11 Aircraft on the Way for Parachute Demos, Flyovers

Planning for the D-Day Squadron’s 2024 Legacy Tour continues, with an announcement that the Western Airlines DC-3 will be tagging along.

The tour will see the Squadron make the trek across the Atlantic Ocean with 10 more veteran aircraft. The whole bunch will head over too commemorate both the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings and the 75th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. With the addition of Tim Savage's Western Airlines bird, the total number of the D-Day Squadron grows to 11 in all.

Preparations for the trek continue, with the D-Day Squadron team working to find North American operators ready to assist in training, logistics, and oceanic planning for the mid-May journey. Across the pond, members in the UK are also readying the field. D-Day Squadron’s newsletter contributor, Adam Simpkins, headed out to North Weald, Essex, to touch base with Aero Legends owner Keith Perkins and others to set the stage for the UK and Normandy legs of the tour.

Currently, the schedule begins on May 31st, where crowds can watch the parachutists practice their drops, followed by two shows at North Weald and the Imperial War Museum (IWM) Duxford on June 1st. "The parachutists will board at North Weald for IWM Duxford to complete a mass drop over the historic airfield as a major part of the Duxford Summer Air Show: D-Day 80 weekend event. They will then return to North Weald. As June 2 dawns, the planes load up and start their journey to Cherbourg, France, passing through Duxford on the second day of the airshow as they head out to continue their commemorative flight."

"From June 2 to 10, Cherbourg will be the D-Day Squadron’s base of operations. Aero Legends has planned several exciting flyovers and commemorative shows during these eight days. From June 4 to June 5, crews will return to the Upottery airfield in Devon, once home to Easy Company. Plans include a ground show and parachute drops into the airfield from Normandy. The crews return to Normandy for another drop. The highlight of the time at Upottery will be the flight out on June 5. On the evening of June 5, the squadron will load up with parachutists and head back to Normandy, much like they did 80 years ago."

FMI: www.ddaysquadron.org