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Mission Accomplished: D-Day Squadron's 2024 Legacy Tour

Celebrating the success of the D-Day Squadron’s 2024 Legacy Tour Crews, Aircraft, Team, Veterans and Partners
 

This summer, the skies were alive with the roar of DC-3 engines as the D-Day Squadron completed its ambitious 2024 Legacy Tour, marking significant WWII commemorations such as DDay80 and Berlin75. Our journey spanned continents, bringing history to life and paying homage to the Greatest Generation.

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Our Team and Operators

Our success was propelled by a dedicated 40-member volunteer team across the USA and Europe, who meticulously planned and executed the mission. Special thanks go to our operators, team, and crew members—hands-on and remotely—whose commitment ensured we honored our mission despite numerous logistical challenges.

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We cannot complete any mission without dedicated partners and donors. Please click here for a visual of all our mission partners and collaborators. We thank you!

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Special Mention to Our Aircraft and Crews:

  • Tunison Foundation’s C-47 “Placid Lassie”

  • Central Texas Wing of the CAF “That’s All, Brother”

  • Vintage Flying Machine’s Western Airlines DC-3A

  • “Spirit of Douglas” C-53 (private owner)

  • Classic Formation’s Swissair DC-3

  • Chalair DC-3s (Private Owner)

  • And all others who participated in various capacities throughout the tour


    *A special recognition to these operators below who did the work getting their aircraft and crew prepped, in shape and ready for the mission, however due to extenuating circumstances, were not able to participate:

     

  • “Night Fright” C-47

  • Dallas Fort Worth Wing of the CAF’s “Ready for Duty” R4D

  • Classic Formation’s “Screaming Eagle” C-47

  • The RM Group’s “Hap*penstance” C-41A

  • DC-3 Association Finland’s “Airveteran”

D-Day Squadron 2024 Legacy Tour Summary

Honoring History and Achievement: A Comprehensive Overview

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The D-Day Squadron's 2024 Legacy Tour was a monumental effort, spanning continents and involving a diverse array of historical aircraft and dedicated personnel. Here is a detailed chronology and highlight of the tour:

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North American Leg

Oxford, May 17, 2024:

  • The tour began with a morning practice sortie involving a majestic flight formation over iconic landmarks, including the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty, and West Point Military Academy.

  • Morning Practice Sortie:

    • Hudson River/NYC Flyover

    • Visit to FDR Grave

    • POU Airport

    • West Point Military Academy

    • Flight over Manhattan/Hudson River

    • Statue of Liberty

    • LGA Airport

    • Return to OXC (Oxford)​

  • On the first day of the trip, the D-Day Squadron took off from Oxford, CT and flew over the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park, NY.​

 

Aircraft Involved:

  • C-47 "Placid Lassie" (N74589)

  • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

  • DC-3A Western Airlines (N33644)

  • C-53 "Spirit of Douglas" (N83363)

  • Two T-6 Texan trainers were also involved in the flyover along with a Beechcraft Model 18 and a Ryan Navion.
     

We appreciated the crew and pilots of the Twin Beech, chase aircraft, our T-6 lead photoship with Mike Killian Photography and four Gooneybirds heading to Europe for their hard work

 

That same evening hosted by Atlantic Aviation OXC, partners, donors and some public joined the D-Day Squadron’s team and crew for a special launch dinner, sponsored by Bradley Mack Aviation, Tunsion Foundation, Connecticut Valley Brewing Company, Easy Company Brewing and Atlantic Aviation.

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Oxford, May 18 & 19, 2024:

The D-Day Squadron officially launched on May 18 from OXC to PQI (Presque Isle Maine) for a grand welcoming by the community. With an on-time morning launch out of Oxford CT with DC-3 Society members, approved media and some public outside the airfield gates, the crews were fueled thanks to discounted support from Atlantic Aviation and bellies full, thanks to the meal sponsorship of AirCulinaire Worldwide and coffee sponsorship by Warbird Coffee Co. U.S.

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Aircraft Involved:

  • C-47 "Placid Lassie" (N74589)

  • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

  • DC-3A Western Airlines (N33644)

  • C-53 "Spirit of Douglas" (N83363)

European Leg

England, May 24 - June 3, 2024:

  • May 24 or 25, 2024: Transit to Shuttleworth/Old Warden for static display at the Shuttleworth Collection Fly-In.

  • May 26, 2024: Transit back to North Weald, which served as the squadron base in England for the tour.

  • May 27 - May 31, 2024: Conducted various sorties between North Weald and Duxford Airfield.

  • June 1 - June 2, 2024: Participated in the Duxford Airshow, performing displays and parachute drops.

  • June 2 - June 3, 2024: Completed cross-channel transit trips.​

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C-47 Hot-Ramp Paratroop Pickup at Imperial War Museum, Duxford - June 2, 2024

The second of June marked a notable day at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, featuring a special operation involving three C-47 aircraft from the D-Day Squadron. The aircraft involved were:

  • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

  • C-47 "Placid Lassie" (N74589)

  • Aero Legend C-47 "Pegasus" (G-ANAF)

On this sunny day, after the main show of the Duxford "80th D-Day" air show, these aircraft executed a paratroop pickup operation. They arrived from North Weald, landing at Duxford's main parking ramp to load paratroopers with engines running, in preparation for a mission over the English Channel to Normandy. This operation included participants from various paratrooping groups, including the Skydive Palatka – RCPT USA group. This mission exemplified a blend of historical homage and modern-day execution, marking another significant moment in the ongoing remembrance of D-Day events.

