About the dakota norway foundation

The Dakota Norway Foundation is a non-profit organization with the purpose of owning and operating a veteran passenger aircraft of the type DC-3 Dakota from 1943.

The foundation organizes an association of friends with approximately 1,600 members. The historically valuable veteran passenger aircraft, the Dakota DC-3, is based at Sandefjord Airport Torp. All work carried out by the foundation's members is unpaid and based on volunteering. The foundation is registered in the Register of Foundations and the Brønnøysund registers and reports to these.

The aircraft that the Dakota Norway Foundation owns and operates entered service with the US Army Air Force in 1943 and was used during the war in Europe. In 1948, the aircraft was purchased by the Finnish state and was used in the airline Finnair's routes until 1969. After that, the aircraft was taken over by the Finnish Air Force and President Uhro Kekkonen used this machine as his representative aircraft for many years.

Thore Virik from Sandefjord and Arne Karlsen Nedrelien from Stokke bought the Dakota from the Finnish Air Force in 1985. Since August 1986, the Dakota has flown out of Torp every summer between May and September.

During the summer months, regular round trips are flown over Vestfold every Wednesday. The Foundation also participates in air shows in Norway and Europe. During the winter months, the Foundation maintains the aircraft in an old military hangar at Torp, which Sandefjord Municipality allows the Foundation to use. The Foundation's association of friends holds membership meetings and actively participates in the extensive work required to operate and maintain a large veteran passenger aircraft.

In addition to offering a unique historical experience and preserving a historic aircraft, the foundation contributes to activities and a social environment for the association's members.

"The daktoa has become a permanent sign of early summer in Vestfold. When the "silver arrow" appears over the Vestfold sky, summer is on its way. The plane has a high historical value. And with regular trips over Vestfold, you get the opportunity to experience the county from a bird's eye view. It flies low enough for you to capture the landscape and high enough to get an overview. A unique offer - on the wings of history."

Dagens Næringsliv - Travel magazine