Details correct 22 May 2024. Likely to be updated and subject to weather
22 May 2024
Five years ago for the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the skies over the UK and Normandy, France were filled with Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakotas, carrying paratroopers wearing WWII Allied uniforms who jumped using old-style round parachutes.
This time, for the 80th anniversary, many of those DC3s are returning along with some from the UK and France for the D-Day Squadron’s 2024 Legacy Tour.
This time the Tour will continue on from France to Berlin, where the DC-3 played a vital role during the Berlin Airlift, then onto Italy and beyond.
But before the Squadron departs the UK there are various opportunities to see them.
A special D-Day themed weekend event at the one and only Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Airfield, near Biggleswade, Beds.
It’s a ticketed event:
There’s also all the usual Shuttleworth attractions, food and drink.
Aero Legends at North Weald is the heart of UK operations for the D-Day Squadron
North Weald is the primary base for the visiting D-Day Squadron. The former WWII airfield, adjacent to the M11 in Essex, is staging a ticketed event over three days where there’ll be fleet of Dakotas and other period aircraft.
Over the three-day show, visitors will be able to have tours of the aircraft, meet the crew, buy memorabilia, and enjoy 1940s style entertainment.
A convoy of military vehicles will be setting off to the Squadron’s next stop, Cherbourg.
“We aim to create an 1940s period feeling with re-enactor camps, re-enactors and much more!” said the organisers. “We also encourage anyone attending to dress in a period style to help add to the period atmosphere.”
For an aerial spectacle, join the D-Day Squadron at IWM Duxford for dynamic airshows taking place on both Saturday and Sunday, 1-2 June. There will be parachute drops fly-bys with Aero Legends’ aircraft on Saturday. On Sunday the full fleet, including Duxford’s own DC-3s, take to the skies for a grand parade and individual flypasts.
Full details and book tickets here
Upottery Airfield will host a special event
Upottery, the original departure airfield for the 506PIR 101st Airborne, of Band of Brothers fame, will host a fleet of paratrooper-carrying C-47 aircraft bound for Normandy.
The camps at North Weald, Upottery and Cherbourg will be ‘reenactments’. Photo: D-Day Heroes Remembered
Once the aircraft have departed North Weald, they will arrive at Cherbourg Airport for the next stage, and will set up ‘Camp Dakota’, the base while in Normandy.
The Aircraft of the D-Day Squadron
