De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter

The first batch of Otters were received in September 1956 as part of twenty six such utility 1 transports purchased from Canada to augment and finally supplant the Devons as also ‘open up’ air routes to hitherto inaccessible areas in the hills of north and north-east India. No. 41 (L.A.S.) Squadron was first to be formed on the Otter, followed by No. 59 Squadron, these units providing flights based at short airstrips in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and NEFA.

Otters of No. 2 Communication Flight operated out of Sambre during the December 1961 action in Goa, flying in Army and Formation Commanders.

October 1962 found No.59’s Otters supplementing porters and mules carrying supplies to Walong, situated at the extreme eastern end of NEFA, not far from the tri-junction of the borders of India, Tibet and Burma. As it became apparent from the nature of Chinese build up, across the border on the high plateau, that an attack in force was imminent, Walong was reinforced by the 11th Infantry Brigade, Otters inducting some of the troops by air. As the bitter fighting progressed, Otters flew in reinforcements from Tezu in the shape of 4th Dogras, heavy mortars and supplies. The single-engined Otters, suitably designed to operate in underdeveloped areas and with a maximum capacity of 14 lightly armed troops or one ton of cargo, or six stretchers and 4 sitting cases, grimly carried out their appointed tasks from dawn to dusk even while mortar shells straddled the airstrip. By 1100 hours on 16th November, Walong’s small airstrip was being continuously shelled by Chinese guns and mortars and the remaining flight of Otters ran the gauntlet while taking off with casualties. One Otter was damaged and perforce abandoned at the airstrip although this aircraft was later to be returned by the Chinese as a gesture of “peace”.

As part of an emergency aid grant, five Otters were given to India by Canada in the first week of November 1962. Some years later, in 1967, three new Otters were purchased for the I.A.F.
Otters were in evidence during the Rann of Kutch action in April 1965, serving in the communication and casualty-evacuation role.
The STOL Otters have continued their yeomen logistic support for the Indian Army through the sixties and into the seventies, achieving outstanding success in operating from some fourteen short, rough airstrips in the wild hills of N.E. Assam.

Notes
Flown for the first time on December 12th 1951, the Otter was intended for operations from semi-prepared airstrips and its short field performance made it a versatile utility transport. The Otter was also useful in SAR operations, paratroop dropping and photo-graphic duties. Powered by one Pratt and Whitney Wasp R-1340-S3H1-G engine rated at 600 h.p. and operated with either wheel or float undercarriage, the Otter has been in service with a dozen air arms.