Today's most viewed
| LIFE'S A BEACH |  | | | SUMMER WASHOUT | | | | VIEW FROM THE HILL | | | | WHEELS | | |
|
|
|
Morrell booster!
 |
| Sheila Morrell with husband Frank, who will accompany her on her nostalgic journey |
THE Dakota won Sheila Morrell's heart 63 years ago.
The 89-year-old had never been on a plane before, and went on a five-day odyssey to India from Bournemouth Airport to work as a communications officer for war hero Lord Louis Mountbatten.
This Saturday she will ride in the famous World War II transport plane once again.
Her family paid £99 for her to take part in the "Last Flight of the Dakotas".
She will have a 20-minute trip on one of the vintage planes from Bournemouth Airport, before costs ground them for good this summer.
Sheila is excited about reliving an amazing trip halfway around the world.
"It was very basic," she said. "There were no drinks or waitresses but it was an absolutely wonderful journey!
"We stopped at Malta and Cairo and at desert bases for refuelling.
"I was not scared, I took to the plane straight away."
Sheila, originally from Sussex, now lives in Littledown, Bournemouth, and is married with two children.
| Headline by 2CR listener Chris Preston of the college at Lansdowne | | Winner of the headline challenge on the Paul Bunker show |
|
At the end of her five-day Dakota flight she worked in Singapore, then in Delhi, for Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, who was assassinated by the IRA in 1979.
She said: "He was wonderful, very caring. I also worked with his daughter, who is now Lady Brabourne."
Before flying out to India, Sheila decoded top-secret allied messages in London during the Blitz and regularly had to dodge bombs on the way home.
The Douglas DC-3 was one of the most famous and important transport planes ever made, and was the backbone of Allied air supply during the Second World War.
More than 13,000 were built after it first flew in 1935 and it carried cargo, dropped parachutists and secret agents, and even served as a gunship in the Vietnam war.
The aircraft developed a reputation for being rugged and dependable, and a few post-war models still fly today as crop sprayers or light transport planes.
5:00am Thursday 3rd July 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: laurie marsh, australia on 2:53pm Fri 4 Jul 08
I flew from Bristol to Dublin in an Aer Lingus Dakota many years ago.
As I casually looked out of the window I saw, (to my horror), oil pouring out of the starboard engine!
I elbowed my father in the ribs and pointed out what I saw.
When he called the stewardess over, she said,"Sure it always does that!).
We made the return journey by boat!
I flew from Bristol to Dublin in an Aer Lingus Dakota many years ago.
As I casually looked out of the window I saw, (to my horror), oil pouring out of the starboard engine!
I elbowed my father in the ribs and pointed out what I saw.
When he called the stewardess over, she said,"Sure it always does that!).
We made the return journey by boat!
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
