Douglas C-47 Dakota (REAF Royal Flight, 1946). As a royal or VIP transport, this Douglas C-47 Dakota has only one large door on the left side of the fuselage; the larger cargo door having been sealed up. The additional windows higher on the rear fuselage have also been removed. The aeroplane now has an overall brightly polished bare metal finish except for a black anti-dazzle panel in front of cockpit and, of course, quite striking markings. These include a doubled green lightning flash along the fuselage. On the tailfin are the vertical green and white stripes of the REAF and the flag of the REAF Royal Flight, which consists of a light blue RAF-style ground with a REAF roundel, plus the Egyptian royal banner in the top corner next to the staff. The markings on the rear fuselage behind the REAF roundel are the Egyptian royal coat-of-arms and the serial number F3 using an elaborate form of the Arabic letter F. This aeroplane later became number 113 of the Egyptian Republic’s Presidential Flight around 1953. (Artwork by Luca Canossa)