The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - The Largest DC-3 Formation Flight in Decades

The upcoming D-Day Squadron DC-3 mass flyover promises to be the largest formation flight of its kind in decades, with over 30 iconic Douglas DC-3 aircraft expected to participate. For perspective, the last time this many DC-3s flew together was likely the Berlin Airlift in the late 1940s, over 70 years ago.

The sight of dozens of WWII-era DC-3s cruising in close formation will be an awe-inspiring spectacle, especially for aviation enthusiasts. These historic planes played a pivotal role on D-Day itself, dropping over 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines in the overnight hours before the Allied invasion. The D-Day Squadron's flight will mirror that heroic mission, following the original path of the C-47s across the English Channel and over the beaches of Normandy.

The planes participating will be flown by an international contingent of DC-3 pilots and crews who are donating their time, effort, and aircraft to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. For many, it is a chance to honor the courageous veterans who flew similar missions during the war. As pilot Steve Day put it, "we get to learn from the people who actually did this 75 years ago. They're entrusting us with their legacy.”

Months of preparation have gone into organizing an event of this scale. The pilots have been practicing tight formations during preparatory flights in the US and Europe. Support teams on the ground have been coordinating logistics across multiple countries. Activities during the lead-up included training observer co-pilots, applying special striping on aircraft, and even replacing DC-3 engines.

While the mass flyover is the centerpiece, the D-Day Squadron's efforts are ultimately about more than just this one formation flight. Their overarching mission is to educate people about D-Day and preserve the living history of WWII aviation. The months spent planning these flyovers strengthen relationships within the active DC-3 community. And the overflights themselves will give millions of spectators along the route a vivid, flying history lesson.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - Honoring the C-47s That Dropped Paratroopers Over Normandy

The C-47 Skytrain, known affectionately as the “Gooney Bird”, was the workhorse of the Allied air forces during World War II. This twin-engine transport plane delivered troops, supplies, and hope across war-torn skies for the duration of the conflict. However, no mission was more daring than their flight on D-Day, dropping over 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines to open the Normandy invasion. It was described by Gen. Eisenhower as an effort that would “live forever in the traditions of our Army and our people.” So it is only fitting that the D-Day Squadron’s mass DC-3 flyover aims to honor these iconic aircraft and their crews 75 years later.

For enthusiasts like pilot Steve Day, the chance to fly in formation along the C-47’s original D-Day route is an opportunity to learn from the veterans who showed such bravery that fateful morning. “You think of the 19- and 20-year old kids that were doing this back then,” Day reflects, “and it hits pretty close to home.” Other pilots speak reverently of being able to meet D-Day veterans and hear their stories, then provide them one last flight in a DC-3 as a small measure of appreciation.

Of course, no number of commemorative overflights can ever replicate the danger and uncertainty Allied crews faced as they took off into the darkness, listening to sporadic flak fire on their approach. But feeling the shudder of those iconic Pratt & Whitney radial engines and cruising in close formation with this fleet of DC-3s brings history alive in a unique way. Watching them drone steadily overhead, paratrooper uniforms peeking from open side doors, it’s impossible not to imagine those young men of the 101st and 82nd Airborne who sat in similar jump seats generations ago. Their legacy deserves to be honored, 75 years on.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - Over 30 DC-3s Expected for the Historic Recreation

Seeing several dozen Douglas DC-3s overhead in close formation will be nothing less than a jaw-dropping spectacle. While many airshows feature mass flyovers, it has likely been over 70 years since this many iconic C-47s last flew together. For context, some of the largest recent DC-3 gatherings included about a dozen aircraft. Yet the D-Day Squadron has managed to attract over 30 fully operational DC-3s to participate in their mass flyover commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

The sight of these WWII-era legends cruising overhead in a massive formation has rightfully generated tremendous excitement in the aviation community. DC-3 pilots and owners around the world have volunteered their time, money, and aircraft to be part of this historic event. While each pilot obviously has their own reasons for participating, all are united by a profound respect for the DC-3 and a desire to honor the paratroopers and crews who flew on D-Day.

DC-3 owners have spent months working to get planes ready, testing engines and systems to ensure they are fit for the long transatlantic journey. Pilots have been diligently practicing tight formation flying that many have never done before. Volunteer crews on the ground in Europe have arranged hangar space and maintenance support for the dozens of incoming aircraft.

