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 aircraft in the D-day invasion, was nearly lost to history and slated for conversion into a modern turbine aircraft, its WWII significance forgotten.
- Its historical importance was serendipitously rediscovered just before its original form would have been destroyed, leading to a multi-million dollar, meticulous restoration by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF).
- The fully restored aircraft, complete with hidden modern avionics, will lead a formation of C-47s back to Europe for the 75th D-Day anniversary, aiming to serve as a flying museum to honor D-Day heroes and preserve history for future generations.
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