Wartime Dakotas will drop parachutists into Normandy for D-Day anniversary

[Wingnut]

 

The operation has been three years in the planning
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
The largest air armada of Dakota military aircraft to drop parachutists over Normandy since D-Day will take to the skies on the 75th anniversary.

Peter Braun, the Dutch businessman who has masterminded the operation, called Daks Over Normandy, described the three years of planning as a “herculean task”.

If all goes to plan then 30 vintage Douglas DC-3 and C-47 aircraft, known as Dakotas, will take off from Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire on Wednesday morning and fly across the Channel in formation before dropping about 250 parachutists in Allied uniforms into Sannerville, near Caen, where British paratroopers landed in the early hours of June 6, 1944.

Harry Read, 95, who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day when he was a 20-year-old wireless operator, will be doing…

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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/wartime-dakotas-will-drop-parachutists-into-normandy-for-d-day-anniversary-rfv02rtbl?fbclid=IwAR2IinBuv_X3EFH-sIqfQgB2uAj_8j9aRzHKSBv8SZ3E-SP59v6_u0d61i8

[dfwgator]

Just hopefully this time they'll miss the Church bell tower in St. Mere Eglise

[Wingnut]

Just hopefully this time they'll miss the Church bell tower in St. Mere Eglise

Poor Red.  He got kilt a lot in the war films.

[Wingnut]

Miss Montana C-47

Miss Montana touches down in England; prep begins for D-Day commemoration

https://ravallirepublic.com/news/state-and-regional/article_e69c28f1-eb56-50d5-a24f-0378c6b845dd.html


https://missmontanatonormandy.com/

[sneakypete]

This is going to be a real hoot for the jumpers. My very first night equipment/combat simulation jump was from a C-47,on St.Merie Eglise drop zone at Ft.Bragg. I was loaded to the gills with equipment,including a spare 50 cal M-2 MG barrel,and those babies are HEAVY!

It was kinda like waking up and finding myself in the middle of a WW-2 movie. Unbelievably cool!

I never even saw or heard of anyone jumping C-47's after that,so it may have even been the last time they were used as mainline active duty paratroop aircraft.

One thing is odd is that if you are towards the front of the plane,you start out with your static line over your head,and the closer you get to the jump doors,the lower the line is. IIRC,it is about knee level when you go out the door.

Those guys are in for a real treat and a historical thrill.

[skeeter]

Poor Red.  He got kilt a lot in the war films.

He was lucky to just have his foot shot off in that one.