How Did The Plane That Led D-Day End Up in a Scrap Yard?-FB
Below is the extraordinary story of how a historic plane was found in a scrap yard and meticulously restored. Even better, the iconic aircraft below flew back to Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. It’s a long video (about an hour), but well worth the watch!
History Comes to Houston!
An iconic piece of history will be featured at the 2023 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow! Come out and get up close to “That’s All, Brother”, the first aircraft to carry troops into the battle of Normandy during World War II. Not only will you be able to get up close to this amazing aircraft, but you will also be able to tour inside for a small fee.
On June 6, 1944 . . .
The “That’s All, Brother!” mission:
“Nearly 75 years ago, on June 6, 1944, That’s All Brother carried the first of the paratroopers from the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions. Piloted by Lt. Col John Donalson, the plane led over 800 C-47s which dropped over 13,000 paratroopers into a battle that changed the course of mankind. Our mission is to bring this great airplane back to the skies over Normandy for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.”
And that’s exactly what they did!
As part of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Central Texas Wing, That’s All Brother collaborated with three other CAF C-47/DC-3 airplanes to make the epic journey back over the Atlantic in 2019. They successfully retraced the classic ferry path from the United States to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and England to join up with over 30 C-47/DC-3 airplanes in Duxford, England as part of the Daks over Normandy project. From there, they traveled to Normandy for the 75th anniversary, then to Germany to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.
Photo of “That’s All, Brother!” flying over the English Channel in Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Photo by: Rich Cooper/COAP
Nearly Lost Forever
“After serving in Operations Market Garden, Repulse, and Varsity, the airplane returned to the United States and was sold to the civilian market in 1945. During the course of many owners over the next several decades, the historical significance of the airplane was lost and it was eventually sold to be scrapped. Luckily, a historian from the United States Air Force discovered that this historic airplane was lying in a boneyard in Wisconsin. The Commemorative Air Force was able to acquire the airplane, and through a large group of donors and volunteers, restore the airplane to flying status.
Don’t miss this historic opportunity at the Wings Over Houston Airshow, October 14th & 15th!
Info, Photo, and Video Source:
- ThatsAllBrother.org
- https://www.facebook.com/thatsallbrother/
- YouTube: Spark: https://youtu.be/vmDNZ8_40U8
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