Average number of the RAF Dakotas per Sqdn

[Empiricist]

Hello

Such a strange historic problem. The RAF bought (according to various sources) between 1857 and 1926 Dakotas Mk I to Mk IV. During WWII there were 30 RAF Dakota-equipped Squadrons all over the world. Theoretically it gives average number of approx. 64 Dakotas per Squadron. Would not you like to write what was average number of the C-47s in one RAF ETO-based Squadron in 2nd half of 1944? Were they as standard 12 aircraft as in the other RAF Commands? I met an info that sometimes there were only 8 C-47s in the RAF ETO-based Squadrons.

I would be thankful for your comments. Thank you very much in advance.

Best

E.

[Graham Boak]

Don't forget to factor into your sums the number of units that operated the Dakota but did not rate as full squadrons. There would be a large number of detached Flights, and quite a lot of Dakotas in training units. Then the MUs would have new Daks not yet delivered to squadrons, and a regular cycle of aircraft returning for major overhauls, repair after damage, fitting of modifications, etc. Then subtract the number of Daks lost during the war, those delivered but never allocated to any unit because of the end of the war, and those passed directly onto other nation's units without entering RAF service.

For the one fighter unit in the Middle East for which I've seen the figures, the average duration of an aircraft on strength was one month. So in a year twelve times the Offical Establishment would be needed. Presumably the turnover in an ETO transport unit would be quite a bit less, but still require a considerable factor on OE.

I can imagine that transport units would need fewer aircraft than an equivalent bomber or fighter unit, because the more intensive use would require a larger number of crews per aircraft, inflating the size of the unit. But I don't recall seeing a figure such as you quote.

[Empiricist]

Graham -- thank you very much

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

I can imagine that transport units would need fewer aircraft than an equivalent bomber or fighter unit, because the more intensive use would require a larger number of crews per aircraft, inflating the size of the unit. But I don't recall seeing a figure such as you quote.

Yes, I agree, I met an info that one of the RAF's Dak squadron flying in the Berlin airlift counted only 8 Daks. None the less I am still thinking how many Daks per squadron counted for instance RAF squadron taking part in the Normandy invasion or "Market Garden"? It is not so easy to find such an info.

BTW -- do you know when took place culmination of the British purchases of the Dak Mk IIIs and IVs? Were these aircraft stored due to lack of transport pilots for example? Is that possible that the culmination of the US deliveries of IIIs and IVs took place in 1945?


One more time thank you very much!

Best regards

E.

[Empiricist]

I forgot; one more question:
What was RAF crew standard for the Dak in the paratroopers airdrop mission?:
- 1st pilot
- 2nd pilot
- dispatcher
- flight engineer?

Did the RAF Dak crew count three or four men?

[DavidIsby]

The despatcher and kickers were back end crew, often RASC.
The fourth man on the flight deck was the navigator.
For D-Day, the RAF ensured that all transports had a navigator trained to Bomber Command standards (including use of Gee).
Many of these were diverted from Bomber Command to meet the rapid 1944 build up of UK-based RAF transport units (made possible by reduced Bomber Command losses at the end of the 'Battle of Berlin').

[Empiricist]

David -- thank you for your reply.

Originally Posted by Graham Boak

There would be a large number of detached Flights, and quite a lot of Dakotas in training units.

Graham, as to those detached Flights -- were they such UK-based Flights serving in aid of ETO?


Best

E.

[Larry]

Dear Empiricist,

My father served on three Dakota Sqns - 575 Sqn for D-Day, 48 Sqn for Arnhem and 238 Sqn in India & Far East.

For D-Day 575 Sqn had over 30 Dakotas on strength, though I think only 20 Dakotas were used on 5th / 6th June 1944.

48 Sqn , 233 Sqn, 271 Sqn, and 512 Sqn all had similar numbers of aircraft.

[Empiricist]

Dear Larry

Thank you very much. It gives other light on figures. As it seems no simple rules when it comes to the RAF's Dak squadrons and the number of C-47s ready to operate per one squadron.

Thanks and best regards

E.

[Larry]

Empiricist,

You must get hold of 'Aircraft for the Many' - A detailed survey of the RAFs Aircraft in June 1944 - by Michael J Bowyer published by Patrick Stephens Ltd (PSL) 1995 - ISBN 1 85260 427 1.

This book give the exact numbers of aircraft for all the RAF Squadrons involved in D-Day. It ia afollow on of the authors earlier work on 'Aircraft of the Few' for the Battle of Britain