Two DC-3s of the D-Day Squadron’s “Mighty 15” performed a special World War II commemorative formation flyover of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival April 27, 2022, following the screening of “Into Flight Once More.”
The movie, from Sound Off Films, depicts the D-Day Squadron’s historic journey to Europe in June 2019.
Narrated by Gary Sinise, the film brings to life the stories of World War II veterans, crews, and an historic reenactment of “Operation Overlord,” the code name for the Battle of Normandy, which took place on June 6, 1944.
The fly-over, timed for the end of a question and answer session with the producers after the film’s premier, was led by the C-47 “Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber” and joined by the C-53 “Spirit of Benovia.”
Both aircraft flew in formation over the film festival and downtown area, staging out of the nearby Estrella Warbird Museum in Paso Robles, where the public was invited to see the aircraft up close, and talk to the crews who fly these historic aircraft. Joining the two aircraft at the museum was the DC-3 “Kippie Lee.”
Future screenings of the films will include historic DC-3 fly-overs, the presence of World War II veterans, and public aircraft displays, according to D-Day Squadron officials.
Later this week, the D-Day Squadron and DC-3 Society plan to participate in the second annual W&R Vets organized “JUMPFEST” in Xenia, Ohio, to celebrate 101st Airborne paratrooper and veteran Jim “Pee Wee” Martin’s 101st birthday.
World War II reenactment jump teams will assemble and load at the Lewis A. Jackson Greene County Regional Airport (I19) in Dayton, Ohio. The public is welcome to attend the event, which is slated for April 29-30, to see parachutists jump from the C-47 “Placid Lassie” of the Tunison Foundation and the C-47 “Tico Belle” of the Valiant Air Command.
On May 21, 2022, the D-Day Squadron will participate in the GI Film Festival in San Diego, California, where the movie will be shown at 4:30 p.m.
For tickets to the GI Film Festival click here.
Additional film festivals and film premiers are in the works for June 2022, officials noted.
For more information on the D-Day Squadron, go to DDaySquadron.org.
You can also sign up to host your own screening of the new film here.