 10 July 1944
KG766 RAF Nassau 24 July 1944
6842 South African Air Force SAAF 12 August 1944
SR-25 Southern Rhodesian Air Force 12 November 1947 (Donated by General Jan Smuts)
RRAF 157 Royal Rhodesian Air Force
RRAF 702 colour scheme VP-YEA 3 Squadron
R3702 Rhodesian Air Force
Shot down 31 may 1977 near Mapai
Total hours flown 9522.45
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
3702 Shot down during take-off from Mapai on 31 May 1977
Bruce Collocott (16 PTC Pilot Training Course) was killed when shot down by RPG7 during the dusk take-off from Mapai airfield at the end of Op Aztec (the assault on Madulo Pan). The aircraft was flying out captured munitions. It burnt out completely but the despatcher, the co-pilot Jerry Lynch, and the engineer just managed to escape the inferno. Bruce's body could not be recovered till the next morning.
Photograph supplied by Prop Geldenhuys via Ed Potterton
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3707
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16198/32946
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TYPE: C-47B-30-DK
C/N 16198/32946
44-76614
Contract no. AC-2032
Delivery date: 28 March 1945
KN471 RAF Montreal 29 March 1945
Middle East 11 April 1945
6963 South African Air Force 27 September 1945
RRAF 707 Royal Rhodesian Air Force in colour scheme of VP-YZP January 1964
R3707 Chaminuka Rhodesian Air Force (Also given serial no. R7307)
Crashed 21 February 1975
Total hours flown 5,818.00
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
Received from Bill Sykes 30 December 2011
The main event of February 1975, as far as No. 3 Squadron was concerned was an accident which occurred on 21 February, at the Forward Airfield at Rushinga. Dakota 7307 (Chaminuka) ground-looped on the landing strip, due to brake failure. Ed Paintin and Frank Wingrove VR, the pilots, escaped uninjured but the Engineer John Mitchell received a gash on the head. The Dakota was badly damaged and it was not possible to carry out repairs.
The aircraft had to be stripped and was taken to Salisbury on the Queen Mary, a large flatbed truck. After inspection at New Sarum it was deemed to be a write-off.
The one aspect that emerged from this accident was that the crews of No. 3 Squadron would never again have to fly into dark, turbulent cumulonimbus clouds at 12 000 feet to seed clouds!
Chaminuka lay alongside the Parachute Training Centre hangar for months after the accident.
7303 named Chaminuka lies dead on Rushinga runway following an intentional ground loop when the brakes failed
28 February 1975
Photograph: RRAF
7303 port side showing damage caused by propeller as it entered the cabin.
Photograph: RRAF
7303 interior damage after the port propeller had sliced into the cabin immediately behind the left hand seat.
Photograph: RRAF
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3708
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16390/33138
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Dakota 3708
TYPE: C-47D-30-DK
C/N 16390/33138
Delivery date: 25 April 1945
KN538 RAF Montreal 1 June 1945
ACSEA (Air Command South East Asia) 18 June 1945
12 MU/UK 16 June 1947
Upper Heyford TC 26 January 1946
IP & GTS 6 July 1949
22 MU 9 November 1950
SAL 20 June 1955
RR158 RRAF 3 November 1955 (2,342 Flying Hours)
RRAF 708 3 Squadron
R3708 Rhodesian Air Force
3708 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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3711
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12049
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Dakota 3711
TYPE: C-47A-1-DK
C/N 12049
42-92267
Contract no. AC-28405
Delivery date: 11 November 1943
PL625 RAF Nassau 5 January 1944
West Africa 26 January 1944
6822 South African Air Force 7 February 1944
ZS-BXG South African Airways Piketberg 10 November 1948
6887 SAAF 8 February 1971
44 Squadron October 1972
R3711 Rhodesian Air Force 3 Squadron
3711 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Crashed near Marondera 15 July 1981
Total hours flown 27,925.35
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
Dakota 3711 17 April 1980
This is the end of the air test to check that the carburettor modifications done to the engines were acceptable after the change to 100LL fuel. This was the last Dak to have been converted, and was the one that gave the most trouble, having done numerous air tests before this one.
