Struggle “Indonesian Airways” in Burma

Indonesian Airways was founded in 1949 by Air Force officers (Indonesian Air Force) who was in India at that time, aided by the Indonesian Embassy in India as well as the Indonesian representative in Rangoon, Burma.

Indonesian aviation history is the history of Burma Airways struggles Air Force officers who capitalize a DC–3 Dakota aircraft donations of the people of Aceh are RI–001 Seulawah.

Dakota RI-001 Seulawah (Foto cyberamd)

Thanks to the hard work and persistent effort at that time, the fleet IndonesianAirways developed into three planes with two bought the DC–3 is RI–007 and RI–009.

RI–001 aircraft delivery Seulawah to India is in preparing aircraft to evacuate Indonesian government officials (the president and vice president) to India, if required.

The plane was manned by JHMaupin, J. Tate, Air Officer III Soetardjo Sigit, Wollinsky and Air Ensign Soemarno Caesselberry as well as technical experts.

RI–001 Dakota Monument at Seulawah

Air Officer III Sutardjo Sigit was then the commander of Air Base Bukittinggi , Gadut , concurrently Payakumbuh Air Base Commander and Waterbase Lake Batur , Rafters suddenly ordered to participate in the RI – 001 Dakota aircraft acting as co – pilot . The plane departed from Maguwo to India through Jambi , Payakumbuh , Lhoknga , Rangoon new to India .

Dated December 1, 1948 Maguwo to Jambi route continued to Gadut , because the runway at Gadut damaged plane was diverted and landed in Payakumbuh .

Flights resumed on December 4, with the goal of Lhoknga ( Aceh ) , then dated December 6 from Lhoknga heading to Rangoon , Burma and ends December 7, with the Rangoon to Calcutta ( India ) .

Arriving in Calcutta plane experienced engine overhaul and painting camouflage and marketing partner long range tanks ( tank remotely) which takes about three weeks .

After all overhaul work on the RI- 001 Seulawah completed , the aircraft is ready for flight and duty start date of January 26, 1949 diterbangkanke plane Rangoon , Burma . Arriving in Rangoon and the help of Marjunani , Chief Representative

RI in Burma , the aircraft is ready for operation and the date of February 1, 1949 has been serving charter flights or lease of the Burmese government . Basically Indonesian Airways flight operations in Burma are grouped into two types:

1. The Government charter flight. In general, the form of the flights for the purposes of the armed forces and the government of Burma. For the military needs of RI–001 chartered to transport logistics needs, pengedropan goods / logistics of the air and to evacuate the wounded in battle.

Sometimes chartered to fly a VIP flights such as when one of the ministers of the Shan State to review the region. The plane could not land because of the rebel army gets shot so decided to return to Rangoon.

2 . Charter commercial flight . Since that time the Burmese government only controlled coastal towns in the South , some cities in the central region as well as several cities in the north near the border with India and China , then the only reliable means of transportation is an airplane , because the road or street rivers controlled by the rebels .

Not surprisingly , all the necessities of life of the residents of coastal towns and city residents in the central regions and the inland almost a hundred percent dependent on air transport so that the RI – 001 aircraft always carry two types of goods .

Of the cities on the coast to the outback in the form of subsistence goods such as cloth and clothing , household appliances and medicines . Meanwhile, from the hinterlands to the cities on the coast , the aircraft carrying goods such as agricultural products and livestock .

The most troublesome is when I have to transport the dried chilies because the dust from dried chili sacks lead the crew coughing and sneezing and watery eyes due to pain.

Aircraft RI – 007 and RI – 009

With the success in the implementation of various flight operations in Burma , the more advanced Indonesian Airways coupled with increased demand for aircraft charter , it was decided to purchase additional DC – 3 aircraft chartered from Hong Kong, which was then given a registration RI – 007 .

With two of the aircraft flight crew increased working hours , which previously flew every other day be a flight every day .

To overcome fatigue crew then performed additional number of crew , captain pilot consisting of two people that Wiss and Chet Brown , two first officers ( Bob Budiarto and Syamsudin Noor , both taken from a group of cadets who were sent to India ) and two radio operators ( Soemadyo and Soesatyo , both sent from the Indonesian Air Force ) .

With two aircraft turned out to Indonesian Airways was overwhelmed to receive charter flights , in doing so to overcome the addition of one more aircraft are given registration RI – 009 .

For operation , the addition of another crew . They are two of the captain pilot ( Kuhlmeier and Bussart ) , two officers ( Dick Suharsono Hadinoto and Lippy Soesatijo , taken Indian students ) and two radio operators ( Haryanto and Soewastomo , both of the Air Force ) . Since the members who joined the Air Force in Indonesian Airways has reached 12 people , it was decided to hire himself as a boarding house .

Airmen Education in Burma

With the arrival of additional 4 captain pilot again ( Pottschmidt , Hicks , Cutburt and Seiler ) , the Indonesian Airways can carry out the education plan six officers first became captain pilots with type ratings C – 47 , DC – 3 , and obtain a license from the Civil Aviation pilots , Burma . For the purposes of education are implemented :

Aviation training flight training in the form of conversion of multi engined aircraft type rating ataspesawat to get C – 47 and DC – 3 .
Ground school which includes knowledge of meteorology , navigation , rules of the water . Engineering aircraft held by a designated instructor of the Director of Civil Aviation , Burma .

After a heavy battle 6 people who participated passed the education and acquire pilots license , Burma with a rating of C – 47 and DC – 3 .

His contributions to the Independence Struggle :

Twice smuggle weapons , ammunition and telecommunications devices to Aceh .
Finance education training for 20 cadets fly in the Indian Air Force .
Finance Indonesian representatives abroad : in the Middle East , India , Thailand and Singapore .
Air Force members who were sent to finance for education in FEATI Institute of Technology , Manila , Philippines .

After a heavy battle 6 people who participated passed the education and acquire pilots license , Burma with a rating of C – 47 and DC – 3 . In June 1950 , Indonesian Airways was liquidated in Burma and ordered to return to the parent that the Air Force .

As a consequence of RI – 001 aircraft delivered to the Air Force , RI – 007 aircraft was donated to the government of Burma , and RI – 009 aircraft leased returned to the owner in Hong Kong . Most of the foreign pilots captain invited to Indonesia to help prepare the Military Air Transport Agency ( DAUM ) operating at air base Andir , Bandung . *