CWHM C-47 Dakota Officially Dedicated on July 6
Story and photos by Gord McNulty, CAHS Vice President
Douglas C-47 Dakota FZ692 fires up at CWHM.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum on July 6 for the Official Dedication of the museum’s C-47 Dakota, FZ692, a D-Day veteran. The ceremony was held in the hangar on a very rainy Air Force Day that featured visiting aircraft from the RCAF, the Waterloo Warbirds and the Great War Flying Museum among others.
C-47 Dakota FZ692 returns after commemorative flight.
It has been an exceptionally busy summer for FZ692 (C-GRSB), which made its first post-restoration flight on June 3 and then led a commemorative flypast for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in sunshine at the museum on June 6. The C-47 flew with the museum’s Avro Lancaster and B-25 Mitchell over Hamilton and surrounding area.
CC-177 Globemaster III 177704 arrives at CWHM for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 6.
Airbus CC-150 Polaris 15002 arriving at CWHM.
Two Hercules arrive at CWHM from CFB Trenton.
Lockheed Martin CC-130J Super Hercules 130614 in the foreground at CWHM.
An impressive group of aircraft from RCAF 8 Wing/CFB Trenton participated in the start of the flight: a CC-177 Globemaster III; a CC-150 Polaris painted in attractive 1975-vintage “retro” colours to celebrate the 75th anniversary of 437 Squadron, established in 1944; and two CC-130 Hercules.
David Rohrer, CEO & Chairman of CWHM, speaks at the Official Dedication as Padre Rev. Doug Mitchell looks on. (Osborne R. Love)
The subsequent July 6 dedication included a presentation by David Rohrer, CEO & Chairman of CWHM; Stephen Quick, former Director-General of the Canada Aviation & Space Museum; and LCol Diane Baldasaro, CO of 437 Squadron. Members of 437 Squadron also attended the dedication.
FZ692, painted in wartime RCAF 437 Squadron markings, flew 16 operational trips with RAF 233 Squadron and was transferred to 437 Squadron in September 1944. It then completed another 208 operational flights, returning to service in Canada in 1946 and retirement from Squadron service in September 1971.
I was unable to attend the dedication on account of a vacation in France, but I’m grateful to CAHS and CWHM member Osborne Love for providing a program and photos. Gus Corujo has extensive coverage of both the dedication and the D-Day 75th Anniversary commemoration on his website, Gusair.com.
After the dedication, FZ692 was flown to Oshkosh, WI for EAA AirVenture, July 22-28. In fact, a YouTube video with sound of early arrivals at Oshkosh (part two) shows the C-47 making a smooth landing on July 21 at Wittman Regional Airport for the 67th annual edition this year.
The C-47, Skytrain in the USAAF and Dakota in the Allied air forces, is saluted in this postcard at the Juno Beach Centre.
Canadian troops landing at Juno Beach on D-Day. (Juno Beach Centre postcard).
Welcome to our Liberators. (Postcard at Juno Beach Centre).
Attendees received a program for the Official Dedication of the CWHM C-47 Dakota.
A Brief History of FZ692
Photos in the brochure illustrate some of the various stages in the long career of FZ692.
Visitors tour Airbus CC-150 Polaris during rainy Air Force Day at CWHM, July 6, 2019 (Osborne R. Love).