25-597: Operation Exodus may refer to: Operation Exodus (WWII operation) , an Allied operation to repatriate European prisoners of war to Britain in the Second World War Ground Control II: Operation Exodus , a 2004 computer game developed by Massive Entertainment Operation Exodus (Louisiana) , a plan issued by the Bossier Parish, Louisiana Sheriff's Department for self-sufficiency in case of
50-445: A daily influx of 500 men through Juvincourt alone. Between 10 and 11 May, No. 550 Squadron executed forty-eight missions between Brussels and Westcott. On 14 May, No. 619 Squadron flew back from Lille , France. Throughout the entire operation, a total of 469 missions were conducted, facilitating the return of 75,000 former PoWs. On 9 May, a Lancaster from No. 514 Squadron crashed between Westbeach and Juvincourt killing
75-465: A disaster Operation Exodus, a fundraising campaign to assist in the emigration of Russian Jews during the 1970s . Operation Exodus , story by Lan Wright Operation Exodus on 2015 Mamasapano clash in the Philippines See also [ edit ] Exodus (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
100-748: A late-1940s DC-3 conversion to improve takeoff and single-engine performance. This new model, the DC-3S or "Super DC-3", was 39 in (0.99 m) longer. It allowed 30 passengers to be carried, with increased speed to compete with newer airliners. The rearward shift in the center of gravity led to larger tail surfaces and new outer, swept-back wings. More powerful engines were installed along with shorter, jet ejection-type exhaust stacks. These were either 1,475 hp (1,100 kW) Wright R-1820 Cyclones or 1,450 hp (1,081 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps in larger engine nacelles. Minor changes included wheel-well doors,
125-468: A partially retractable tailwheel, flush rivets, and low-drag antenna. These all contributed to an increased top speed of 250 mph (400 km/h; 220 kn). With over 75% of the original DC-3/C-47 configuration changed, the modified design was virtually a new aircraft. The first DC-3S made its maiden flight on 23 June 1949. The changes fully met the new FAR 4B airworthiness requirements, with significantly improved performance. However, little interest
150-473: A variety of missions. EC-47s were also operated by the Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian Air Forces. A gunship variation, using three 7.62 mm miniguns, designated AC-47 "Spooky" , often nicknamed " Puff the magic dragon ", also was deployed. Large numbers of C-47s, C-117s and other variants survive, on display in museums or as monuments; operated as warbirds ; or remaining in service. As part of
175-621: The Indo-Pakistan War of 1947 . After World War II, thousands of surplus C-47s were converted to civilian airline use, some remaining in operation in 2012 , as well as being used as private aircraft. Several C-47 variants were used in the Vietnam War by the United States Air Force, including three advanced electronic-warfare variations, which sometimes were called "electric gooneys" designated EC-47N, EC-47P, or EC-47Q depending on
200-418: The 30 men on board. Another accident during this operation was suffered by No. 149 Squadron , which was flying released Allied prisoners of war from Reims France back to England. Unfortunately the airfield taxiway at Reims had been designed for fighter aircraft , and was not broad enough to handle the heavy bombers. Thus the tires of the heavy bombers came into contact with the tops of the stakes pegging down
225-469: The C-47 with over 60 variants of the aircraft produced. As with the civilian DC-3, the C-47 remains in service in the present day, over 80 years after the type's introduction. The C-47 differed from the civilian DC-3 by way of numerous modifications, including being fitted with a cargo door, hoist attachment and strengthened floor - along with a shortened tail cone for glider-towing shackles, and an astrodome in
250-504: The acronym "DACoTA" for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft. The C-47 also earned the informal nickname " gooney bird " in the European theatre of operations. Other sources attribute this name to the first aircraft, a USMC R2D—the military version of the DC-2—being the first aircraft to land on Midway Island, previously home to the long-winged albatross known as the gooney bird which
275-693: The cabin roof. During World War II, the armed forces of many countries used the C-47 and modified DC-3s for the transport of troops, cargo, and wounded. The U.S. naval designation was R4D. More than 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California , and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . Between March 1943 and August 1945, the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s. The specialized C-53 Skytrooper troop transport started production in October 1941 at Douglas Aircraft's Santa Monica plant. It lacked
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#1732852068412300-536: The cargo door, hoist attachment, and reinforced floor of the C-47. Only 380 aircraft were produced in all because the C-47 was found to be more versatile. Large numbers of DC-3s and surplus C-47s were in commercial use in the United States in the 1940s. In response to proposed changes to the Civil Air Regulations airworthiness requirements that would limit the continuing use of these aircraft, Douglas offered
325-554: The edges of the perforated steel plate decking. A tire on one of the leading bombers blew out on the runway, causing the aircraft to crash, killing all its thirty one passengers and crew. Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II . During
