C-47 flying over the Normandy beaches in 15 mins

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 987

Great stuff Taigh. My wife and I want to visit Normandy some day. In June 2004, six months before her father died in 2005, he casually mentioned that he drove a landing craft at Normandy. I was stunned and naturally started to ask questions. He did not give me or remember much information and skillfully changed the subject. He had never told anyone in the family.

When I asked about the when and where on his landings he only said, "I did not drive the ones with the troops, my ship had the tanks on them."

Chappie

Pathfinder · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 587

Taigh--

It drives me nuts that there are no examples of the 717C displayed...someplace. There are several formerly equipped C-47s around.

096 at the New Orleans museum would be the best candidate and the 717C details were part of the specs I gave them when I provided the history of the plane, but it didn't make the priority list. (Don't even talk to me about NASSCAR stripes!)

200 is sitting in an outdoor museum in Alaska and was a late war PF plane with 717C.

There are two or three serial leaders flying or in museums that should still have the hole in the lower fuselage for the antenna-dish post. (Which is not more that 1.5 inches)

The bulk of what is seen is just a big giant plastic tub protecting the dish. Removal of the tub and antenna array was not that difficult as I have reference in one PF Group operational diary indicating that they removed the 717C's for VARSITY when the PF Group was to be used in the conventional troop carrier mode, and remounted them when they got back. TCC ops orders always state that aircraft with 717C will not use parapacks. (So when you get that airframe you can't do the radar pod AND that stash of container racks you have. You're going to need TWO airframes!)

I have the schematic out of the manual but the exact measurements of the tub are not given. By adding up the size of the individual components and allowing for clearances I figured the diameter of the tub at around 34-36 inches.

C-47s were pulled off the line in blocks of three, four or five sequential tail numbers and tapped for radar upgrades. For instance the sequence 42-93096, 97, 98 and 99 were equipped and flew with Pathfinder School/Group. In other blocks a plane or two may wind up in the Pathfinder Group--or be detailed to an organization as Group or serial leader. (A while back I did a survey of known PF tail numbers and known serial leaders in Normandy which showed the sequential tail numbers.)

All lead crews were trained on the equipment by the Pathfinder School, but the crews were not necessarily full time Pathfinder personnel.

patelie · **Posted:** Fri Aug 10, 2012 11:54 am

Mark Allen M wrote:

Hello
This picture is not good and must be flipped horizontaly

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7856

patelie · **Posted:** Fri Aug 10, 2012 12:39 pm

I confirm. No longer there

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7856

Pathfinder · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 587

Bravo Patrick! Thanks for getting us turned the right way!

patelie · **Posted:** Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:48 am

Mark Allen M wrote:

Hello

Take care about this photograph without caption. This photograph was taken by Jean Marie Lézec / La presse de la Manche during....... The longest day in 1961!

If you want to see another 'Then and Now' check here:
http://www.6juin1944.com/album/thennow/index.php

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7856

Archer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:13 pm **Posts:** 440

Great photos Taigh! I've followed your Harpoon thread for a while now and noticed that you would be visiting Europe, but having just returned from Normandy myself it is uncanny that you've posted photos of the same places that I visited and almost on the same day! We were at Arromanches beach on 7/28, St. Mere-Eglise and Utah Beach on 7/29 and wandering around Caen on 7/30. I didn't notice the DC-3 flying around, a real shame I missed that, but thanks for sharing it with us this way.

Just out of curiosity: any non aviation items on the itinerary for this trip? :wink:

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:19 pm

We were in St Mere Eglise and Utah on the 29th. Over the Beaches, St Mere Eglise in the DC-3 on the 30th. We just missed each other.

Mark Allen M wrote:

Just out of curiosity: any non aviation items on the itinerary for this trip?

Although it is hard to tell from the WIX post, aviation was a small part of the trip. Here is a web page that I made for family and friends without any special interest folks in mind. Way too many family vacation photos for most to endure!

http://www.twinbeech.com/europe2012.htm

Archer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:13 pm **Posts:** 440

I had a quick look through those photos (you're right, there's a lot of them :wink:

) and had another look at the photos you posted in this thread but I cannot find myself in the background of your photos, nor can I find any of your group in the background on mine. So we may have walked past each other on the 29th but we'll never know! Anyway it looks as though you guys thoroughly enjoyed your European trip so I guess it was worth missing OSH for it. Thanks again for sharing this with us and I'm looking forward to the next updates on the Harpoon. :-D

Taigh Ramey · **Posted:** Fri Aug 17, 2012 6:54 pm

Speaking of long winded replies in the form of photos. Here are way too many shots of the Imperial War Museum both downtown London and Duxford. I am sure that you all have seen these kinds of shots before but just in case here is a tour from our perspective.

Two very kind Gentleman arranged for my family and I to get inside the B-29 that my Father navigated across the Atlantic ocean in 1980. My Dad used his original WWII sextant and astro compass to get the B-29 across the pond in the days before GPS. I got to see my Dad do what he did in WWII. I believe that my Dad was the last real B-29 navigator.

So thanks to WIX member Bomberflight (pictured above smiling) from my family and myself for making this happen. My kids sat in the seat at the Nav table for photos. I have shots of my Father in the same place in WWII and in this very seat in B-29 Hawg Wild from February, 1980 so thanks again Pete for your kindness and generosity. He spent his whole day showing us around. I hope I can repay the favor some day.

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C-47 flying over the Normandy beaches in 15 mins

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