WWII Fly Over: “Into Flight Once More”

WWII DC-3 “Into Flight Once More”

By Camille DeVaul

It has been 78 years since Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy for what would later be known as the turning point in World War II. That day was June 6, 1944 — D-Day.

More than 160,000 troops landed on the 50-mile stretch of the French coastline that day for an operation that would result in over 9,000 wounded and dead troops but also allowed more than 100,000 allied forces to push on and begin the downfall of the Nazi regime.

In 2019, D-Day Squadron, a nonprofit organization, made it their mission to recreate the infamous day for its 75th anniversary. They documented the process, interviewing WWII veterans throughout the journey.

Narrated by Gary Sinise, the documentary takes viewers through the original film of the day to “the present through the lens of one squadron and their epic recreation journey across the North Atlantic to Normandy for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.”

Originally planned to premiere in 2020, the film is finally making its way to big screens this year.

World War II DC-3 plane “Spirit of Benovia” flew over San Luis Obispo last month to commemorate the premiere of “Into Flight Once More” at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. The Spirit of Benovia was just one of the planes used in the recreation of D-Day and flew to Europe in 2019 for the project.

Paso Robles Press Magazine/ Atascadero News Magazine was invited to participate in the flyover on Wednesday, April 27, to celebrate the premiere.

The flyover started at the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles. Then, following the timeline of narration at the film’s premiere, the Spirit of Benovia flew over downtown SLO with a plane wave to the crowd below.

The Spirit of Benovia was first 40 | pasoroblesmagazine.com

flown in 1942 to support the Allied Forces against Japan during World War II. Following its war career, it was sold to the Civil Air Transport in Taiwan and helped transport Chinese nationalists from China to Taiwan following the Communists’ takeover.

Throughout filming, the crew met veterans at each stop of the journey from the United States to France, joining with more planes that flew during wartime. The crew visited Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, the U.K., and finally France before heading back to the U.S. World War II veteran men and women tell their stories and experiences through the war in the film.

Along with the Spirit of Benovia, 14 other DC-3 planes flew to France for the recreation of D-Day: • Pan Am Express • That’s All Brother • D-Day Doll • Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber • Miss Virginia • Virginia Ann • Flabobb Express • Placid Lacie • Miss Montana • 101st Airborne Tribute • Legend Airways’ Liberty’ • Hap-Penstance N342A • Clipper Tabitha May N33611 • DC-3-201 N18121

Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber calls the Estrella Warbirds Museum home and can be seen flying over Paso Robles nearly every weekend. Now owned by the Gooney Bird Group in Templeton, Betsy is actually a C-47 first accepted into the U.S. Army Air Force on September 4, 1944. She served in the 9th Air Force in Europe but was too late into service for D-Day.

Betsy’s name comes from her time in the Berlin Air Lift in 1948. In later years, the plan served with the Belgian, French and Israeli air forces until retirement in the early 1990s. Many planes from the wartime era were converted for civilian transportation, including the Spirit of Benovia. However, Betsy was never converted and remains one of the most authentic planes of her kind still flying.

Filming “Into Flight Once More” was a collaborative effort between D-Day Squadron, a DC-3 Society, and their supporters. Sound Off Films was the producer of the film. The D-Day Squadron is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving aviation history and honoring veterans.  For more information on “Into Flight Once More,” visit intoflightoncemore.com

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