Wenela Air Services started life as Africair and was set up to transport migrant mine workers to the gold mines of the (then) Transvaal in South Africa. WNLA (pronounced Wenela) was the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association. The airline operated from 1952 to the mid 1970s. First delivered to the USAAF as C-47B 44-77076 in June 1945; RAF as Dakota IV KN694 June 1945; Tranair as G-AMVL Oct 1952, carried XF746 during 1953; Africair as ZS-DKR Dec 1954; Wenela as VP-YSR Oct 1960; Natal Airways as ZS-DKR mid-1960s, written off Rand 6 Oct 1970. Photographer unknown

The date is a guess. Unknown photographer.

Delivered to the USAAF as 44-76853 then to the RAF as KN566 in 1945. Registered as G-AMPO in 1952 and used by a number of operators. To Polaris Air as LN-RTO in 1964. Back to G-AMPO in 1969. Used by Eastern Airways from 1978 to 1981 then to Air Atlantique. Withdrawn from use at Coventry 1998. To the RAF and preserved at Lyneham as FZ625 in 2001. Moved to Brize Norton in 2012.

Unknown photographer.

(photographer not known)

Photographer unknown

Photographer: Unknown photographer.

Photographer: Karl Krämer.

Delivered to the USAAF 28 March 1945 as 44-76629, to the RAF as KN483 3 April 1945, and 28 Sqd SAAF as 6881 6 October 1945. To Africair/Wenela Air Service 7 November 1953 first as ZS-DIV, then VP-YSN and A2-ZEN. Returned to the SAAF ca 1980 as the second 6855. Hit by surface to air missile in then South West Africa 1 May 1986, damaged and repaired. Partially converted to C-47TP December 1997, to Dodson Aviation as N914Q 14 July 1998, to Dodson International as ZS-OJJ 15 November 1999, later Rossair, Naturelink, Limpopo Air Service, UN Humanitarian Air Service. To Preferred Air Parts as N561PT 30 January 2017, to Missionary Flights International as the third N300MF 4 April 2025. Photographer unknown

Parked with sister-ship EI-BDT after Clyden had ceased operations. Scan of an old print, hence the lower-quality image.

During the Border War, the SAAF carried no roundels and the serial number was only carried on the nose. At the time this Dakota was operated by 44 Sqd at AFB Waterkloof. Delivered to the USAAF as 44-76303 9 Feb 145, to the RAF as KN326 18 Feb 1945, and to the SAAF as 6854 9 March 1945. Converted to C-47TP for maritime patrol duties with 35 Sqd, stored from around 2005. Photographer unknown

Because the paint was removed during maintenance, the old registration became visible. It used to be N810Z.

Built for the USAAF as 44-77003. Transferred to the RAF under Lend-Lease in May 1945. KN465 made the last operational RAF Dakota flight on 1st April 1970 flying from Oslo to Northolt. Currently on display in the RAF Museum at Cosford

from my collection, photographer unknown, location is a guess

This aircraft has since been restored to taxying condition at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, UK., and has been painted in the markings worn when it served in the RAF as KN353 during WWII. Note sister-ship G-AMPO in the rear.

Rig Air flew in support of the North Sea oil and gas industry. It merged with Anglian Air Charter and Norfolk Airways c.1970 to form Air Anglia.

Delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Dakota serial number A65-73. Assigned to 37 Squadron with call sign VH-CIP and fuselage code OM-P.971 While landing at RAAF Townsville damaged beyond repair. On October 10, 1973 stricken off charge. Now under the care of the FNQAM.