Eleven Aircraft Will Commemorate The Invasion Of Normandy During The Show

Representatives from the D-Day Squadron’s fleet of American C-47 and DC-3 aircraft are making their way to EAA’s AirVenture for the annual “World’s Greatest Aviation Festival.” Eleven aircraft that are part of the D-Day Squadron will join forces to wow audiences and commemorate the D-Day invasion of Normandy nearly 75 years ago. The group aims to honor the citizen soldiers who helped liberate Europe and end the War, and build support for their upcoming journey across the Atlantic to commemorate the invasion that changed the course of history.

Get up close and personal with the transport aircraft that carried these citizen soldiers to the frontlines of the fight in World War II. Take a look inside the spaces that once held paratroopers clipped in and waiting for the green light to leap out into darkness over enemy territory.

Keep an eye out for the Squadron flying in formation at the AirVenture Airshow on Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28. Find these historic icons on static display in the following locations:

Warbirds

• C-47 Virginia Ann of Mission Boston D-Day, LLC
• C-47 Placid Lassie of the Tunison Foundation
• C47 Miss Virginia of Dynamic Aviation
• C-47 Hit or Miss of the Turin Aviation Group
• C-47 That's All, Brother of the Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing
• C-47 Sky King of the Mid America Flight Museum
• C-47 N-99FS of the Liberty Foundation
• C-47 Spooky of the American Flight Museum

Vintage

• DC-3 Flabob EXPRESS of Flabob Aviation Associates
• DC-3 Candler Field Express owned by Jim Sells
• DC-3 N-341A of Golden Age Air Tours  

Also on Saturday, come down to Warbirds in Review at 10:00 a.m. in Warbird Alley to see Lt Col Richard “Dick” Cole, the last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders who flew the C-47 in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations in World War II. He will be accompanied by aviator and author Mark Trahan, alongside the D-Day Squadron’s C-47 Placid Lassie and C-47 Spooky.

“The D-Day Squadron fleet will be an amazing sight flying over AirVenture,” said D-Day Squadron Executive Director Moreno Aguiari. “These aircraft represent the best of American bravery and determination. If you have the opportunity to get up close to the aircraft, it’s an experience of profound respect. You can’t help but be in awe of the courage of the troops that once filled those cargo holds. These citizen soldiers answered their country’s call, and risked their lives to parachute from these same aircraft into great danger.”

The D-Day Squadron is preparing to lead a contingent of American C-47 aircraft in a trans-Atlantic trek to participate in the Daks Over Normandy event from June 2-6, 2019, which will include a mass flyover across the English Channel to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2019.

Members of the media are invited to attend a press conference Thursday, July 26 at 10:00 a.m. at EAA Press Center for the latest news and announcements from the D-Day Squadron.

(Source: D-Day Squadron news release. Image by Tom Demerly provided)

FMI: www.ddaysquadron.org