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​​​​​Cherbourg C-47 Paratroop Drop Mission - June 4, 2024

On June 4, 2024, a significant airborne operation was carried out over Normandy, involving a four-ship formation of C-47 aircraft. This mission, staged from Cherbourg-Maupertus Airport, saw the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team and other groups performing multiple parachute drops across various designated drop zones in Normandy. The primary aircraft involved in this operation included:

  • Aero Legend C-47 "Pegasus" (G-ANAF)

  • Aero Legend C-47 Drag ‘Em Oot (N473DC)

  • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

  • C-47 "Placid Lassie" (N74589)

Key participants in these jumps included members from diverse teams such as the Liberty Jump Team, Round Canopy Parachute Team – USA, All Airborne Battalion, Phantom Airborne Brigade, and even some original cast members from the "Band of Brothers" series. This mission not only honored the historical significance of the D-Day operations but also demonstrated the ongoing dedication to remembering and educating about these pivotal moments in history.

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​​France, June 4 - 9, 2024:

Normandy Operations: Included multiple jump operations over historical DZs with significant participation on D-Day. Events highlighted include sorties with USAF C-130s and a memorable flyover during the official D-Day 80 ceremony. 

​Le Mont-Saint-Michel: Featured two para sorties that were visually spectacular and showcased the strategic capabilities of the participating aircraft.

 

  • June 4, 2024: Engaged in a sortie with USAF C-130s and conducted a second flyover practice if memory serves. Multiple jump operations were conducted.

  • June 5, 2024:  Multiple jump operations were conducted over historical Normandy drop zones (DZ’s) throughout the day, some together with the UK jump-ships ‘Drag ‘em Oot’ and ‘Pegasus’. 

 

  • June 6, 2024: Participated in the official D-Day 80 Ceremony flyover.

  • June 7, 2024:  Two DDS C-47 para sorties at Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy in the afternoon, preceded by an impressive C-130 paradrop with jumpers carrying the Allied flags.

  • June 8, 2024:  Several drops, also in the British and Canadian sector. 

  • June 9, 2024: The last DDS C-47 drops in Normandy for 2024: two runs over the historical DZ at La Fiere, followed by a spectacular mass drop from C-130’s and an Airbus  A400M.
     

Germany, June 15, 2024:

  • 75th Berlin Airlift Anniversary at Wiesbaden Army Airfield: A mix of historical and modern displays, the event included static and dynamic displays of various aircraft from the squadron and allied forces.

  • Aircraft Involved:

    • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

    • C-47 "Placid Lassie" (N74589)

    • DC-3A Western Airlines (N33644)

    • DC-3 SAS "Daisy" (SE-CFP)

    • DC-3 Chalair  (F-AZOX)

    • Several private aircraft including North American AT-6 Texan/Harvard

  • USAF Static Displays:

    • Beech C-12U-3 Huron

    • Lockheed MC-130J Hercules

    • Lockheed C-17A Globemaster III

    • Cessna UC-35A1 Citation

    • Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk

    • AH-64E Apache

A memorable moment at Cherbourg, Normandy

Photo courtesy of Michael Prophet

Key Media Flights

The crews were incredibly honored to fly some WWII veterans on June 9 over the shores of Normandy. Here are photos of Alan Shapiro, 99, flying C-47 Placid Lassie over Normandy. Alan was in the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron, 316th Troop Carrier Group, during WWII, flying C-47s. We appreciate you, Alan!
 

May 30, 2024, North Weald - Duxford - North Weald:

  • Aircraft involved included

    • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

    • C-47 Placid Lassie (N74589)

    • Aero Legend C-47 "Pegasus" (G-ANAF)

    • DC-3A Western Airlines (N33644)

    • C-53 "Spirit of Douglas" (N83363)

    • Aero Legends Spitfire NH341/DB-E

  • This media flight was made to obtain a display authorization (DA) from the British CAA for the air show at Duxford that weekend.

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June 4, 2024, Cherbourg - Cherbourg (Normandy):

  • Aircraft involved included

    • C-47 “That’s All, Brother” (N47TB)

    • C-47 Placid Lassie (N74589)

    • Aero Legend C-47 "Pegasus" (G-ANAF)

    • DC-3A Western Airlines (N33644)

    • C-53 "Spirit of Douglas" (N83363)

  • The week was spent at Cherbourg – Maupertus airport, engaging in numerous paratroop missions with DDS C-47s.

  • The media flight on this date included a 4-ship formation flight over Normandy Coast, Omaha Beach, Pointe Du Hoc, Utah beach and the little town off Sainte-Mère-Église, French department of Manche, lasting 1.5 hours.

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Key Features in the Media:

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Wiesbaden Army Airfield, Germany: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift
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The D-Day Squadron marked the 75th anniversary of the historic Berlin Airlift at Wiesbaden Army Airfield on June 15, 2024, with a significant gathering that celebrated both historical and modern aviation achievements. The event featured a diverse collection of aircraft, including the iconic C-47 "TAB C47" and "Placid Lassie," alongside other notable aircraft such as Western DC-3A and various private North American AT-6 Texan/Harvard planes.