Vietnam veterans make Alaska connection with Otter aircraft [Video]

TALKEETNA, Alaska (KTUU) – When you stand on the tarmac in Talkeetna, you notice a large number of a certain airplane — the de Havilland Otter.

These planes fly slowly and don’t require a long space to land or take off. This makes them ideal for glacier landings on Denali.

This also made them ideal for service during the Vietnam War.

Otters were originally built for military service. They could land on short runways hacked out of the jungle, flying support for troops on the ground.

Recently, through social media, a group of Vietnam vets learned that one of their Otters was flying for K2 Aviation in Alaska. That’s when the “Otter Guys” made plans to visit one of their old birds.

After more than 50 years, the members of the 54th Aviation Company got to fly one more time in one of their aircraft.