The invasion of Normandy, also known as D-day, was one of the most horrific days in history, but it was also the beginning of the end of a horrific war — World War II. Most of the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who died on that day remain nameless in the history books. The same is true for the airplanes that led the heroic efforts.The attacks came from several fronts on that fateful day, with ships dropping troops on the beaches of Normandy and airplanes deploying droves of people and ammunition from the skies. Once the war was over, most of those aircraft were destroyed or recommissioned, and their historic significance evaporated like the fuel that burned in their engines. Even some of the most notable airplanes fell into the shadows of the past.
Return to the Front Line
Key Takeaways:
- "That's All, Brother," the lead C-47 transport plane that dropped paratroopers on D-day, was nearly lost to history after passing through multiple owners and having its wartime significance forgotten.
- Its identity as the lead D-day aircraft was serendipitously rediscovered by an Air Force historian and publicized by a reporter, saving it from being irreversibly converted into a modern turbine plane.
- The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) acquired "That's All, Brother" and, through significant fundraising and professional restoration, meticulously returned it to its authentic 1944 D-day condition.
- The restored aircraft now serves as a flying museum, connecting with families of original D-day personnel, and is set to lead a formation of C-47s back to Europe for the 75th D-day anniversary to continue sharing its historic story.
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