Indian Air Force hands over ‘71 Dakota aircraft

Indian Air Force (IAF) has formally handed over the Dakota (DC-3) aircraft, which took part in the para drop operations in Tangail during the 1971 Liberation War, to Bangladesh.
The aircraft was installed at the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Museum, Tejgaon at an impressive ceremony today, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka says in a press release.
Dakota aircraft has special significance for BAF as the latter started its journey from Nagaland, Dimapur on September 28, 1971 with the establishment of ‘K’ flight which possessed one Dakota DC-3, one Otter aircraft and one Alluette helicopter.
The aircraft was flown in from New Delhi in a dismantled state in the IAF’s C-17 Globemaster aircraft and then was re-assembled by IAF’s technical team led by Wing Commander R Deshpande with assistance of the BAF, the press release concluded.