Thu, Jul 28, 2022
Overflying Overlord Eighty Years On
The D-Day Squadron—a collection of restored, WWII-era C-47 Skytrain/Dakota aircraft—has announced its plan to return to Europe in 2024 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the 75th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The happy news was made public at EAA AirVenture 2022.
Inspired by the success of a 2019 mission that saw the outfit urge a fleet of 15 C-47s across the North Atlantic in observance of the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy, the D-Day Squadron looks to return to Europe for purpose of honoring and keeping alive the memories of the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen that sacrificed so much to safeguard this world from tyranny.
D-Day Squadron director of operations and mission chief pilot Eric Zipkin states: “Having led the DC-3’s journey to Europe in 2019, the D-Day Squadron earned a global presence that’s provided our organization to grow, multiply our DC-3 presence and even launch the DC-3 Society where we actively aid operators and enthusiasts with maintenance, operations, airworthiness, and displays. We won the War because of our logistical abilities, it’s only appropriate we, as the stewards of this noble aircraft, continue to fly and maintain the very airframe that was the backbone to achieving victory.”
The business of planning the 2024 mission will be seen to by a volunteer committee of seasoned professionals whose familiarity with the C-47 and expertise in international flight-planning and fleet logistics will help ensure the greatest battle of mankind’s bloodiest conflict and the men who fought it remain vividly enshrined in humanity’s collective awareness.
More News
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
"We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, wi>[...]
UAS Traffic Management (UTM) The unmanned aircraft traffic management ecosystem that will allow multiple low altitude BVLOS operations and which is separate from, but complementary>[...]
Aero Linx: Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) SAFE is a member-oriented organization of aviation educators fostering professionalism and excellence in aviation through>[...]