Dakota IV control surfaces and paradoor questions

On the BBMF Dak, the door is strapped to the floor in the middle of the cargo area.

Cheers Piston.

Wondered where they put it when it’s removed in flight.

On the BBMF Dak, the door is strapped to the floor in the middle of the cargo area.

Absolutley brilliant.

Duly copied and saved.

Many,many thanks FL.

I’ve (hopefully!) attached an image showing the areas which should have been masked off for drops using the British X-type parachute. [ATTACH=CONFIG]252109[/ATTACH]

The November 1944 edition of the USAAF Handbook – Flight Operating Instructions for the C-47 states the following:

“Parachute Troop Exit Panel

On some airplanes the inside panel of the forward half of the main cargo door is removable inward and is used as the exit for parachute troops. Four hooks and bungee rings installed on the right-hand side of the fuselage, opposite the main cargo loading door, are provided for stowing the panel while using the exit”

Whilst the RAF made certain modifications for British Airborne operations (re-positioned static line cable, mats on the cabin floor, masking of external fittings, etc), I can find no evidence of the RAF modifying the jump panel stowage.

Cheers for that FL.
I’ve been studying C-47 paradrop vids on Youtube(both original and modern)and couldn’t see anything like the “overhead the doors”
slide in stowage that our learned collegue above mentions,most panels seem to have been removed prior to take-off or removed
in flight and stowed as you say,bungee’d to the opposite cabin wall.
All the original footage doesn’t seem to have any type of masking around the door panel either,modern ones,yes,to the aft of the panel,
the outer door handles and the main door hinges.

The pic I have of KK138/S “in action”doesn’t seem to have any masking out either,certainly not on the door hinges,the “S” ident.letter
runs across the main hinges and is fully visible as is the C-type fuselage roundel.
Can’t say whether the door handles are masked,there’s a bod just exited the aircraft and is obscuring them.

The November 1944 edition of the USAAF Handbook – Flight Operating Instructions for the C-47 states the following:

“Parachute Troop Exit Panel

On some airplanes the inside panel of the forward half of the main cargo door is removable inward and is used as the exit for parachute troops. Four hooks and bungee rings installed on the right-hand side of the fuselage, opposite the main cargo loading door, are provided for stowing the panel while using the exit”

Whilst the RAF made certain modifications for British Airborne operations (re-positioned static line cable, mats on the cabin floor, masking of external fittings, etc), I can find no evidence of the RAF modifying the jump panel stowage.

The cabin door is actually three doors in one. A double hinge for opening two doors for large cargo, a single left hand hinged passenger access door and then within this door an inner parachute door which is opened from the inside and then slides onwards and up towards the cabin roof allowing it to be opened in flight and not against the slipstream.

I realised there are actually three doors in one if you will,but the bit about fitting it into a “stowage rack”(so to speak)above the doors
and sliding it up into it is the part I’m pleased to find out about.

Thankyou gentlemen for all your help.

And you were correct the ailerons, elevators and rudder were alloy structures fabric covered.

I’ve checked the AP 2453a for the drop procedures from a Dak. It does mention removing the panel from the parachute exit door at 20 minutes to go but not what to do with it. Also missing from the AP is any mention of the door panel post drop.

The cabin door is actually three doors in one. A double hinge for opening two doors for large cargo, a single left hand hinged passenger access door and then within this door an inner parachute door which is opened from the inside and then slides onwards and up towards the cabin roof allowing it to be opened in flight and not against the slipstream.

I’d have thought that for a para drop the door would have been taken off on the ground (and for a PTS aircraft left there). My reasoning being that for a para drop the edge of the doorway, hinges, handles and tailwheel leg would be taped up to protect the static lines and parachute canopy. With the tape in place you wouldn’t be able to close the para door back in place.

Ta.

I’d have thought that for a para drop the door would have been taken off on the ground (and for a PTS aircraft left there). My reasoning being that for a para drop the edge of the doorway, hinges, handles and tailwheel leg would be taped up to protect the static lines and parachute canopy. With the tape in place you wouldn’t be able to close the para door back in place.

Thanks for that Brian.

Sounds like your door had been given the DC-3 “treatment” I’d say.

I’ve found a cutaway of a Dak IV(in one of my own reference books no less !!),and the control surfaces are indeed marked as fabric covered,
but there isn’t any apparatus on the khazi bulk.marked up as “paradoor stowage”(or anwhere else inside the airframe for that matter),so I suppose
it could have been shoved inside the khazi(hard luck if anyone needed a pee eh?).

I’ve seen the BBMF Dak get airborne with the door in place and then return with it removed,but I’d be very surprised if they left it
slithering about on the floor.

There is a set of C-47 doors for sale here

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/267346963/c-47-cargo-doors-with-a-parajumper?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=c-47&ref=sr_gallery_13

I had one a few years ago but the para door had been converted by the Belgians with a hinge at the bottom and just the two turn handles at the top.

I understood that the door was removed before departure to allow a faster exit both at drop and in case of emergencies.

The Khazi bulkhead was just behind – could it have been stowed there ?