"D-Day C-47 Being Restored in Wisconsin" Topic

Interesting article on the restoration of one of the lead transports used for the US D-Day airborne assault:

"Oshkosh — As thousands of troops awaited their destiny on a moonless night seven decades ago, one plane taxied to the front of the line, took off in the darkness and turned toward Nazi-occupied France.

"In the cargo hold nervous paratroopers sat facing each other while in the cockpit of the C-47 dubbed "That's All, Brother," Command Pilot John Donalson checked the sophisticated radar helping him lead hundreds of planes across the English Channel.

"'That's All, Brother' ferried more than a dozen paratroopers in the D-Day invasion and returned to England later that day to tow a glider filled with more men and equipment to France. Later it participated in Operation Market Garden and dropped needed supplies to trapped men during the Battle of the Bulge…"

Full article is here:

link

King's Lynn is having a 40's week starting officially tomorrow. One of the items is a fly past by a Dakota – saw it going over half an hour on a practice flight. There's already a replica Spitfire parked in the Market Square.

There are a couple of Dakota's (and derivities) in very good condition at the Castle Air Museum (formerly …AFB SAC command) a half hour's south of here.

castleairmuseum.org

My father-in-law flew "The Hump" in Burma late war.

Interesting Book on the operations, "Flying the Hump"…

Sorry double message popped up, result an accidental "<Ctrl> – <something>" don't know what.

My dad also flew The Hump. Flew all over India as well. Has some great aerial pictures of the Taj Mahal and other sites in that theatre.