Biju Patnaik’s Dakota, among other vintage aircrafts, will be included in the Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru. The biannual air show is scheduled from February 20 to 24.
Around 47 aircraft will be on show this year. Among the aircrafts, HAL’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, French aerospace major Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), multi-role fighter jet Sukhoi Su-30MKI and National Aeronautics Laboratories’ (NAL) Saras PT1N will be flying during the event.
Late Biju Patnaik’s Dakota, which was part of the IAF, had remained abandoned for years. The aircraft was flown by Patnaik to rescue Indonesian freedom fighters.
Patnaik had formed the Kalinga Airline in 1947 and the airline had 15 Dakotas parked in its headquarters Kolkata. The aircrafts were chiefly used by the Army for transport of jawans deployed in Kashmir. The Kalinga Airline’s DC-3s were also used to drop supplies at the north-eastern area of the country and providing services to the army personnel in the north-east area of the country.
Patnaik came to limelight after he rescued former Indonesian Vice-President Muhammad Hatta and
Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir from their enemies on July 22, 1947. He made the landing at Srinagar on October 27 in the year.
Later, the Indonesia Government acknowledged Patnaik’s contribution by honouring him with ‘Bhumi Putra’ title for his chivalry.