Watch this stunning aerial footage of 30 Dakota aircraft departures from Duxford to Normandy

This one has audio of those glorious engines... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KYw6xOvRzo

Great video. Did that first plane (around 18 seconds into the video) look like it was taking off with its rear door open?

Airplanes of that era are SO MUCH better looking than today's airplanes...

Proud to see N877MG DC-3/C-47B owned by the Historical Flight Foundation of Paine Field (Everett, WA) take off as part of this historic flotilla. This a/c actually spent time in WWII fling the Burma Hump

Open or removed. Many of the planes used to drop paratroopers at that time had the doors removed.

Last time I was manifested for a C-47 jump the plane had mechanical problems and wound up in the 82nd Airborne Division Museum. Same with the C-119.

Some of them are Lisunov Li-2, a Russian-made Dakota licensed from Douglas

My comment should have been "FLYING" over the Burma Hump during WWII.

Are you sure it was over 30 aircraft? I know 2 were not able to fly on the day and that others promised for Duxford did not arrive. I believe the final number taking off for Normandy was 21. Can you confirm please?

WOW.. Nice... Thanks for sharing.

what a great shot of these great old aircraft

My dads good friend Gene Ragsdale "Uncle Gene" was piloting one of the gliders towed behind a C-47 caring troops on the night before D Day. Gladly both he and his brother :uncle Bruce" survived the war.