DHAKA: Air Marshal SB Deo, AOC-in-C of Eastern Air Command of Indian Air Force (IAF), formally handed over the Dakota (DC-3) aircraft used in the paradrop operations in Tangail on December 11, 1971 during the Liberation War.

The aircraft has been installed at the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Museum, Tejgaon in the city on Monday at a ceremony.

Dakota aircraft has special significance for BAF as the force started its journey from Nagaland, Dimapur on September 28 in 1971 with the establishment of ‘K’ flight, which possessed one Dakota DC-3, one Otter aircraft and one Alouette helicopter.

The aircraft was flown in from New Delhi in a dismantled state in the IAF’s C-17 Globemaster aircraft and then was re-assembled by IAF’s technical team led by Wing Commander R Deshpande with assistance of BAF.

Air Officer Commanding of BAF Base Bashar Air Vice Marshal M Naim Hassan, Air Officer Commanding in Chief Western Air Command of India Air Marshal SS Soman were among others present at the function.

Considering the historical relationship between the two countries, IAF Museum handed over the aircraft as a gift during the visit of Chief of Bangladesh Air Force Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari in September 2014.

BDST: 1730 HRS, FEB 16, 2015