Dakota restoration complete in Portugal

摘要

A group of volunteers has completed the two-year restoration of Douglas C-47B Skytrain 43-14037 to static display condition. A D-Day veteran, it was acquired by airline TAP Portugal after it stopped flying with Direccao Geral da Aeronautica Civil in 1979. Around 70 volunteers from the Vintage Aero Club have restored the aircraft with assistance from TAP'S maintenance and engineering department. Its completion is timely, as it coincides with the airline's 70th anniversary. The C-47B has been returned to civilian guise, and represents the Dakota used for TAP'S first flight to Mozambique, in 1946, the year after it was founded. The exhibit is on display at the Museu do Ar, in Sintra, close to Lisbon.