Daks Over Duxford

The 6th June 2019 is the 75th anniversary of D-Day, Operation Overlord, the allied invasion of Nazi occupied France. The Imperial War Museum at Duxford is celebrating this with a commemoration and tribute to the Airborne assault element of the operation by gathering together over 35 DC-3, C-47 and close variants (e.g. C-53, Lisunov Li-2, DC-2/C42) gathered for a two day event. These aircraft had been gathered from across Europe plus 15 N American based aircraft that have made an Atlantic crossing to join this event.

A number of these aircraft had participated in the D-Day operation itself including 'Placid Lassie' that was the lead aircraft in the original operation.

I decided to attend the event to remember the brave men who dropped (parachutes and gliders) from the sky in 1944 plus those who transported them across the English Channel. The aviation geek in me also wanted to see the unique event gathering so many of the revolutionary DC-3 aircraft in one place.

On the 4th June, I parked a few miles from the event and cycle into it (I could stay in bed a bit later and still avoid the traffic congestion caused by the event). Bearing in mind the remembrance aspect of the day, it felt quite appropriate cycling through wheat fields dotted with wild red poppies.

The day's weather started out well but with a mixed forecast for later in the day.

The DC-3/C-47 Dakota's were lined up across the crowd line. However, during the day, the engines of many of these sparked into life before the aircraft taxied and took-off past the crowd. The largest was a planned seven ship formation although one of these had to land early with an engine problem - at least there were many experts on hand with knowledge of how to fix PW Twin Wasp engines.

A mass paratroop drop was planned from 5 aircraft with >150 reenactors dressed as the 82nd and 101 US Airborne Divisions using authentic round parachutes (not modern steerable ram air models). The loading process was great to watch like a scene from the day itself in 1944 (or 'Band of Brothers') but without the weapons and the weight that was carried by the troops on the day.

Unfortunately, the wind strength was above the 10 knot maximum limit defined for safety reasons along with squally rain showers. A later attempt was also considered but the weather refused to abate so the this too was cancelled.

The British Airborne forces were also represented with many reenactors plus members of the modern-day Parachute Regiment of the British Army.

The day also included displays by other aircraft types that participated in D-Day. A pair of Spitfire Mk IXs in RAF colours performed a number of low-level passes (the weather preventing any significant vertical manoeuvres). Similarly, the USAF aircraft were represented by P-47 Thunderbolt and 2 P-51 Mustangs and a Wildcat in RAF markings.

A pair of Auster aircraft provided a slower display to celebrate the Air Observation role used to support artillery during Operation Overlord. Five T-6-Texan/Harvard aircraft also displayed together - these aircraft were used to train many of the fighter pilots who participated in D-Day.

Before leaving, I had a quick look around the wonderful Duxford museum collection, a visiting Apache helicopter and a fascinating Airborne division display before. With the rain still falling, I headed back on my bike. Past the poppies to remember the sacrifice of those who lost their lives in the liberation of occupied Europe, highly satisfied with my day out.

I am also hoping to catch the mass fly past on the 5th June as the aircraft depart Duxford heading across to Normandy for a planned paratroop drop reenactment - hopefully with less wind.