page_title: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
section_title: Dakota
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight / Aircraft / Dakota
caption_attribution_description: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota DC-3 (code ZA947) taking off at Kemble Air show, Kemble Airport, Gloucestershire, England, in June 2009. Quote from the BBMF website: “Dakota ZA947 wears the livery of 267 “Pegasus” Squadron, which flew in the transport, trooping and re-supply roles in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Theatres during 1943/44.The squadron employed various colour schemes on its Dakotas but always displayed its Pegasus emblem prominently on the aircraft’s nose. The Squadron’s role included the re-supply of partisans and resistance fighters, behind enemy lines, either by para-drops or by landing at clandestine airstrips.” Photographed by Adrian Pingstone and placed in the public domain.
context_page_description: The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group usually comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane. The aircraft are regularly seen at events commemorating the Second World War and upon British State occasions, notably Trooping the Colour, celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday in 2006, as well as the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton in 2011 and at air displays throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.
  The flight is administratively part of No. 1 Group RAF, flying out of RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
context_section_description: The Dakota, ZA947, built at Long Beach, California in March 1942, was issued to the US Army Air Forces and later transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force where she served until 1971. The aircraft was purchased by the Royal Aircraft Establishment before being issued to the BBMF in March 1993. She is equipped with authentic period 'para seats' and is used in commemorative parachute drops.
  The Dakota did serve solely as a support aircraft for the flight and as a multi-engine tail-wheel trainer for the Lancaster; but recently she has also acted as a display aircraft in her own right. ZA947 is becoming increasingly popular with the public and 2013 saw the aircraft making many appearances.
caption: Dakota ZA947 taking off in 2009
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