350-636: The engine used. In addition, HC-47s were used by the 9th Special Operations Squadron to conduct psychological warfare operations over South Vietnam and Laos. Miami Air International, Miami International Airport was a USAF military depot used to convert the commercial DC-3s/C-47s into military use. They came in as commercial aircraft purchased from third-world airlines and were completely stripped, rebuilt, and reconditioned. Long-range fuel tanks were installed, along with upgraded avionics and gun mounts. They left as first-rate military aircraft headed for combat in Vietnam in
375-729: The first few days of the D-Day campaign also known as the invasion of Normandy , France, in June 1944. In the Pacific War , with careful use of the island landing strips of the Pacific Ocean, C-47s were used for ferrying soldiers serving in the Pacific theater back to the United States. About 2,000 C-47s (received under Lend-Lease ) in British and Commonwealth service took the name "Dakota" , possibly inspired by
400-593: The jungles of New Guinea and Burma , where the C-47 and its naval version, the R4D, made it possible for Allied troops to counter the mobility of the light-traveling Japanese Army. C-47s were used to airlift supplies to the encircled American forces during the Battle of Bastogne in Belgium. Possibly its most influential role in military aviation, however, was flying " The Hump " from India into China. The expertise gained flying "The Hump"
425-466: The receipt of orders at RAF Oakley , Buckinghamshire, on 2 April 1945, instructing the preparation for the arrival of 300 repatriated prisoners of war scheduled to land by air at 11:00. Extensive arrangements were made for their reception until the arrival was postponed for the following day. On 3 April, seven Dakotas landed with repatriated POWs, and by the end of the month, a total of 72 Douglas Dakotas twin-engined aircraft, transported 1,787 men. In
450-934: The subsequent month of May 1945, a significant number of personnel, totalling 15,088, were flown back using a variety of aircraft, including 443 Avro Lancasters, 103 Dakotas, 51 Handley Page Halifaxes , 31 Consolidated Liberators , 3 Short Stirlings , 3 Lockheed Hudsons and 2 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses . On 8 May 1945 No. 405 Squadron flew ten of its Lancasters with former PoWs, departing from Brussels to RAF Westcott in Buckinghamshire . The same squadron continued its involvement with eight additional planes, bringing men back from Lübeck, Germany, on 9 and 10 May 1945. Its final mission in this operation took place on 15 May, with seven planes bringing back 360 prisoners from Juvincourt airfield near Rheims , France, to Buckinghamshire. Simultaneously, No. 617 Squadron departed on VE day , 8 May, to Brussels via Juvincourt, contributing to
475-501: The title Operation Exodus . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Exodus&oldid=673800101 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Operation Exodus (WWII operation) Operation Exodus
500-441: The war the C-47 was used for troop transport , cargo , paratrooper , for towing gliders and military cargo parachute drops. The C-47 remained in front-line service with various military operators for many years. It was produced in approximately triple the numbers as the larger, much heavier payload Curtiss C-46 Commando , which filled a similar role for the U.S. military. Approximately 100 countries' armed forces have operated
525-518: Was expressed by commercial operators in the DC-3S. It was too expensive for the smaller operators that were its main target; only three were sold to Capital Airlines . The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps had 100 of their R4D aircraft modified to Super DC-3 standards as the R4D-8, later redesignated the C-117D. The C-47 was vital to the success of many Allied campaigns, in particular, those at Guadalcanal and in
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#1732852068412550-635: Was later used in the Berlin Airlift , in which the C-47 played a major role until the aircraft were replaced by Douglas C-54 Skymasters . In Europe, the C-47 and a specialized paratroop variant, the C-53 Skytrooper, were used in vast numbers in the later stages of the war, particularly to tow gliders and drop paratroops. During the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, C-47s dropped 4,381 Allied paratroops. More than 50,000 paratroops were dropped by C-47s during
575-545: Was native to Midway. The United States Air Force 's Strategic Air Command had Skytrains in service from 1946 to 1967. The US Air Force's 6th Special Operations Squadron was flying the C-47 until 2008. With all of their aircraft and pilots having been part of the Indian Air Force prior to independence, both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan Air Force used C-47s to transport supplies to their soldiers fighting in
600-765: Was precipitated by the release of 354,000 British POWs when their camps were liberated. In response, RAF command opted to repurpose Lancaster bomber planes into transport aircraft for this vital mission, each configured to transport 24 individuals along with a minimal crew. The chosen reception airfields for these repatriation flights included Westcott, Oakley, Cosford , in Shropshire , Dunsfold in Surrey and Wing in Buckinghamshire . Additionally, designated collection airfields were established in Lübeck , Germany, Brussels , Belgium and Juvincourt , France. The operation started with
625-552: Was the code name for the airborne repatriation of British ex- prisoners of war from Europe, that took place from April to May 1945, in the closing stages of the Second World War . By 1 June approximately, 3,500 flights had brought 75,000 men back to the UK in modified Lancaster bombers . Following the liberation of Europe by allied forces, an urgent need emerged to promptly repatriate ex-prisoners of war (POWs) to Britain. This urgency
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