The crew were Flt Lt Spider Webb, Air Lt Rob Rogerson, with SAC Frans Fyfer as scribe. According to Fransie, the test on each engine went well, and it had passed at long last. The trouble came when restarting the second engine. Frans was standing between the pilots when he saw hands flashing about and he was told, in graphic terms, to get buckled in. As he did so, they hit the water, and in true Dak fashion, the left hand prop appeared through the fuselage into the area that he had just vacated !!! They all escaped out of the top escape hatch onto the top af the fuselage, and shouted to a local with a boat to hurry up and resue them, which he did, and landed them ashore without them even getting their feet wet, while the Dak slowly slipped from view (photo below).
Photograph taken from the Rhodesia Herald newspaper, supplied by Kevin Milligan through ORAFS Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods
Photo taken by Air Force of Zimbabwe, supplied by Kevin Milligan through ORAFS Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods
Dakota 3711 passing through Salisbury in 1981 following the accident. It never flew again.
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7034
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16799/33547
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Dakota 7034
TYPE: C-47B-40-DK
C/N 16799/33547
44-77215
Contract no. AC-2032
Delivery date: 25 June 1945
KP245 RAF Montreal 27 June 1945
UK 4 July 1945
10 Squadron 18 August 1945
ACSEA 27 September 1945
22 MU/UK 22 December 1947
Brookland Aviation 16 September 1948
8 MU 9 May 1949
SAL 31 May 1955
RRAF Royal Rhodesian Air Force RRAF 154 16 June 1955
704 colour scheme of VP-YZD
R7034 Rhodesian Air Force
7034 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Crashed 6 January 1977
Total hours flown 9,892.10
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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7036
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14494/25939
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Dakota 7036
TYPE: C-47B-5-DK (VIP Converted Military)
C/N 14494/25939
Delivery date: 9 September 1944
KJ908 RAF Montreal 17 September 1944
Middle East 27 October 1944
6861 South African Air Force 1945
RRAF 706 7 February 1964 (4,904 flying hours)
R7036 Rhodesian Air Force
7036 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Withdrawn from use 21 February 1986
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
Douglas C-47 VIP Dakota No. 7036
Rhodesian Air Force Livery
Photograph: RRAF
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7039
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15903/32651
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Dakota 7039
TYPE: C-47B-25-DL
C/N 15903/32651
Delivery date: 9 February 1945
KN337 RAF Montreal 12 February 1945
MAAF 21 June 1945
South African Air Force 28 Squadron 28 June 1945
6874 SAAF 4 October 1945
RRAF 709 Royal Rhodesian Air Force 7 February 1964 (4,410.00 flying hours)
R7039 Rhodesian Air Force colour scheme of VP-YZH
7039 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Withdrawn from use
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
One of three ex Zimbabwe Air Force Dakotas flown to Wonderboom in 2001/2, to Gert de Klerk for conversion to TP.
The three were C/N 26437 (7134) C/N 32651 (7039) C/N 42978 (7310)
Stored by Gert de Klerk near Kromdraai, north of Pretoria. Ex SAAF 6874 (1)
-25° 29' 11.19", +28° 16' 21.68"
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7053
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16011/32759
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Dakota 7053
TYPE: C-47B-25-DK (Military)
C/N 16011/32759
Delivery date: 5 March 1945
KN385 RAF 8 March 1945
UK 24 March 1945
Azores 26 April 1945
St. Flt. Azores (Lagens) 21 January 1946
St. Evel 10 September 1946
238 Squadron 18 April 1947
TOMSU 19 August 1947
53 Squadron 29 Septemver 1947
Oakington 8 November 1948
8 MU 26 April 1949
RRAF 155 3 Squadron 3 June 1955 (Via Sal)
1,475 flying hours
RRAF 705
R7053 Rhodesian Air Force
7053 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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7134
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14992/26437
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Dakota 7134
TYPE: C-47B-10-DK (VIP Converted Military)
C/N 14992/26437
Delivery date: 28 October 1944
KJ998 RAF Montreal 28 October 1944
ACSEA 22 February 1945
62 squadron Med ME 25 April 1946
114 Squadron 11 February 1948
Oakington 16 February 1949
12 MU 17 October 1949
G-AMYY BKS Aero Charter 11 April 1953
Aviation Servicing Ltd. 16 May 1953
VP-YKP Central African Airways “Manica” 28 May
Air Rhodesia
Withdrawn from use 1974
R7134 Rhodesian Air Force 3 Squadron 16 April 1974 (VIP) 22,112 flying hours
7134 Air Force of Zimbabwe 3 Squadron (VIP)
Information from Bill Sykes, 29 August 2009
To Gert de Klerk at Wonderboom.
