Historic Douglas C-47 "Placid Lassie," WWII Combat Veteran of D-Day and Market Garden, to offer cockpit tours at Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show
The Military Aviation Museum is pleased to announce that the Tunison Foundation's C-47 "Placid Lassie," which towed gliders over Normandy, France on D-Day, dropped paratroopers in Operation Market Garden and resupplied the besieged city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, will be open for cockpit tours at their Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show, October 2nd & 3rd, 2021.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Sept. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Military Aviation Museum is pleased to announce that the Tunison Foundation's C-47 "Placid Lassie," which towed gliders over Normandy, France on D-Day, dropped paratroopers in Operation Market Garden and resupplied the besieged city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, will be attending their Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show, October 2nd & 3rd, 2021. This historic aircraft will be open for air show attendees to climb aboard and tour with the crew members of the D-Day Squadron and DC-3 Society.
This C-47 also has the distinction of being the lead aircraft of the D-Day Squadron, a fleet of 15 C-47's and DC-3's, who flew from the United States to Normandy, France to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in 2019. The airplane is being brought to Warbirds Over the Beach with the generous support of Delegate Barry Knight. Knight has been a long-time supporter of the Military Aviation Museum and of Warbirds Over the Beach, one of the nation's largest all-warbird air shows.
The museum has also announced a WWII Sherman Tank, from the Wheels of Liberation Organization will join the festivities as part of the Living History encampment at the event. The museum's collection of ultra-rare WWI biplanes and triplanes, and WWII fighters, bombers, amphibians, and trainers, will entertain the entire family over the two day air show.
Museum Director, Keegan Chetwynd explains, "Aircraft like Placid Lassie bring a piece of important American history to every community they visit. You can climb in the airplane, you can stand where the paratroopers stood before jumping out to begin the liberation of Europe, it's a special way to connect with and visit our history even for those who can't travel to Normandy to visit the beaches."
Tunison Foundation President, Eric Zipkin, who piloted the C-47 during the 75th Anniversary of D-Day said "Placid Lassie is an education tool and living history aircraft that inspires and motivates all people, young and old. We look forward to sharing her special story at the Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show."
For advance discounted tickets, visit the museum website at: https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/
If you have any questions, please call (757) 721-7767 or visit https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/. The Military Aviation Museum is located at 1341 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23457.
About the Military Aviation Museum:
A 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the world's largest collections of airworthy military aircraft from the first 50-years of flight. Truly a living museum, its aircraft are in restoration at facilities around the world. Besides the main Museum the Virginia Beach complex features additional exhibition spaces, including a mid-1930s Luftwaffe hangar, originally from Cottbus, Germany, which now serves to house the Museum's collection of WWII-vintage German aircraft. Additional structures include the WWI Hangar, and the original control tower from RAF Goxhill built in England in 1942. Visit http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org for more information or call 757-721-7767.
Contact: Jay Bess
Aircraft Promotion & Event Marketing Specialist
Military Aviation Museum
Phone: (770) 335 9835
E-mail: [email protected]
SOURCE Military Aviation Museum
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