The Dakotas were tasked with courier flights, VIP transport and medical evacuations across South East Asia, and in Malaya with airlifting troops and cargo, dropping supplies to friendly forces and despatching propaganda leaflets.
On 19 August 2009, Chinook HC2 ZA709 the Ministry of Defence announced that a Chinook made an emergency landing following an RPG strike and subsequent engine fire after a cargo drop-off just north of Sangin in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
A clumsy cargo handler dropped the suitcase, and it harmlessly burst into flames on the ground.
In October, dozens were killed after a cargo plane dropped from the sky and plowed into a crowded marketplace in the capital, Kinshasa.
The mathematical model of a transport aircraft would be subjected to a sudden change when heavy cargo is dropped off in airdropping, which exerts serious influences upon the safety of the aircraft.
Meanwhile, overhead, French B-26s bombed Viet Minh positions, and cargo planes dropped supplies, Luciole (firefly) flares, and ammunition on the French positions.
The definitive military version was the C-47, with a reinforced fuselage, stronger cabin floors for heavy loads, large doors in the rear fuselage for loading cargo and dropping paratroops, and more-powerful engines.
With the rear seats folded flat, the cargo capacity drops to 42.8 cubic feet in the C-Max Energi, from 52.6 cubic feet of cargo for the C-Max Hybrid.
If you use all three rows, cargo space drops to 9 cubic feet, about the same as some sports cars.
