On Friday 14th September 2001, the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight’s Dakota ZA947 arrived at Church Fenton with an engine problem. The aircraft arrived at about 5pm on the evening the 14th, making its’ way in over Cawood, with its’ undercarriage already down (unusual for aircraft at that distance from the base). As soon as it landed it was the subject of a hive of activity. It was taken into one of the hangars, to be taken out again on Saturday morning. There were once again people all around it, but it was again put back into the hangar.
The RAF got a replacement engine shipped over from the USA, and a test flight was carried out on Thursday 11th October. the aircraft got as far as South Milford (approx 3 miles away) and had to turn back and land at Church Fenton again, with a rough-running engine. The aircraft had another engine shipped over and this was then fitted, another test flight being carried out on Friday 2nd November. This flight must have gone well as the aircraft never came back to the base.