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Published: 2014-05-27 02:20:49 +0000 UTC; Views: 1738; Favourites: 87; Downloads: 0
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The Imperial War Museum Duxford's salute to the Heroes of the Normandy Invasion. Five Douglas C-47A Dakotas at theΒ Imperial War Museum Duxford D-Day 70th Anniversary Airshow 2014. From closest to furthest-Douglas Dakota Mk.III of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Conningsby, Lincolnshire, UK
Douglas C-47A Dakota operated by Aces High, Dunsfold Aerodrome, Surrey, UK. Anybody familiar with Top Gear may recognise her as she was often in the background during scenes filmed at the airfield.
Douglas C-47A Dakota "Drag 'em oot" operated by Dakota Heritage at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, UK.
Douglas C-47A Dakota "The Union Jack Dak" operated by Tradewind Aviation, Oxford, Connecticut, USA
Douglas C-47A Dakota "Whiskey Seven" operated by the National Warplane Museum, Geneseo, New York, USA.
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Comments: 18
Isn't it a bit ironical that the Union Jack is based in the USA?
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As an ex SSGT in the 504/82 Airborne those scare the crap out of me...
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I have jumped out of these planes for years.
They are mostly now retired from the skydiving world.
The turbine powered Otter has replaced them.
-Doc
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She's a busy girl at the moment. Good to see she made it over to Germany safely.
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Ike just gave his decision, tonight is on! June 6th! 
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I'm old enough to remember air travel around New Zealand on the DC3. What a workhorse. There is still one working out of Christchurch, I think, and I have a shot of it at the Wanaka Airshow. Great to see a line up. Β
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Quite the line-up.Β I think one could safely say the C-47 had as much to do with the outcome of the war as any of the fighters.
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You are not wrong there, the Dak was the backbone of pretty much the entire Allied war effort. The Dakota did more than many people know, from tugging gliders, dropping paratroopers and supplies she was an essential workhorse. An aircraft that put simply we could not do without. A good example of the varied work done by them is the third example along in this photograph. She has the name "Drag 'em oot" adorning the side. This is because one of the duties this veteran carried out during the war was with a special unit that recovered gliders after the Normandy invasion. Fitted with a special pick up hook system she would literally drag the gliders back home. Just another role the venerable dak has filled during her extremely rich history.
The Dakota certainly isn't a rare sight for a historic type but for me they are far from run of the mill. One of my first encounters with an historic aircraft was with a Dakota back when I was just 9 years old and I have loved them ever since. To see five olive drab examples all adorned with invasion stripes is just about one of the most memorable experiences I have had at airshows and I've seen some pretty special sights, including a mass formation of 20 Spitfires. In the UK these gatherings are rare so to me this sight was priceless.
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Like the UH-1 in Viet Nam.
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Indeed, there are aircraft and then there are Legends.
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