New Delhi: A Dakota — a vintage transport aircraft older than the Indian Republic itself — will fly overhead as a Bangladesh military contingent marches at New Delhi’s Rajpath on Republic Day to mark 50 years of the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.
The aircraft, which participated in the 1971 war too but began to be phased out soon after, will be flanked by two Mi-17-1V at the flypast in a Rudra formation — a first for the Dakota.
The refurbished aircraft had made its maiden appearance at the Air Force Day flypast on 8 October 2018, flanked by other members of the IAF’s vintage fleet, which was formed to showcase the rich legacy of the force.
This was about six months after ‘Parashuram’, the refurbished Dakota bearing the tail no. VP 905, became part of the Indian Air Force’s vintage aircraft fleet that also includes the Tiger Moth (operated by IAF from 1939 to 1957, one aircraft was refurbished in 2012), and the T-6G Harvard aircraft (which served during the Second World War and was refurbished in 2014).
Aside from the Dakota, fighters such as the newly-inducted Rafale and the indigenous Tejas will also participate in the Republic Day flypast, along with the Apache and Chinook helicopters.
Also Read: Bangladesh armed forces’ contingent arrives, will join R-Day parade to mark 50 yrs of liberation
The Dakotas
The Dakota holds tremendous significance in the history of India as it was the first of the major transport aircraft inducted into the IAF. The aircraft entered Squadron No. 12 of the IAF in 1946.
Talking to ThePrint, IAF veteran and author Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam (Retd) said the aircraft holds an emotional connect with the IAF as it was responsible for saving Srinagar from tribal raiders during the 1947-48 war with Pakistan.
“It was the transport squadron (Squadron number 12) left behind by the British and the aircraft had airlifted the first battalion of the Army’s Sikh regiment, which practically saved Srinagar at the time,” he said.
According to the former IAF officer, the transport aircraft had also landed at the Leh airbase at the time.
“The aircraft played a major role to ensure that Poonch didn’t fall to the invaders, by dropping supplies for months to sustain the population in the region,” he said.
While the Dakotas were not among the frontline transport aircraft during the 1971 war, as against the Russian AN-12s, they played a role in certain operations.
For example, the Dakota paradropped troops in Tangail, approximately 100 km from Dhaka, on 11 December 1971, just five days before Pakistan surrendered on 16 December.
The aircraft were phased out in 1988 and replaced by the transport aircraft Avro.
Update on #DakotaHomebound: 26 Apr 18- Dakota #VP905, is airborne from AFS Jamnagar, Gujarat and is heading North, towards its new home, IAF’s Vintage Flight, AFS Hindon. #Dakota's were inducted into the No.12 Sqn of IAF in 1946 & were phased out after a yeomen service in 1988. pic.twitter.com/eLBvqHFLJn
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) April 26, 2018
The Dakota that will participate in the Republic Day was gifted to the IAF by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar after it was restored to a flying condition over a six-year process. The MP is the son of Air Commodore M.K. Chandrasekhar (Retd), who has flown the Dakota.
The World War 2-era aircraft has reportedly undergone refurbishment at £580,000 (approx. Rs 58 crore), conducted by the UK-based Reflight AirWorks Ltd.
Also Read: No kids under 15, no standing spectators, shorter parade — Covid forces a ‘different’ R-Day
The Dakota aircraft was phased out in 1988. Correct, but it was replaced by the AN-32 aircraft and not the Avro. The Avro was inducted in the mid-1960s.
Was Mr Jawaharlal Nehru a pandit from Kashmir as reported by the print
Isn’t GBP 580,000 approx 5.8 crores?