D-Day flypast: 34 aircraft CONFIRMED to fly over Essex - including THREE British planes
THE D-Day flypast over Essex commemorating the 75th anniversary of the historic landing will be composed of at least 34 aircraft, three of which are British.
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The event will see a group of at least 34 planes making six flypasts at approximately 1,000 to 1,5000 feet over two Essex locations. The majority of aircraft that has been confirmed are from the US, including the C-47 ‘That’s All Brother’, the C-53 N534BE ‘The Duchess of Dakota’ and the Super DC-3S N29TN. However, Britons will be able to admire three British aircraft, the C-47 N473DC ‘Drag ‘em Oot’, the C47 ZA947 ‘Kwicherbichen’ and the C-47 N147DC.
The celebrations, the schedule of which has been confirmed today, will see a number of planes visible to the public at Duxford airfield.
Later that day, 11 aircraft will be used in a mass parachute jump carried out by roughly 220 paratroopers from around the world.
On the following day, June 5, the planes will take off from Duxford airfield between 1.40pm and 2.05pm and make their way over Essex towards Eastbourne.
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The aircraft are expected to fly over Colchester at around 2.21pm and should reach Southend by 2.29pm.
From there, the planes will then fly past Maidstone in Kent at around 2.37pm, reaching Eastbourne at around 2.50pm.
Organisers have let known all timings are subjected to change on the day according to a series of factors.
This flyover is part of a wide range of events organised by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to commemorate the D-Day landing.
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More than 4,000 personnel, 11 Royal Navy vessels and multiple aircraft - including a Spitfire - are set to attend the celebrations taking place across the UK and France, the MoD said.
One of the most emotional events in programme will see the MV Boudicca, a specially-chartered ship, transporting 300 Normandy veterans across the channel to Normandy before sunset on June 5.
The MV Boudicca will be escorted by a Royal Navy vessel, representing the famous crossing 75 years before.
Another unmissable event will also be the inauguration at the site of the Normandy Memorial Trust’s British Normandy Memorial.
There will also be a number of Royal British Legion’s services at Bayeux Cathedral and Bayeux Cemetery.
US President Donald Trump will attend the D-Day commemorations in Portsmouth on the last day of his three-day state visit to the UK, between June 3 and 5.
Mr Trump will be joined by his wife Melania and are likely to be staying at Windsor Castle.