Where did Dakotas go to die?

Again I would join the chorus and say Tollerton. As a teenage spotter Daks could always be seen at Tollerton and the was a fuselage dumped at the northern end of the airfield behind the T.2 hangar as late as 1959.

John

Where did BMI or as they were then Derby Airways store theirs? were they at Burnaston? they used to have several ex RAF ones I believe

I was under the impression Dakotas never die!!

Almost certainly not Hurn.

Although a certain amount of scrapping took place at Hurn – as far as I know,no Dakotas were scrapped there.

In 1949 they received a large order to convert 20 military Dakotas for BAE. They were called Pionairs.
The aircraft in the background are, I think most likely, the 20 BAE Dakotas. Their state fits the description of the conversion work in the Flight article. Therefore the date of the photographs would be spring/summer 1949.

.

BEA………..methinks!!

Several East African Airways Daks were supplied through Fields at Tollerton.

Oh yes, the background of the photo looks much more like Tollerton than Hurn.

Planemike

Field Aircraft Services were at Tollerton from the early 40’s until 1957, according to Action Stations 2. They dealt with surplus Dakotas, including refurbishment for resale, as well as scrapping.

The photos look as if they were taken post-war.

DD

The activities of Field Aircraft Services are described in ‘Tollerton an Airfield for Nottingham 1929 to 2007’, which is why I thought the photographs were likely to be taken there.

According to the book They were cleaning and maintaining Dakotas that had been used in the Berlin Airlift. In 1949 they received a large order to convert 20 military Dakotas for BEA. They were called Pionairs. An article 21st April 1949 in Flight describes in detail the work carried out. In 1953 they refurbished 100 Dakotas for the USAF.

The aircraft in the background are, I think most likely, the 20 BAE Dakotas. Their state fits the description of the conversion work in the Flight article. Therefore the date of the photographs would be spring/summer 1949.

JN codes were used by several squadrons. 30 Squadron fits very nicely.

dad flew dakotas in berlin Airlift 1948 onwards, did 258 sorties in Berlin Airlift, was also based at Oakington

The Squadron code of JN belongs to 150 Sqn, but they did not have Dakotas and were disbanded in 1945 and again in 1959. Would they possibly have had a Squadron hack which was not recorded in their history?

…or even 30 Squadron that operated Dakota 4 Aircraft from November 1947 to January 1951, operating out of Abingdon and Oakington. Example given is KN419 JN-O.

Mark

The Squadron code of JN belongs to 150 Sqn, but they did not have Dakotas and were disbanded in 1945 and again in 1959. Would they possibly have had a Squadron hack which was not recorded in their history?

The background looks too hilly for Hurn.

DD

That’s what I thought. Dad’s family were North London born. 1920’s.

My grandparents ended up in Bournemouth after a London life. So, one daughter ending up down there is understandable.

Where she met my uncle is what I need to establish. Her older brother (my Dad) was RAF, so there is a potential connection. (She was the caring one of three).

I’m rubbish at names, but good at faces, and I can hear the laugh!

The background looks too hilly for Hurn.

DD

My dad flew Dakotas for many years, have loads in his log books

Well. Assuming that this was 1950 something, I’m certain that the woman on the left, in both images, is my Aunt. Emailed a link to my Mum, to see what she thinks.

Aunt is still about, so the next week will see an answer. All that I know of her (other than that laugh she’s doing there) is that she married a man who at that time, worked for BAC at Hurn.

So. Hurn. Is that possible?

My money would be on Tollerton

Field Aircraft Services were at Tollerton from the early 40’s until 1957, according to Action Stations 2. They dealt with surplus Dakotas, including refurbishment for resale, as well as scrapping.

The photos look as if they were taken post-war.

DD