One of three ex Zimbabwe Air Force Dakotas flown to Wonderboom in 2001/2, to Gert de Klerk for conversion to TP.
The three were C/N 26437 (7134) C/N 32651 (7039) C/N 42978 (7310)
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7301
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16335/33083
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Dakota 7301
TYPE: C-47B-30-DK
C/N 16335/33083
Delivery date: 14 April 1945
KN531 RAF Montreal 18 April 1945
300 Wg 26 May 1945
512 Squadron UK 26 March 1946
1333 TSTU 12 December 1946
1382 (T) CU 5 January 1948
240 OGU
22 MU 11 April 1951
G-ANZR Field Aircraft Services 27 May 1953
SN-AAJ Sudan Airways 11 May 1954
ST-AAJ re-registered 1957
VQ-ZBB Bechuanaland National Airways (Pty) Ltd. September
A2-ZBB Botswana National Airways October 1968
Wfu 1972
ZS-IPP Protea Airways November 1972
Rennies Air
Aviation Equipment 1 June 1977
Cancelled 21 June 1977
R7301 Rhodesian Air Force 31 October 1977 3 Squadron
(20,229 flying hours)
7301 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Withdrawn from use 11 February 1981
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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7303
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25312/13867
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Dakota 7303
TYPE: C-47A-30-DK
C/N 13867/25312
Delivery date: 10 July 1944
KG768 RAF Nassau 22 July 1944
6841 South African Air Force 11 August 1944
5 Wg 17 February 1945
15 AD 1954
RRAF703 January 1964 (7,573.00 flying hours)
R7303 Rhodesian Air Force
7303 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Hours flown as at 11 June 1991 14,909.15
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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7310
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42978
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Dakota 7310
TYPE: DC-3D VIP (Converted Military)
C/N 42978
Delivery date: 1946
NC34982 Douglas Aircraft Company
HB-IRC Swissair 15 April 1946
ZS-FRJ Protea Airways may 1946
3D-ABI Swazi Air December 1973
ZS-FRJ Protea Airways 14 May 1977
R7310 Rhodesian Air Force 3 Squadron 27 June 1979 (VIP) 28,682 flying hours)
7310 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Withdrawn from use
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
One of three ex Zimbabwe Air Force Dakotas flown to Wonderboom in 2001/2, to Gert de Klerk for conversion to TP.
The three were C/N 26437 (7134) C/N 32651 (7039) C/N 42978 (7310)
Stored by Gert de Klerk near Kromdraai, north of Pretoria.
-25° 29' 11.19", +28° 16' 21.68"
C/N 42978
7310 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Photographer: Unknown
Source: Bill Sykes collection
C/N 42978
7310 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Photographer: Unknown
Source: Bill Sykes collection
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7312
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9492
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Dakota 7312
TYPE: C-47A-30-DL
C/N 9492
42-23630
Contract no. AC-20669
Delivery date: 6 May 1943
FD874 RAF 19 May 1943
Middle East
6801 South African Air Force 26 June 1943
5 Wing 1945
ZS-DJB South African Airways Simonsberg 4 January 1954
6889 SAAF 44 Squadron 8 February 1971
R7312 Rhodesian Air Force 3 Squadron 21 February 1973
7312 Air Force of Zimbabwe 3 Squadron
Crashed on take off from Chimoio Mozambique 10 July 1986
Total hours flown 20,036.55
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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7313
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32741/15993
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Dakota 7313
TYPE: C-47B-25-DK
C/N 15993/32741
Delivery date: 3 March 1945
KN371 RAF Montreal 5 March 1945
300Wg 10 March 1945
UK 14 March 1945
187 Squadron 31 May 1945
1 PTS 10 October 1946
12 Mu 7 December 1950
G-AMPS Eagle Aviation Ltd. “Renown” 4 March 1952
VP-YKN Central African Airways “Mashona” 13 May 1953
7Q-YKN Air Malawi 1966
VP-WCG Air Rhodesia 1968
R7313 Rhodesian Air Force 16 April 1974 (24,920 flying hours)
7313 Air Force of Zimbabwe
Withdrawn from use 25 February 1981
Information from Bill Sykes
29 August 2009
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A superb photo of the three ship Dakota formation en route to the Chimoio strike.
