The Aircraft Supporting D-Day
« Supporting Operation Overlord were more than 11,000 planes. Above the chaos on the beach, these airmen provided air cover and strafed reinforced concrete strongholds. Through the smoke-filled gray skies flew P-51 Mustangs, P-47 Thunderbolts, Supermarine Spitfires, and Hawker Hurricanes. Behind the lines cutting off supplies and reinforcements by attacking trains, convoys and factories flew bombers like A20 Havocs, B-26 Marauders, Avro Lancasters, and P-38 Lightnings. Transporting and dropping airborne assault troops behind the Germans before the beach landings were C-47 Dakotas. Carrying soldiers inland to attack the German’s flanks were British and American glider aircraft like the CG-5 Hadrin and A.S. 51 Horsas.
To ensure the Allied aircraft were not targeted by friendly-fire in all the chaos of war, the allies painted stripes on the plane’s wings. This was kept secret and only revealed to the troops who would take part a couple days ahead of the first waves. A flyover was scheduled to familiarize allied forces with the markings.
We salute the men who 79 years ago sprinted across the deadly beaches of Normandy to begin the difficult fight of ending Germany’s occupation of Europe. These men are the heroes of the Greatest Generation who fought in World War II. »
« Supporting Operation Overlord were more than 11,000 planes. Above the chaos on the beach, these airmen provided air cover and strafed reinforced concrete strongholds. Through the smoke-filled gray skies flew P-51 Mustangs, P-47 Thunderbolts, Supermarine Spitfires, and Hawker Hurricanes. Behind the lines cutting off supplies and reinforcements by attacking trains, convoys and factories flew bombers like A20 Havocs, B-26 Marauders, Avro Lancasters, and P-38 Lightnings. Transporting and dropping airborne assault troops behind the Germans before the beach landings were C-47 Dakotas. Carrying soldiers inland to attack the German’s flanks were British and American glider aircraft like the CG-5 Hadrin and A.S. 51 Horsas.
To ensure the Allied aircraft were not targeted by friendly-fire in all the chaos of war, the allies painted stripes on the plane’s wings. This was kept secret and only revealed to the troops who would take part a couple days ahead of the first waves. A flyover was scheduled to familiarize allied forces with the markings.
We salute the men who 79 years ago sprinted across the deadly beaches of Normandy to begin the difficult fight of ending Germany’s occupation of Europe. These men are the heroes of the Greatest Generation who fought in World War II. »
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Posted by Matthew Goboko on 06/06/2023 at 06:38 PM on the wall of Goboko (official).
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