The team at Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis, who have cared for the DC-3 F-BLOZ at La Ferté-Alais for decades, recently announced the sale of the Dakota to a private collector in Tessenderlo, Belgium. Since 1985, F-BLOZ has been part of the Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis collection, a well-known French non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of historic aircraft, based at La Ferté-Alais. The aircraft last flew around 1986, after which it became a static exhibit.
A bit of history: Built in Tulsa in 1944 as a C-47A-20-DK, the aircraft initially served with the 12th USAAF in Italy before returning to the United States in 1945. Converted to civilian standards in 1946, she was sold to France and joined Air France as F-BAXG, frequently operating in Madagascar. In 1964, she was sold to the CNET (National Center for Telecommunications Studies) as a liaison aircraft and received the “Maximizer Kit.” This series of modifications aimed to enhance the aircraft’s performance, focusing on aerodynamics: engine cowlings were made more streamlined, the nose landing gear and tailwheel were fully faired when retracted, and the exhaust system was altered.
In May 1980, an agreement was signed between CNET and the Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis to preserve the aircraft in flying condition at the flying museum as F-BLOZ. Unfortunately, keeping her airworthy for an extended period proved impossible. Now, in 2026, this 40-year static Dakota will be disassembled for transport and reassembled in Belgium over the coming months. She will be sorely missed at La Ferté-Alais.
