Airlift in Sudan: the Dutch contribution
The F-27 was specially converted to a UN aircraft for this UN humanitarian mission. There was only the Dutch flag painted on the fuselage left to give away the origin of the transport aircraft
No indication of country of origin
Nor could one see from the crew that they came from the Netherlands. All 6 members wore a naval uniform without the Dutch flag and without rank insignia.
Troopship
The Troopship left Soesterberg air base for the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Tuesday 24 October 1972, carrying 3 pilots, 2 flight engineers and a radio operator, under the command of Captain T. de Jager.
Relief supplies
Their task was to take relief goods from there to the South Sudanese towns of Malakal, Juba and Wau for 2 months. To start with, the airmen only transported dura (a type of wheat). After a few weeks, they also took on the delivery of medicines, hospital equipment, blankets and clothing.
In a period of 2 months, the Dutch transported almost 200 tons of relief goods and flew 140,000 kilometres. The operation came to an end on 24 December 1972 and the detachment returned to the Netherlands.