RAWTAG #26: DOUGLAS C47. G-AMWV.

Description

The C47/DC-3 needs no introduction being one of the World’s most successful aircraft, with more than 10,000 built. Instead, let’s consider the history of G-AMWV from which our tags were made. She was built late 1943 in Oklahoma City where she was allocated the construction number 14155, later amended to 25600. Taken on charge by USAAF as 43–48339 in August 1944, she was supplied to the RAF three days later via the lend/lease programme with the serial KJ816. Received by Air Command South East Asia, she served in India until 1946 before returning to Britain for demob in April 1947. Little is recorded for the next few years, but the aircraft may have been retained by the RAF as the Berlin Airlift persisted. In 1952 she began her civilian career, with the first of numerous operators being Lancashire Aircraft Corporation. She was first of four Dakotas to commence passenger operations and flew on the Blackpool to Isle of Man, Blackpool to Jersey and Birmingham to Isle of Man routes. In 1957 she joined the famous ‘Silver City’ airline being named ‘City of Lancaster’. The Dakota fleet was exceptionally busy through the mid-Sixties but, amid the success, the first signs of change were on the horizon. The Irish Sea services were gradually adopting turboprop aircraft. She was subsequently passed on to several other operators including Hibernian and finally Air Ulster, who colours can be seen on this tag. With this final operator she was named ‘Irish Sea Princess’. She was finally broken up and used as a fire-training airframe in 1970.

The very special material used to produce these tags was obtained from a lifelong aviation enthusiast who collected it personally from the Glasgow airport fire dump in the early 70’s.

This, and the other C47 G-ALYF, are amongst the producers favourite of all the RAWTAG releases. The sheer history oozes out of each piece. Many of them have layers of different coloured paint showing the various operators liveries…