If you have any questions about our Battlefield Tours please ring one of our expert holiday advisers who will be able to help you.
D-Day Dakota Experience & Operation Overlord
For an experience of a lifetime, join our exclusively chartered Douglas Dakota DC3 aircraft, one of the best-known aircraft in the world today, to return or take you to your battlefield tour in Normandy!
The C47 (DC3) is remembered as the first air journey for thousands of service men, taking them to combat or taking them home after the war.
A legend in her own time, and with only 36 seats, the Douglas DC3 airliner is amongst the world's most enduring and greatest creations of the century. Over 1500 were still in service at the recent 65th anniversary of its maiden flight in 1935.
The DC3 has been known by many names: the Skytrain; Skytrooper; Dak; Dakota; Tabby; Spooky; Puff the magic dragon; the Doug, and the Gooney Bird. The aircraft has had many roles in its lifetime and was widely used during WW11, seeing action over Normandy, proving itself to be the outstanding all purpose transport aircraft of the war, easily modified for dropping parachute troops and glider towing. It could carry 20 fully equipped paratroopers, or tow a Horsa or smaller type glider, and was used extensively in Airborne operations.
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Holiday Itinerary
4-Day Break - Coach out, Fly back
- Day 1 – Today we travel by coach from Coventry or an alternative airport(TBA), or your local joining point to Normandy for a three-night stay.
- Day 2 – THE BRITISH SECTOR (included). Full day with your specialist Battlefields Guide. Follow the progress of the British 6th Airborne Division – see Ranville Cemetery, Pegasus Bridge and Café Gondré. Continue along the British and Canadian beaches to Arromanches and Bayeux. B
- Day 3 – MERVILLE BATTERY (optional) and THE AMERICAN SECTOR (included). A visit to the Merville Battery, a huge German casemate built to fire shells directly onto Sword Beach, disarmed by the 9th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, commanded by Lt. Col. Terence Otway D.S.O., on the morning of 6th June 1944. It is now a restored museum. Later, visit the Bréville Ridge, an important sector of high ground, where your guide will retell the story of the battles for the Eastern flank and the many attempts to take the City of Caen. We visit Ste Mère Église in the afternoon, the burning landing site for many of the aptly named U.S. Paras, the Screaming Eagles and the All-Americans. Utah Beach and the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach are also included. B
- Day 4 – We transfer by coach to the airport at Caen for your return Dakota flight to Southend or Coventry airport, then make your own way home. B
5-Day Break - Fly out, Coach back
- Day 1 – Make your own way to the airport for your Dakota flight to Caen in Normandy. We then transfer by coach to our hotel, where we stay for four nights.
- Day 2 – THE BRITISH SECTOR (see above). B
- Day 3 – MERVILLE BATTERY and THE AMERICAN SECTOR (see above). B
- Day 4 – INLAND BATTLES (included). We investigate the ‘inland battles’, including Jerusalem Cemetery and Villers Bocage, covering the story of German tank ace, Michael Wittmann. You’ll also study ‘Operation Epsom’ and Hill 112. In the afternoon, we visit the ‘Falaise Pocket’ walking and driving the ‘Corridor of Death’ – the only escape route for two German armies. Our day ends at the Polish Memorial at Montormel. B
- Day 5 – Journey to Calais, then return by coach to Coventry or Southend airport, or your local joining point. B
B=Breakfast Br=Brunch L=Lunch D=Dinner
