Daks over Normandy
From 2nd to 9th June 2019 the Daks over Normandy - 75th D-Day commemoration 1944 - 2019 event will take place in two locations:-
From 2nd to 5th June at IWM Duxford Aerodrome UK, and from 5th to 9th June at Caen Carpiquet Airport in France.
Many of the Dak’s attending the event from the USA called in at Prestwick en route to Duxford where a static exhibition took place over the weekend of 25th / 26th May.
Daks over Normandy is without doubt a once in a lifetime and unequalled event. Since World War II never have so many Douglas DC-3/C-47's been assembled in one location. On the 5th of June 2019 the aircraft will fly in formation across the English Channel many participating in an airborne parachute drop over the original 1944 drop zones.
June 6th 1944 (D-Day) was without a doubt one of the most important dates in modern history. It marks the date on which almost 160,000 Allied troops stormed the Normandy beaches to start the liberation of Western-Europe. The assault was preceded by 24,000 troops who parachuted in or came by glider. Many of these para’s were trained at Ringway (Manchester Airport). The most important aircraft to support the airborne assault was the Douglas C-47 Skytrains (Dakotas) of which it is estimated that over 800 took part.
Aviation enthusiasts from around the world will undoubtedly do their utmost to witness the mass gathering of DAK’s at one of the above locations. We will be covering the events with a photo journal on this web site and in a future edition of the TAS magazine - Winged Words. As usual we welcome your photo contributions from any of the venues during the “Dak’s over Normandy” commemorations. Please send to:- peter@airportsol.com
“Dak’s over Normandy”..D-Day Commemorations - Caen, Normandy - 6th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson
DAK’s at Caen airport (Normandy) 7th June 2019. Photo: Debbie Riley.
No words required…Sannerville,Normandy. 5th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson.
Jumping from a Dakota over Sannerville,Normandy. 5th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson.
Daks over Normandy Para Drop Sannerville (Drop Zone K) 5th June 2019. Photo: Debbie Riley
Red Devils Para Drop Sannerville 5th June 2019. A great roar from the crowd (many Brits present for this historic event) when the huge Union Jack opened. Photo: Debbie Riley
DAK’S OVER DUXFORD
What a line up! Dakota’s at Duxford. Photo: Peter Hampson 3rd June 2019.
Next stop Normandy….Dakota’s taxy for departure from Duxford on 5th June. Photo: Richard Ansell.
Every picture tells a story…A superb shot from Duxford on the 5th June as the Para’s start to board the Daks in preparation for their drops over Sannerville (Normandy) later that day. Photo:Richard Ansell.
C47B “Dakota” N150D 315087/9X at Duxford 5th June 2019. Photo: Richard Ansell
That’s All Brother - Duxford 4th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson
A journey back in time.Duxford 4th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson.
See you soon …. Miss Montana! Photo: Peter Hampson
D-Day Doll landing at Duxford - 4th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson.
Dc3’s at Duxford - 4th June 2019. Photo:Peter Hampson.
A happy Hungarian Li 2 pilot at Duxford 4th June 2019. Photo: Peter Hampson
Dc3 OY-BPB departing Duxford Tuesday 4th June. Photo: Peter Hampson.
“Chalair” F-AZOX from La Ferte Alais at Duxford 4th June 2019.
SAS and Pan American Dc3’s at Duxford 4th June .Photo: Peter Hampson.
Miss Montana: Photo Peter Hampson
N341A glistens in the Duxford rays..3rd June: Photo Peter Hampson
Legend Airways N25641 landing at Duxford Monday 3rd June: Photo Peter Hampson
NC24320 Miss Montana landing at Duxford 3rd June 2019; Peter Hampson
Reaching for the skies…DAK’s over Duxford. Peter Hampson 3rd June 2019.
LN-NWD Dc3 on final approach to Duxford Sunday 2nd June:Photo Paul Watson.
OH-LCH Finnish Airlines Dc3 on approach to Duxford 2nd June 2019. Photo: Paul Watson
Li 2 HA-LIX landing at Duxford Sunday 2nd June 2019. Photo: Paul Watson.
DAK’S OVER OLD WARDEN
On Sunday 2nd June the beautiful Aerodrome of Old Warden in Bedfordshire played host to the Shuttleworth’s “Festival of Flight”. As usual the show produced some fantastic displays and static exhibits. However, there was little doubt that the stars of the show were 7 pristine Dakota’s which graced this small grass aerodrome with all their glory . Following their arrival at Old Warden on Saturday 1st June they departed “en mass” to Duxford mid way through the show Sunday afternoon.
What a fantastic sight! Many thanks to Tom Hunter for sharing with us the arrival at Old Warden of N8336C on Saturday 1st June.
D-Day veteran “Placid Lassie” N74589 /42-24064 touching down at Old Warden on 1st June. Photo: Tom Hunter.
The Flabob Express N103NA departs Old Warden for Duxford on Sunday 2nd June :Photo Peter Hampson.
dAK’s over Prestwick
NC33611 Clipper Tabitha May’s Story
Built in late 1945, construction No 34378 was initially delivered to the Army Air Corps . She was converted into a VIP transport and purchased by the Columbia Broadcasting Service who operated her for many years in the low-utilization role of corporate transportation. In the 1980s, at the ripe-old-age of 40, she was finally converted into a passenger airliner and operated out of Burbank, CA flying Japanese tourists over the Grand Canyon for a private tour company. She was put into scheduled passenger service by ERA Alaska Airlines in the mid 1990s.
She is seen here arriving at Prestwick 20th May 2019 thus becoming the first DAK to arrive in the UK for the commemorations. Photo: Lewis Burns
An original Normandy Dakota - This C-47B was built in 1943. It now resides at the Palm Springs Air Museum, with the name D-Day Doll on the nose . Photo: Chris Boyde Prestwick 24th May 2019
DC-3C N877MG WWII Service from 1944-1945
Douglas C-47B s/n 20806 (c/n 4193) was built in Long Beach, CA in 1944 for the U.S. Army. In 2006 the Historic Flight Foundation discovered the aircraft at a small upstate New York airport and acquired it for restoration. Photo: Chris Boyde Prestwick 24th May 2019
N103NA “Flabob Express” Built early 1943: Serial number 9531 was manufactured in Long Beach and delivered to the Army Air Force as USAAF 42-23669. On May 20th, 1943. 9531 was transferred to the Royal Air Force, ferried to England, and assigned to RAF no 24 Squadron at RAF Hendon. Photo:Chris Boyde Prestwick 24th May 2019
Dakota C-47 “Betsy Biscuit Bomber”, with registration N47SJ (USAF 43-48608 / 180746, cn 25869/14424). This aircraft was delivered to the USAF on September 4th, 1944. Photo: Chris Boyde Prestwick 24th May 2019.
DAK’s over Manchester
Andy Davies beautifully captured Dc3 NC 33611 at 9000 feet passing over the top of Manchester Airport routing from Prestwick to Duxford on 21st May 2019