The Military Aviation Museum 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 Tunison Foundation, 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.”
This show culminates with the one-year anniversary celebration of the DC-3 Society which exists to define, document, and display all the accomplishments of the DC-3 in war and peace, while representing members from enthusiasts to owners and operators of the Douglas airframe.
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.