For DC-3 enthusiasts, seeing 30-plus of these special planes together in one place is a landmark occasion. During the war over 10,000 C-47s were built, but only a couple hundred remain today. At airshows you may see several together on static display. But to watch them all taxi, take off, and fly will be unprecedented in the modern era. Already, aircraft have arrived in Europe to enthusiastic crowds who rarely get to see this concentration of DC-3s on their home soil.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - Following the Path of the D-Day Invasion

When those Douglas C-47s took off into the night sky on June 5th, 1944, they were embarking on what many assumed was a suicidal mission. Loaded with paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, their job was to drop thousands of soldiers behind enemy lines under cover of darkness, securing key positions inland from the Normandy beaches in advance of the D-Day land invasion. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, low clouds, and disorienting smoke, most of the C-47s successfully flew the planned route, depositing paratroopers along the way. While many planes were lost, the operation paved the way for the Allied forces' eventual breakthrough.

Now, 75 years later, the D-Day Squadron aims to symbolically recreate part of that courageous flight path with its epic DC-3 mass flyover on June 5th. The formation will cross the English Channel from England, follow the southeastern British coastline past Brighton and Eastbourne, then travel along the route taken by the 3rd flight over the D-Day beaches. Finally, it will return via the western Cotentin Peninsula coastline past Cherbourg. For those on shore, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness history in motion. Citizens in seaside towns like Littlehampton will see the planes pass by just as they did in 1944.

Pilot Steve Day sees it as a chance for volunteers like him to figuratively walk in the footsteps of the brave crews who risked everything that fateful night. “You think of the 19- and 20-year old kids that were doing this back then and it hits pretty close to home,” he reflects. While they can never fully appreciate the danger and uncertainty those original crews faced, preparations like long-distance formation flights over the Atlantic have given Steve and others a small taste. Talking with D-Day veterans has also impressed on them the gravity of what's being commemorated.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - DC-3 Pilots and Crew Volunteering Their Time and Aircraft

The dozens of DC-3s participating in the D-Day Squadron's mass flyover only exist today thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers within the C-47 enthusiast community. Unlike many warbirds relegated to static museum displays, each of these DC-3s is fully airworthy, restored and maintained to fly by the pilots and crews who devote endless hours to keeping them aloft.

Take Steve Day, a captain for a major airline who spends his free time fixing up and flying DC-3s across the country for events like this. He leases rather than owns so he can fly different aircraft and gain experience. For D-Day he's helping ferry a DC-3 from Mesa, Arizona to Europe, gaining invaluable formation and instrument flying skills along the way. It's a passion project rewarded only by the joy of keeping history alive.

Then there are folks like Tom Travis in Carson City, Nevada. His hangar is home base where visiting DC-3 pilots stop for tune-ups enroute to events. He drops everything when a Gooney Bird comes calling. Says Travis, "keeping even one DC-3 flying is a major undertaking, so pooling our efforts is the only way to make events like this possible." He provides hangar space, tools, and expert maintenance for no charge.

Another example is High Sky Wing in North Carolina, where Michael Franzago has assembled a team that trains new DC-3 co-pilots for mass flyovers. "It's an expensive plane to learn in," says Franzago, "so we have a common goal of passing on knowledge to the next generation." His reward is preserving living history and forging connections within the tight-knit C-47 community.

Other volunteers devote resources in Europe, securing hangar access and logistical support for the dozens of incoming aircraft. There are also ground crews that help keep these well-worn planes flying after the long transatlantic crossing.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - Months of Planning and Preparation for the Mass Flyover

Pulling off an epic formation flight with over 30 Douglas DC-3 aircraft requires months of meticulous planning and preparation. From training pilots to troubleshooting maintenance issues, it takes a small army of dedicated volunteers to make an event of this scale possible. Their tireless efforts highlight the passion of the DC-3 community.

According to Peter McMillan, a volunteer DC-3 pilot with the D-Day Squadron, coordinating the mass flyover was "like planning a military operation." Pilots had to be recruited and cleared to participate. Detailed flight plans were developed and submitted for approval. Special permissions were secured for things like flying over London and simulated door drops. This bureaucratic red tape had some pilots joking they now appreciate what Eisenhower went through planning the real D-Day invasion!

Then there was the practical work - a never-ending labor of love for DC-3 devotees. Owners inspected their aircraft for airworthiness. Engines were fine-tuned and spare parts stockpiled. Modifications were made like installing air-to-air radios and special graphics on fuselages. Pilots traveled to sites like High Sky Wing in North Carolina for specialized formation flight training. Co-pilots without PIC time in DC-3s went through observer training to be an extra set of eyes.

