How many air forces still use WWII aircraft?

According to Paul Coggans’ Mustang Survivors book, the Fuerza Aérea Dominicana (FAD) was the last operator of Mustangs as frontline fighters, retiring them in the mid 80s.

The Phillippines Mustangs were replaced by 50 F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, but some were still in service for COIN roles up to the early 1970s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_P-51_Mustang#Non-US_service

Otherwise, excepting aircraft flown for commemorative or testing purposes, I think you are now looking only at the C-47 family.

Regards,

A friend from the Philippines said (10 years ago) that he trained on Mustangs… he can’t be more than 40-45 years old…

The Royal Thai Air Force still operates some (turbo)C-47’s.

I would put the Dominican Air Force as the last user of the P-51D with a retirement date of 1984

Any more budget cuts and the BBMF might be the RAF
Mike

Also, when did South Africa retire its T-6s?

1995

The SAAF still use Turbodaks for maritime patrol AFAIK

Some of us knew what you meant.;):) But nevertheless it has made interesting reading with more to come, no doubt.

Thanks Guys – that is very interesting. I suppose I could have worded it better and asked: ‘are there any air forces still using WWII aircraft operationally and not dedicated to museum activities?’

Specifically; C-47/C-47 turbines, Harvards and even Beech 18s or others? 😉

Also, when did South Africa retire its T-6s?
And Spain and Portugal used them into the 70s.

And NZ flew Harvards – what, till the 80s?

I think the original question was hoping to unravel P-51 or B-26 operators – like the Central Americans up to the 70s/80s – but alas, don’t think there are anymore. :rolleyes: Are still C-47 operators of course.

You won’t find an official record of this anywhere, but in the early 90s, the USAF Museum had a flying T-6. The museum director woukd fly it with VIPs on special occasions. I saw it a few times in front of the Wright-Patterson base ops…it was based at the nearby Wright Field (site of the museum).

Also, when did South Africa retire its T-6s?
And Spain and Portugal used them into the 70s.

I strongly suspect the OP was asking about actual regular use, not “kept around specifically as flying museum pieces”!

As usual, the answers you get depend on how carefully you frame your question. 😉 All the examples I cited are active and on air force books, and are ‘correct’ answers to the question. I also mentioned one to start that didn’t have a commemorative or educational role. 😎

Regards,

when did some of those south american countries use the P47 and 51`s to?…..seem to remember some news footage in the 80`s with them still using them?

A poke round on google shows that the Greek AF are still operating at least 1 C-47. A number of sites have recent photos of ex 43-16008 (re-built in 1949 so given a new serial, 49-2622), I can find KK156 in photos until a few years ago, so don’t know if it is still plying its trade.

I strongly suspect the OP was asking about actual regular use, not “kept around specifically as flying museum pieces”!

There’s one turbo-prop C-47 in a special unit of the USAF.

The RAAF Museum is part of the RAAF (like the BBMF is an RAF unit) and operates a Tiger Moth, and CAC Mustang. Likewise the RNZAF Heritage Flight operate a Harvard, and used to operate the Avro 626.

several south and central american countries still use C-47/C-67

Qinetiq still uses a Harvard

Err, as most of the BBMF aircraft never left military ownership you could say the RAF.