On the early evening of Friday 29th August BBMF Dakota ZA947 finally returned to its home at RAF Coningsby from Duxford, where it had spent the last three years undergoing a ‘Major’ maintenance programme. The original timetable for the Major had been significantly extended by the massive amount of emergent work required to ensure that the 82-year-old ‘Dak’ was in the best shape to continue flying into the future.
The Dakota flew for the first time in over three years that same afternoon on its post maintenance air test from Duxford in the capable and experienced hands of Flight Lieutenant Seb Davey as captain, with Squadron Leader Paul ‘Ernie’ Wise in the left-hand pilot’s seat, Flight Lieutenant Neil Whitehead as navigator and Master Aircrewman Andy Welham-Jones as the air loadmaster. After successfully completing the air test, the Dakota was landed back at Duxford for the necessary checks. It was then flown back to Coningsby in the early evening, with the opportunity being taken to practice several circuits and touch-and-go landings on Coningsby’s runway before taxying back to the BBMF hangar. The ‘Dak’ was finally home.
Dakota ZA947 will now be available to fly during the 2025-26 winter period to provide much-needed aircrew training, and it will also be on show in the BBMF hangar for visitors, in its new markings of a 31 Squadron South East Asia Command Dakota, with a new story to tell.
