Biju Patnaik’s iconic Dakota DC-3 set for its journey to Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The iconic Dakota DC-3 legendary Biju Patnaik once flew to rescue the then Indonesian Vice President and Prime Minister is set to make its journey back to the state capital from Kolkata. 

Sources said, the DC-3 aircraft, lying dilapidated and abandoned at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata for years, is set to be moved to the capital for its public display at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) after completion of its dismantling process recently. 

Parts of the aircraft weighing over 8 tonne will be brought to the capital on two open trucks for which Transport and Commerce department has roped in Odisha police and asked it to coordinate with their West Bengal counterpart to ensure its safe passage. 

A daredevil pilot, Biju Patnaik had formed Kalinga Airlines which had 15 Dakota planes at its headquarters at Kolkata. The aircrafts were used by the Army for transporting jawans deployed in Kashmir and dropping supplies in north-eastern regions of the country.  

He had used the DC-3 aircraft to rescue former Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Hatta and Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from their enemies in July 1947.  Though the state government initiated efforts to shift the 20-metre long aircraft to Odisha in 2020, the process was delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Decks for shifting the iconic aircraft to the city, however, were cleared after Airport Authority of India (AAI) agreed to hand over land for its public display in 2022. The aircraft will be kept for display outside the operational area of the BPIA for which the AAI has approved 1.1 acre land.

An official from Commerce and Transport department said fuselage and wings of the aircraft have been moved to the truck will be transported to the State shortly.