DUXFORD, ENGLAND – The parachutes filled the skies over the French coast Wednesday as Miss Montana and other historical aircraft completed their drop off of dozens of paratroopers as part of the 75th anniversary events marking “D-Day.”
D-Day is the military term for the first day of the Normandy landings, which was the largest amphibious invasion ever undertaken and laid the foundations for the Allied defeat of Germany in World War II, according to CNN.
After spending a few days practicing final jumps, the planes that were part of the “D-Day Squadron” flew across the English Channel to drop their main “invasion force” of jumpers over the French coast.
The weather has not been perfect, but the flights have been going well.
Miss Montana, the restored C-47, was the sixth plane in formation, dropping its paratroopers, including a number of Montana Smokejumpers, around 11 a.m. Montana time.
Thousands of people gazed up into the cloudy evening skies to watch the sight.
The plane was restored in a year-long volunteer effort by the Museum of Mountain Flying.
Click here to follow along with Miss Montana’s D-Day journey.
-Reported by Dennis Bragg/MTN News