No issue was too small for the DC-3 community's obsessive attention to detail. For example, since many C-47s in WWII had their sides painted with bold invasion stripes, some of the D-Day Squadron planes had these temporary markings applied to look more historically accurate. Another volunteer took it upon himself to sew authentic WWII-style uniforms for reenactor paratroopers who would ride along.

Then there was the logistical choreography needed on the ground once the formation arrived in Europe. Volunteers secured hangar space for parking and access to maintenance for all the incoming aircraft. Fuel trucks had to be scheduled, along with catering and other services a group this size would need. Hotels and bus transport were arranged to get everyone to the airfields each day.

With the big event just days away, the to-do list is still a mile long for organizers. Any mechanical issues will need addressing once the planes land. Local officials must be given final pilot rosters and aircraft details. Weather contingencies have to be planned for. And above all, the DC-3s have to avoid any damage while on the ground that could make them unfit to fly the actual mission.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - Celebrating 75 Years Since D-Day Along the East Coast

For those along the eastern seaboard of the United States, the D-Day Squadron's mass DC-3 flyover offers a unique chance to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day in their own backyards. As Torsten Jacobi of Mighty Travels shared, "the minutes when these iconic old birds pass overhead will truly be special."

The flight path brings the formation down the coasts of southern England and France, mirroring the route those brave C-47 crews flew on D-Day itself. But the trip doesn't end there. After crossing the English Channel, the DC-3s will continue west over the Atlantic on an 8-hour journey to eastern America. There, crowds will get to experience the sights and sounds of these living history planes visiting their local skies.

For many spectators, it will be their first DC-3 sighting outside of a museum. Imagine standing on the boardwalk of Atlantic City or Ocean City as the drone of radial engines grows louder. You crane your neck skyward as the first silvery specks appear on the horizon, gradually forming into the distinct shape of the legendary "Gooney Bird." Before long 30-plus are streaming overhead, windows glinting in the sun, wingtips nearly touching. In an instant they're gone, leaving only fading contrails and a lingering sense of awe.

FDNY firefighter James Flaherty saw the formation on its test run to Washington DC. He reflected on how his uncle flew C-47s during WWII, saying "it gave me chills and made me very proud to be an American."

Pilot Steve Day believes the more people exposed to the sight, the better. "Most folks know what these planes did on D-Day itself," he notes, "but seeing them fly together now inspires people to dig deeper into the history." The squadron's recent transatlantic practice runs attracted huge crowds at coastal airfields in Canada and Iceland.

The Sky Will Be Filled With History: D-Day Squadron Organizing Massive DC-3 Flyover For 75th Anniversary - Educating the Public About D-Day and WWII Aviation History

The D-Day Squadron's ambitious efforts are ultimately about more than just organizing a one-time flight to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Their overarching mission is to educate people, especially younger generations, about this pivotal operation and preserve the rich aviation history of World War II.

For many volunteers involved, it's a labor of love rooted in their own lifelong passion for historic aircraft. Take Michael Franzago, who leads training for DC-3 co-pilots at High Sky Wing in North Carolina. He grew up enthralled by the stories of veterans and always had an affinity for warbirds. Now he gets to pass on hard-earned skills so that vital history stays airborne. "It's an expensive airplane to learn in, so we have a common goal of passing on that knowledge to the next generation," Franzago explains.

Pilot Steve Day is similarly motivated by inspiring others through living history. He sees public reactions to the planes as they travel for events, saying "It's universal - young kids to older people are just fascinated with the DC-3." Letting riders experience it first-hand or explaining thecockpit to curious onlookers after he lands is rewarding. "Most folks know what these planes did on D-Day itself, but seeing them fly together now inspires people to dig deeper into the history," Day observes.

Torsten Jacobi of Mighty Travels believes events like the D-Day flyover provide a powerful history lesson, saying "the minutes when these iconic old birds pass overhead will truly be special." For witnesses, it transcends dutifully reading about WWII in a textbook. The sights, sounds and emotions of seeing the aircraft in flight create visceral connections to the past.

That's especially true for this event following the original D-Day path. Citizens in seaside towns will watch the formations pass just as they did 75 years ago when the actual invasion kicked off. Pilot Peter McMillan called it "flying through history" for those lucky enough to ride aboard. Even spectators on the ground will be immersed in the experience.

The D-Day Squadron also partners with schools to further their educational mission. Students get to interact with veterans, crews and pilots to enrich their learning. These living history lessons impart the human stories beyond just names and dates from the war. They're what stick with us through the decades.