From 2 to 9 June 2019 over thirty DC-3/C-47’s will come together. Their owners and operators fly them in from all over the Globe. From Scandinavia, The Netherlands and the rest of Europe, from Canada and the United States and even from as far away as Australia. All for what may well prove the very last time. Just so everyone can watch paratroopers jump over Normandy once more and admire these wonderful aircraft on the ground and in the air, where they belong.
The Daks over Normandy event is held in two locations: from 2 to 5 June at Duxford Airfield in the United Kingdom and from 5 to 9 June at Caen Carpiquet Airport in Normandy, France! Both locations where carefully chosen because of their facilities and their infrastructure and because of their World War II heritage.
Brilliant! if a little far off! I'd like to be able to persuade them to do it for a " Market Garden " 73rd anniversary this September! after all "D-Day 75" seems no more random... although I guess it doesn't now I think about it...
Can't wait for this, going to be a big highlight as I love Daks. List looking good, although there is a long way to go! Just hope this is a far more accessible for photographers than that awful Lee-on-Solent event a couple of years ago.
I only did the night-shoot and the following day's massed departure (was working for the arrivals day-time shoot) so can only comment on what I experienced, but Lee-on-Solent 2014 was one of the best things I've done and absolutely worth every penny. The atmosphere was incredible during the pre-launch preparations in particular and just being a part of that spectacle and history was wonderful. I thought access was excellent too, given the obvious limitations imposed by the fact that the nine Daks were departing during the shoot.
I hope TLE can organise something similar for June 2019.
I'd agree that the Lee on the Solent event was excellent, with great access and some really nice photo opportunities. Hopefully something similar can be organized for Duxford, but I won't be holding my breath.
Mike wrote:I'd agree that the Lee on the Solent event was excellent, with great access and some really nice photo opportunities. Hopefully something similar can be organized for Duxford, but I won't be holding my breath.
It was only excellent if you paid over the odds for access. For joe public it was a shambles.
If they charge parking for the airshow would think something will be added to entrance fee maybe to encourage use of park and ride for such a obviously popular event.
I think you are grossly overestimating the popularity to the general public of a gathering of a number of aircraft which are not Spitfires, and takes place over several largely midweek days.
farnboroughrob wrote:Can't wait for this, going to be a big highlight as I love Daks. List looking good, although there is a long way to go! Just hope this is a far more accessible for photographers than that awful Lee-on-Solent event a couple of years ago.
Seems the list is up to 30 now confirmed and counting http://www.daksovernormandy.com/aircraft/ although the BBMF haven't confirmed and only 1 from France so far. Don't know how many they will be able to line up on a flight line walk at Duxford but it’s going to look pretty crowded ?
County1884 wrote:Any idea on what sort of money we'll be looking at for a flight out of Duxford?
I seem to recall that it was relatively good value for money when they did flights from Cherbourg during the 70th anniversary.
I flew in the Breitling DC-3 from Cherbourg on 6 June 2014 for just 275 Euros. Flight time was 1hr including taxi time (which wasn't much). We flew over all the US drop zones and key battlegrounds, and out over Utah Beach. Five US C-130Js were overflying a DZ at we turned for the coast, which was pretty amazing to see "air to air" on a beautiful day. Easily one of my favourite experiences!
County1884 wrote:Any idea on what sort of money we'll be looking at for a flight out of Duxford?
I seem to recall that it was relatively good value for money when they did flights from Cherbourg during the 70th anniversary.
I flew in the Breitling DC-3 from Cherbourg on 6 June 2014 for just 275 Euros. Flight time was 1hr including taxi time (which wasn't much). We flew over all the US drop zones and key battlegrounds, and out over Utah Beach. Five US C-130Js were overflying a DZ at we turned for the coast, which was pretty amazing to see "air to air" on a beautiful day. Easily one of my favourite experiences!
Which flight were you Elliott? I flew on the first flight of the day. Saw the C-130s whilst I was in St-Mere-Eglise.
Myself and Elliott were on one of the afternoon flights and just like him it has to be one of my favourite aviation memories! Seeing that classic plan of Sainte Mère Église from above in a DC-3, with that distinctive main road, was really quite something.
HuwJHopkins wrote:Myself and Elliott were on one of the afternoon flights and just like him it has to be one of my favourite aviation memories! Seeing that classic plan of Sainte Mère Église from above in a DC-3, with that distinctive main road, was really quite something.
It certainly was! One of my favourite memories full stop. And as said before, at a very reasonable cost, especially considering the significance of flying over the beaches. Will be interesting to see what prices are like next year, bearing in mind the flights will be over Cambridgeshire and not Normandy.
County1884 wrote:Any idea on what sort of money we'll be looking at for a flight out of Duxford?
I seem to recall that it was relatively good value for money when they did flights from Cherbourg during the 70th anniversary.
I flew in the Breitling DC-3 from Cherbourg on 6 June 2014 for just 275 Euros. Flight time was 1hr including taxi time (which wasn't much). We flew over all the US drop zones and key battlegrounds, and out over Utah Beach. Five US C-130Js were overflying a DZ at we turned for the coast, which was pretty amazing to see "air to air" on a beautiful day. Easily one of my favourite experiences!
Which flight were you Elliott? I flew on the first flight of the day. Saw the C-130s whilst I was in St-Mere-Eglise.
Huw and I flew at 3pm, if I remember correctly. Booking was a total breeze, too. That whole weekend was genuinely amazing, no other words for it. Looking forward to doing it all again in 2019 - it'll be my fifth trip to Normandy, and the fourth over the D-Day anniversary period.
Very tempted to try and get over to France as well - a flight in a C-47/DC-3 over the beaches would be something else!
D-Day Squadron now launched covering the 17 aircraft currently coming over from the US. From a selfish perspective delighted to see Prestwick listed as a refueling stop.
I've skipped Duxford to be in Caen when they arrive. I want to see the round-canopy drops & fly over more significant areas, before relocating to La Ferte Alais at the following weekend for their annual show.