D-Day Squadron | 2024 Legacy Tour

Meet the 2024 Legacy Tour Participating Aircraft

The D-Day Squadron's iconic aircraft lineup for the 2024 Legacy Tour has been revealed. The fleet is ready to grace the skies for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Dive into the history and stories behind each aircraft and share in the legacy of valor and courage.

Building on these accomplishments, the D-Day Squadron (DDS) is coordinating a fleet of aircraft to fly to Europe in 2024 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion and the 75th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. In mid-May 2024, DC-3 variants representing World War II and Cold War vintage aircraft will ‘cross the pond’ from the United States to the United Kingdom, cross the English Channel to Normandy, France, then fly on to Berlin, Germany, and beyond.

This is no easy task, and while nothing can compare to the amount of organization the Allied forces faced in planning for the D-Day invasion, there is still a tremendous amount of preparation, time, and cost involved in recreating this historic anniversary tour. The DDS is currently setting the schedule, organizing appearances across Europe, and serving as Mission Control for the 2024 Legacy Tour – a central unit for all operators, crew, and operations.

D-Day is often known historically as the beginning of the end of WWII. Our duty is to remember the significance of this event and to ensure that future generations never forget. Today, the D-Day Squadron's mission continues, to perpetuate the sights and sounds of “Flying Freedom,” and to promote the legacy of the Greatest Generation and the Douglas DC-3s in which they flew.

Mission Objectives

This effort is dubbed the “2024 Legacy Tour.” With many WWII veterans having ‘flown west’ since the D-Day Squadron’s 2019 mission, 2024 will be an opportunity to focus on both the LEGACY of these WWII veterans and the legendary aircraft that served as the backbone to multiple war campaigns. “Our veterans are our window to the past, and this is a chance for us to continue honoring those who made sacrifices for the freedoms we have today,” shared D-Day Squadron’s mission chief pilot, Eric Zipkin. Eric will fly the lead C-47, WWII combat veteran, “Placid Lassie” throughout the entire journey.

Starting from Oxford, Connecticut, in May 2024, five of the 11 aircraft must complete six total flight legs to Europe involving crew rest, refueling, proper maintenance, formation planning, and logistics. The squadron will take six days, nearly 3,000 nautical miles on each aircraft, approximately 18 hours of flight time per aircraft, 36 gallons of oil each aircraft, more than 1,600 gallons of fuel, and 80 plus crew to make this historic transatlantic crossing!

This is your chance to celebrate these amazing, historic aircraft, and ensure a proper launch effort and a safe journey for their crews!

As a key part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations in 2019, our paratroopers wore period-correct uniforms and jumped 'round parachutes' just like our soldiers did on June 6, 1944. Lyndse Costabile, D-Day Squadron Executive Director, says, “We look forward to replicating this in 2024, as once again, more than 150 parachutists will fill the skies, symbolizing freedom, the sacrifices made during the Normandy invasion, and the overall war effort!”

It was also a profound privilege to lead a 15-ship flyover of the American Cemetery and Omaha Beach on June 6, 2019, for the entire world to see, including the U.S. and French Heads of State who were in attendance. “Many of the aircraft in the formation were beautifully restored C-47s that had seen battle over the beaches of Normandy in 1944,” Costabile continues. "We hope that we will have this honor again next year."

These restored aircraft are flown by retired service members and seasoned civilian pilots. Our crewmembers are all volunteers who consider it an honor and a privilege to fly these legendary airplanes. The C-47 was the most ubiquitous airplane of the War and performed multiple services in all theatres of operation, including North Africa, Burma, New Guinea, Normandy, Sicily, and Holland. The C-54 and DC-3 were among the aircraft heroically transporting supplies into West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift.

Join us in 2024 to honor the soldiers who jumped over the front lines and helped bring about the end of World War II!

Key Details

Operators Involved: DC-3/C-47/C-53/C-46 operators across North America
Expected Total Trip Dates: May 15 – late June 2024
Mobilization: Assemble in Northeast USA for training and cross North Atlantic as a squadron
Flight Plan: Oxford, Connecticut, or New York (TBD) – Presque Isle - Goose Bay – Greenland – Iceland – Scotland – England – Germany – Austria – Italy

