{
 "id": 69844,
 "slug": "flying-in-a-dc-3-the-dutch-ph-pba-dakota",
 "url": "https://agents.willem.com/en/snippets/flying-in-a-dc-3-the-dutch-ph-pba-dakota/",
 "language": "en",
 "title": "Flying in a DC-3, the Dutch PH-PBA Dakota",
 "subtitle": "Prince Bernhard's C-47A, operated by the Dutch Dakota Association.",
 "summary": "Yes. In 2019 I flew aboard the PH-PBA, a 1943 C-47A Dakota operated by the Dutch Dakota Association (DDA Classic Airlines), which sells tickets for passenger flights in this piece of aviation history.",
 "topics": [
  "mobility",
  "retro",
  "review",
  "travel"
 ],
 "date": "2019-10-19",
 "published": "2019-10-19T00:00:00+02:00",
 "created": "2026-08-30T07:13:42.572000+02:00",
 "updated": "2026-08-30T07:17:05.191000+02:00",
 "full_article_url": "https://willem.com/en/2019-10-19_flying-in-a-c47-a-dc-3-classic-plane/",
 "author": {
  "name": "Willem L. Middelkoop",
  "url": "https://willem.com"
 },
 "note": "A short distillation of a longer willem.com post. Not currently published on willem.com itself.",
 "answers_question": "Can you still fly in a DC-3 Dakota in the Netherlands?",
 "text": "The PH-PBA was built in the Douglas factory in Long Beach in 1943. On D-Day it flew with the 316th Troop Carrier Group, dropping over 600 paratroopers near St. Mere Eglise, took damage and made it back to England, and later flew in operation Market Garden.\nIn 1946 Prince Bernhard bought it from General Eisenhower for 50,000 US dollars and it became the first Dutch government aircraft. After retiring to a museum in 1975 it was restored and has flown again since 1998 with the Dutch Dakota Association.\nIts two Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines are 14 cylinder piston engines of about 1200 HP each. During the flight you are free to walk the cabin and look into the cockpit; the flights are usually flown by former KLM pilots.",
 "markdown_url": "https://agents.willem.com/en/snippets/flying-in-a-dc-3-the-dutch-ph-pba-dakota/snippet.md"
}