All three show the later anti Strela camouflage paint used on all types in Rhodesia. On the far Dak, you can clearly see the anti Strela mod fitted to the engine exhaust.
The Dak with serial 53 (nearest camera) is one of the original Daks to SRAF/RRAF, and 03 (leading) is ex AAF 6841 taken on charge 7 February 1964
Nearest to Camera 53 = R7053 c/n 32759 stored Manyame (previously known as New Sarum Air Force base in Harare) February 1998
Middle 03 = R7303 c/n 25312 stored Manyame (previously known as New Sarum Air Force base in Harare) February 1998
Furthest from camera 12 = R7312 c/n 9492 crashed Mozambique 10 July 1986
Photograph: Peter Petter-Bowyer
Rhodesian Air Force Dakotas from Peter Petter-Bowyer
Hi John
I am the author of Winds of Destruction which covers my life and experiences as an operational pilot in the Rhodesian Air Force. When writing about projects to protect our aircraft from the Russian SAM 7 (Strela) missiles I used the attached photograph. Dakotas were naturally included in the project and I used this shot in my book to show the faded but highly efficient anti-strela camouflage paintwork as well as the heat-screening exhaust tunnel (visible on the furthest Dak). This is part of a formation routing for an offensive para drop inside Mozambique.
I cannot swear to it but believe this photo was taken over Rhodesia en route to the huge Chimoio terrorist base for the big attack of 23 November 1977.
Peter Petter-Bowyer, July 2009
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A note on the serial numbers of Rhodesian Air Force DC-3 and C-47 aircraft.
The "3" in the serials was a spoof, referring to 3 Squadron which operated them. To get the actual serial, discard the "3" - 705, 703, 712 etc. This was during the war to fool the rebels into thinking there were more airplanes than there actually were; a total of 19 were operated 1947-1991 but not all at the same time. The "3" was also sometimes repositioned such that R7053 could have appeared as R7305 or R7035 at some time. The "real" serials were not sequential - R710 (7310) was a Beech Baron before being reallocated to a DC-3, R718 (3178) an Islander. Since all this was supposed to be a secret, I doubt a definitive list of which airplane wore which serial(s) when, exists.
Brian Maddison
10 August 2009
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9 October 1979, a Dak on the way to do a re-supply to the SAS, who were supporting Renamo in Mozambique. The Squadron had several drops to the SAS, who were based in the Gorongoza plateau, the re-supply operation being known as Op Bumper. Unfortunately I do not have the number of that Dak; I was in the other one on that occasion!
On the numbering used by 3 Squadron, the system was to insert the number 3 into the aircraft's serial number. Generally the number "floated" in a not very logical sequence. Thus:
700 became 3700
701 became 7301
703 became 7303
704 became 7034
705 became 7053
706 became 7036
707 became 3707
708 became 3708
709 became 7039
710 became 7310
711 became 3711
712 became 7312
713 became 7313
714 became 7134
Text: John Reid-Rowland
Photograph: John Reid-Rowland collection
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Taken on 12 September 1979 at Cam and Motor airfield, Kadoma (then known as Gatooma) when 3 Squadron went there for the weekend (the town had "adopted" the Squadron). The red stripe on the cowling was to show that the engine needed some special oil, having just had an overhaul. The lady there is my wife. In the other photo, below, taken on the same occasion, I am in the pilot's seat.
Text: John Reid-Rowland
Photographs: John Reid-Rowland collection
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DC-3 In Africa 
