Dakota radio type

[Fred J Crawley]

Hi everyone, can you tell me if the radio used in a DC3 Dakota was different to other large aircraft. I ask this as although my late father was a qualified Wireless Operator during WW11 and had flown in HP Harrow, Wellington, Whitley, Fokker FXX11 plus various smaller airplanes his log book shows in his first flight in a Dakota in March 1944 he did a 1 hour flight shown as U/T (under training) W/OP.
Many thanks, Fred

[David Duxbury]

Fred, Just a bit of a guess on my part, and also assuming that the "DC3 Dakota" aircraft you refer to was in fact a relatively modern C-47 (albeit in RAF service as a Dakota), then I would presume that the radio equipment in the Dakota would be a generation (well, maybe half a generation!) ahead of the stuff in the other aircraft mentioned, and also much more extensive. However, if it were a very early model of DC-3 with original equipment, then it might not be much of an improvement. Harrows, Wellingtons and Whitleys were of that generation fitted with 1082/1083 MF gear, plus TR 9 R/T, and SBA, etc. There was also a lot of fancy navigation equipment and other special types being introducedby both RAF as well as the Americans, including higher VHF frequencies, airfield approach equipment, IFF, LORAN (American), and so forth, which would tend to make an old-time operator blink on first seeing the suite provided. The equipment list for a standard C-47 in 1942/43 included some 31 items of equipment, from intercom to filter boxes, frequency meters, aerial reels, radio compass, manual loop antennae, marker beacon receiver, and complete "Liaison" (basically long range communications based on Morse), and "Command" (voice) sets. However WW2 radio communications are only a minor interest of mine, so will cheerfully defer to any more knowledgeable and qualified Board members.

[Fred J Crawley]

David, many thanks for the info, makes sense as I have researched a bit further and it does appear to have been a C-47 that unfortunately had a fatal accident in flight (48 Sqdn) over Holland in Sept.1944. Not sure if you can comment on my next question? My late father at that period was flying with 1680 (Transport) Flight from RAF Prestwick and only flew this Dakota plus 4 others once so they were not based there unlike other aircraft. Would they have been on loan?

[David Duxbury]

Sorry Fred, not qualified to answer that question!

[Resmoroh]

I think the R1155/T1154 H/F radio combination was already in service by late 1939, and often the radio of choice in the bigger aircraft. They could be a bit complicated to operate. So it makes sense to do a couple of trips as the u/t WOP before being let loose on his own.
Don't know if/when the C-47/Daks were converted.
HTH
Peter Davies

[Fred J Crawley]

Resmoroh, Hi as I said in my initial question my father was qualified having since 1939 used in various aircraft R1155/T1154, R1082/T1083, AD77?/AD6872 but after searching through his files have found that in the Dakota he was on BC375/BC348 which apparently were American produced for their Navy Air Force including C-47's which would explain his 1 hour training flight.
Thanks, Fred