De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter (Reconstructed)

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Jammu ::

Published: Monday, 17 November 2008 18:21

Poonch

Poonch town is in the western part of the state right on the Line of Control that seperates Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It was the scene of many battles in the 1947-48 war. At one stage when the road links were cut off, an airfield was built and the Indian Air Force used Dakotas and Harvards to fly supplies and reinforcements into Poonch. After the war, the airfield was used as an Advanced Landing ground for smaller aircraft like Austers, Harvards and the DHC3 Otters.

In 1965, a DHC3 Otter on a supply mission was damaged by Pakistani Shell fire and was damaged at the Landing ground. Over the years, the fuselage of the Otter was saved by the Army and patched up into "an aeroplane". In late 2004, the remains were shipped to Ambala where 41 R&SU restored it back to displayable status. The story and articles connected with the Otter can be read at this link in the News Section The RSU already had experience re-constructing the Spitfire VIII from an year earlier and thus was chosen to patch up the Otter.

After reconstruction, the Otter was shipped back to Poonch and is now currently on display in the Poonch War Memorial Park just outside the airfield.