As the BBMF C-47 Dakota ZA947 is still away for completion of its ‘Major’ maintenance at Duxford and is not now due back until the new year, the BBMF hangar will once again provide a winter roof over the head of one of the Aero Legends C-47 Dakotas. This time it will be their other Dakota, USAAF serial 42-100882, civil registration N473DC, named “Drag-’em-OOT”, an aircraft with an impressive wartime history, which arrived at Coningsby on 1st November.
Whilst it may seem incongruous for BBMF that this Dakota is in its Word War Two USAAF markings, this aircraft also served with the RAF during the Second World War.
C-47 42-100882 was one of 50 or so ‘Skytrain’/Dakotas fitted with Model 80 glider pick-up, or ‘snatch’ gear, to allow them to retrieve stranded assault gliders from the Normandy fields after D-Day, so that the gliders could be re-used for further ops. Hence this Dakota’s name, “Drag-’em-OOT”.
“Drag-’em-OOT” participated in the D-Day operations, towing an assault glider to Normandy, and then became involved in the glider ‘snatch’ recovery missions for which it was intended. These continued into July and August 1944.
On 2nd September 1944 the aircraft was transferred to the RAF, which had a need for the glider recovery capability. With the RAF the aircraft became Dakota TS422. Assigned to Number 1 Heavy Glider Servicing Unit, attached to 38 Group RAF at Netheravon, Wiltshire, TS422 started recovering gliders from the Normandy fields as soon as it joined the RAF. It recovered about 40 Horsa gliders prior to Operation Market Garden. Dakota TS422 also participated in Operation Market Garden (Arnhem) and in Operation Varsity (the crossing of the Rhine). During these operations the aircraft sustained battle damage, being attacked by Luftwaffe fighter aircraft and hit by ground fire. Around 40 repaired bullet holes are still visible in the aircraft today.
Visitors to the BBMF Visitor Centre on hangar tours will once again be able to see a Dakota and hear the details of this aircraft’s remarkable story. BBMF Official Club and Lincolnshire Lancaster Association members are entitled to free hangar tours on production of a valid membership card, admission charges apply to non-members.
