The D-Day squadron prepares for Atlantic crossing (updated)
A group of Douglas DC-3/C-47 owners, united in an organization called ‘The D-Day Squadron’ prepares for a remake of their epic 2019 Atlantic crossing. A group of US based Dakotas then followed the Northern Atlantic route to finally arrive in Normandy. In the final stages of their trip they were joined by a number of European Dakotas. The purpose of their trip to France was to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Invasion of D-Day, 6 June 1944.
The year 2024 is another memorable year, and most ‘The D-Day squadron’ members wanted to return to Europe. For most of them it will be a ‘déjà vu’ but for some of the planes (and their crews) it will be a first. New for this year will be R4D N151ZE ‘Ready for Duty’, DC-3A N33644 Western Airlines and N8336C ‘Spirit of Douglas’.
Four US based Dakotas have met at Waterbury-Oxford airport in Oxford (CT): N47TB ‘That’s all Brother’, N151ZE ‘Ready for Duty’, N33644 and N74589 ‘Placid Lassie’ owned by the Tunison Foundation. The quartet is the centerpiece of a public event at Waterbury on 16 May 2024.
The D-Day squadron has published the following proposed timeline:
May 16: DC-3 Arrivals and public event at Waterbury-Oxford (KOXC)
May 13-18: Kickoff Week in the Northeast US. Train and cross the North Atlantic.
May 17 (18th rain date): Hudson River Flyover
May 18: Departure for Presque Isle, Maine (KPQI)
May 19: Depart for Goose Bay (CYYR)
May 20-25: Northern Atlantic Crossing “Blue Spruce Route” Canada - Greenland - Iceland - Scotland
May 19-21: Goose Bay–Narsarsuaq (BGBW) – Reykjavik (BIRK)
Open house in Reykjavik based upon aircraft arrival
May 22-23: Reykjavik – Prestwick EGPK (Wick is alternate) – North Weald (EGSX)
At North Weald some of the European based Dakotas will join the party.
May 25-26 Event at Old Warden / Shuttleworth (EGTH)
May 25-June 2: UK Tour (other locations TBD)
May 27-31: Training and practice parachute jumps – North Weald
June 1-2: Imperial War Museum, Duxford Airfield.
June 2: DDAY80 - Cross – Channel jump to Cherbourg (LFRC)
June 3-9: Normandy events and jump operations - Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport
June 10: Cherbourg – Wiesbaden (ETOU)
June 15-16: BERLIN75 - US Army Airfield host Berlin 75 event, Wiesbaden Army Airfield on Clay Kaserne
June 17: Depart Wiesbaden
June 22 -23: Venice, Italy - Aeroporto Nicelli (old DC-3 Base of Operation) + HAG FlyParty
June 24: Arrive North Weald
June 21-27: Northern Atlantic Crossing, Returns
June 27-28: Presque Isle, Maine (KPQI)
June 28: All DDS planes return to home base (some earlier not flying to Germany or Italy)
July 19-21: RIAT - Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford in Gloucestershire
July 22-28: EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh (WI).
The following US based Dakotas have been announced to participate in the crossing of the Atlantic:
N47TB C-47 “That’s All, Brother” - Commemorative Air Force Centex Wing - USA
N150D C-47 “Screaming Eagle” - Hugo Mathys- USA
N151ZE R4D “READY-4-DUTY” - Commemorative Air Force Dallas - Ft. Worth Wing - USA
N8336C C-53 “Spirit of Douglas” - Private Owner - New Zealand
N33644 DC-3 "Western Air" Western Airlines Inc - USA
N74589 C-47 “Placid Lassie” - Tunison Foundation - USA
The following European based Dakotas will join their US colleagues either their arrival in the UK or after their arrival at Cherbourg-Maupertus in France:
F-AZOX DC-3 “Chalair” - Private Owner - France
G-ANAF C-47 “Pegasus” - Aero Legends - UK
N308SF C-47 “Night Fright” - Night Fright Promotions Ltd - UK
N431HM DC-3 "Swissair" - Hugo Mathys - Switzerland
N473DC C-47 “Drag ‘em Oot” - Aero Legends - UK
Tracking the D-Day Squadron
Thanks to the American flight tracking company FlightAware the progress of the D-Day Squadron fleet can be followed realtime through this special link.
Credit photos: Dylan Phelps-Centerline Images (R4D) and Gert Jan Mentink (C-47s 2x and 4x)