By Wayne Bailey
February 2009

Once again C.F.B. Greenwood is home to a venerable old C47/DC3, known forever in the Canadian military as the Dakota or Dak. This particular example of the longest serving aircraft type in the Canadian Forces started life in 1944 on the Douglas Aircraft assembly line in Oakland, California. On completion in March of 1945 it was delivered to the USAAF and from there to the RAF as Dakota #KN451, probably part of the Lend Lease program. 

From there the aircraft was taken on strength by the RCAF's, Eastern Air Command, May 1, 1946, then to 426 Sqn Dartmouth N.S. on Oct 2, 1945 .The next stop was here at Greenwood April of 1949 with tail #655 and saw service with 103 Rescue Unit and/or 103 Comm Unit. In 1952 it went to Camp Borden 2TTS as trainer 655B, then on to 6RD Dunnville Ont. in 1963. A year later, on Sep 28 1964, it came to rest as a static display at the Canada Aviation Museum (C.A.M.) in Ottawa Ont.  Continue reading...

Negotiations to acquire 655B from the C.A.M. for Greenwood Military Aviation Museum began late in 2003, and in Jan 2004 the transfer was agreed to and preparations for the move began. By mid Sept. of 06 most of the aircraft had arrived here at Greenwood, a restoration crew was assembled and a survey of what would be needed for the restoration began. During the disassembly of the Dakota in Ottawa, the wing box was damaged beyond repair and the search for a replacement took 3 years when Joe McBryan of Buffalo Airways in Hay River N.W.T. donated a wing box to the project. 

The restoration began in late 2007 with the majority of all the work and storage of the components taking place in 10 Hangar in early 2009 the centre section wing box will be attached to the fuselage.

With the capable leadership of, at first Butch Fleury and later Eric Welin, things are beginning to take shape. Others involved include Bob McElman, Bob Fettes, Doc McKeil, Chuck Calder, Bob Dolomont, Russell Keddy, Bill Flynn and Wayne Bailey. Many thanks to LCol P.F. Garbutt, CO of 14 Air Maintenance Sqn and his people for their enthusiasm, and thank you also to the many others who have helped us get moving on this project. There have been many folks who have stopped by and related some great memories about this great old bird.

A good motto for our future efforts will be Patience and Persistence.

More updates to come as progress is made.