C-53 Skytrooper

[Ratch]

This is Italeri's DC-3 Dakota posing as a C-53 Skytrooper of the 315th Troop Carrier Group, 9th Air Force, 309th Squadron, Spanhoe, 1944. This unit transported British Paratroops during Operation Market Garden, 17-25 September 1944.

[stevej60]

Another splendid build Ratch,nice one!

[Ratch]

Thanks Steve. The decals were ancient Airfix ones, and despite coating with decal film, they broke up when applying them. I touched them up with paint.

[Fatboydim]

Those decals brought back happy memories of being a young boy. I do like the way you pose your figures. Another nice diorama Ratch. Well done and thanks for posting.

[garryrussell]

Nice build Ratch.

One query. I can't see if you have the single rear door making this a C-53. The Airfix decals used I thought were C-47?.

[Ratch]

Hi Gary, its the Italeri DC-3 with the small back door. I couldn't find information on which Spanhoe squadrons flew C-53s, other than general references. I have one picture of the 309th with aircraft lined up ready for take off, all showing the starboard view, so not helpful regarding whether they're C-47s, C-53s or a mix, so that didn't help either. Lets just say I've used some modeller's licence

[Orion]

Well done Ritch,

I like your diorama setting.

Dirk

The Netherlands.

[garryrussell]

Ratch...that's just it, you have to go with licence sometimes. Some pics labelled C-53 have C-47 type doors so either there were some amongst the sub marks or the captions are wrong. At least here you've made it different to your C-47 with the door option.

[Ratch]

Thanks again Dirk and Garry