DZ Normandy – The Employment of Troop Carrier Forces D-Day Training Documentary – C-47 CG-4 Horsa

Okay, this is simply the best, most thorough film about D-Day airborne operations, including a history of previous important troop carrier missions like the Sicily invasion. It is called “DZ Normandy — The Employment of Troop Carrier Forces”. The rare nuggets of history in this Army Air Forces film about airborne assaults in World War II include test footage of aircraft as diverse as a B-25, P-38, PBY Catalina, B-17, and C-54 towing CG-4 gliders aloft.

When British Horsa gliders were assigned to some American units before D-Day in 1944, scenes show American national star insignia carefully painted by hand. The wealth of day-to-day details in this film make it worth watching.
Planners for the D-Day airborne operation went to great lengths to avoid a repeat of the friendly fire incidents that occurred during the Sicily invasion the previous year. Invasion stripes are shown being applied with rough brushes not long before the invasion. Remember the dummy parachutists in the movie “The Longest Day”? Reference is made in this documentary training film of British Stirling bombers performing decoy missions including dropping dummies.
If “Memphis Belle” is the go-to AAF film about strategic bomber operations, “DZ Normandy — The Employment of Troop Carrier Forces” stands out as the best schooling in the important, and sometimes overlooked, sphere of troop carrier aviation in World War II. It is a professional and entertaining film, with footage not seen elsewhere.
While you’re here, explore the Airailimages video collection. We’re sure you will find more films, new and old, to your liking. And smack the Subscribe button if you have not already done so. We appreciate it.

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