The Canadian Warplane Heritage received a donation of a C-47 Dakota from the Canadian Government, specifically Environment Canada, in May 2014. This aircraft was built in 1944 in the US and served first with the RAF as FZ692, where it took part in the D-Day invasion as a paratroop transport plane on June 6, 1944, as well as in the support activities after the invasion. Her RAF crews nicknamed the plane Kwicherbichen. In September of the same year, the plane was transferred to the RCAF’s 437 Squadron and until the end of the war supported Canadian and British troops, primarily in glider towing. After WWII, the plane was assigned to No. 424 Squadron for Search and Rescue at CFB Trenton. The aircraft was struck off force in 1973 and lived the rest of its working life used in mineral and environmental surveys.
The initial assumption when the Museum received the donation was that since the plane is a rare D-Day survivor, she would be restored to her D-Day RAF colours, including invasion stripes. However, since the Museum is dedicated to Canadian aircraft, the decision was made to paint her in her wartime RCAF configuration. Interestingly enough, the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has another C-47 painted to commemorate Kwicherbichen (which you can read about here.) The BBMF uses its C-47 partially as a training aircraft (for, among others, its Lancaster) and for airshows, including paradrops.
The CWH C-47 was restored to airworthy condition about a year ago and did a few flights, still in its Environment Canada colours, this past summer. This past week, she spent some time at KF Aerospace getting her new (old) paint job. The paint will be allowed to cure for a few weeks, and then she will be getting the appropriate markings in the form of vinyl decals (yep, not that much different than a model plane).
Below are a few pics of FZ692 with her spiffy new paint job.