Proposed Timeline

May 13-16: DC-3 Arrivals to KOXC
May 13-18: Kickoff Week in the Northeast US. Train and cross the North Atlantic.
May 17 (18th rain date): Hudson River Flyover
May 18: Departure for Presque Isle, Maine (KPQI)
May 19: Depart for Goose Bay (CYYR)
May 20-25: Northern Atlantic Crossing “Blue Spruce Route” Canada - Greenland - Iceland - Scotland
May 19-21: Goose Bay–Narsarsuaq (BGBW) – Reykjavik (BIRK)
Open house in Reykjavik based upon aircraft arrival
May 22-23: Reykjavik – Prestwick EGPK (Wick is alternate) – North Weald (EGSX)
May 25-26 Event at Old Warden / Shuttleworth (EGTH)
May 25-June 2: UK Tour (other locations TBD)
May 27-31: Training and practice parachute jumps – North Weald (Tickets here)
June 1-2: Imperial War Museum, Duxford Airfield (Tickets here)
June 2: DDAY80 - Cross – Channel jump to Cherbourg (LFRC)
June 3-9: Normandy events and jump operations - Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport
June 10: Cherbourg – Weisbaden (ETOU)
June 15-16: BERLIN75 - US Army Airfield host Berlin 75 event, Wiesbaden Army Airfield on Clay Kaserne
June 17: Depart Weisbaden
June 22 -23: Padua, Italy - Padua Gino Allegri International Airport + HAG FlyParty
June 24: Arrive North Weald
June 21-27: Northern Atlantic Crossing, Returns
June 27-28: Presque Isle, Maine (KPQI)
June 28: All DDS planes return to home base (some earlier not flying to Germany or Italy)
July 19-21: RIAT - Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford in Gloucestershire
July 22-28: EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wis.

Following the successful mission in 2019, the D-Day Squadron has continued to be a presence at multiple flyovers, aviation events, and warbird-themed airshows. The DC-3 Society was also launched to actively aid operators and enthusiasts with maintenance, operations, airworthiness, and displays. The Allies won the War, in part, because of their logistical abilities. It’s only appropriate that we, as the stewards of these noble aircraft, continue to fly and maintain the very airframes that were the backbone to achieving victory.

The world came together in June 2019 to create a fitting tribute to The Great Crusade, which changed the course of WWII – D-Day. The ceremonies celebrating the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Berlin Airlift were a momentous occasion to celebrate peace, liberty, and reconciliation. We consider it a great privilege to return to Europe in 2024.

Why do we recognize the Berlin Airlift? Some background: The Berlin Blockade (24 June 1948 – 12 May 1949) was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War following WWII. The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. In response, the Allies organized the Berlin Airlift to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin. From 26 June 1948 to 30 September 1949, British and American forces completed 278,228 flights to Berlin, supplying food, coal, and even candy.

'Candy Bomber' was the colloquial name given by Berliners to the American and British transport aircraft which brought in supplies during the Berlin Airlift. The name was coined after some pilots voluntarily threw candy, attached to make-shift parachutes, to children watching the planes from the edges of the West Berlin airfields.

These actions were first attributed to American pilot Gail Halvorsen. Nicknamed "Uncle Wiggly Wings", he began to drop chocolate bars he had attached to handkerchief parachutes while approaching Tempelhof Airport. After comprehensive coverage in the media, Lt. General William H. Tunner ordered that large amounts of candy be dropped to German children in a mission known as "Operation Little Vittles".

Orchestrating a tour of this magnitude for the 2024 Legacy Tour takes considerable resources. Please join us in looking ahead to 2024 as we celebrate the men, women, machines, and spirit of freedom that this event represents. Your support is vital to launching these ambitious efforts!

Please make sure to follow the D-Day Squadron on Facebook and Instagram! And, of course, LIKE and SHARE as we post during the campaign.

Risks and challenges

'Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal' - BHAG - aptly describes the 2019 D-Day Squadron campaign! A total of 15 vintage DC-3/C-47 aircraft safely crossed the Atlantic, flew across Europe, and returned. This involved nearly 1,500 flight hours over 150,000 miles. This even included a lap around the Statue of Liberty in New York City and an overflight of Omaha Beach on June 6. The risks and challenges are significant, while at the same time surmountable. Many factors can contribute to 'Go-No-Go' status for the 2024 Legacy Tour - weather, mechanical issues, political climate, changing flight regulations, onsite permissions, etc. In the immediate future, the funding to 'kickstart' and launch the campaign in 2023 is absolutely essential to future planning and execution.

A big thanks to the Five Oaks team for their support, leadership and facilitation of our early Kickstarter campaign that took place in late Spring 2023, raising an initial $7,500 towards the start of our mission.

Five Oaks Owner, David O'Connor, and author of 'Fortress With No Roof' on the flight line at the Imperial War Museum, June 2019.