by Roger Lambert

Douglas C-47B Dakota A65-78, ARDU, 'Edinburgh Belle' in flight.

Readers will be familiar with the trial maritime colour scheme applied to Douglas C-47B Dakota A65-78. The scheme was the subject of RAAF Oddity 69 and 69a in “In Miniature” Issues 32-2 and 32-3 respectively. In 1991, to celebrate 50 years of Douglas C-47 Dakotas in RAAF service, the Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) Dakota pilots requested the nose art "Edinburgh Belle" be applied to Dakota A65-78 (the maritime trial scheme C-47) and a group photograph be taken in the style of the Memphis Belle poster for the movie that was screening at the time.

The photography, by FLTLT Paul Fenn, then Officer In Charge (OIC)ARDU Photographic Flight and the then CPL Lyndon Gordon, also ARDU Photographic Flight, became quite the production involving the efforts of many personnel and even a dog. The photograph features artwork, some humorous text and a restored WW11 Jeep. Seen side by side with the movie poster, the attention to detail may be appreciated.

The photograph won the WT Riggs Trophy for the Best Official RAAF Photograph in 1991.

Many thanks to Lyndon Gordon for the background information into what is a unique piece of photography and certainly an RAAF Oddity.

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