Duxford, UK — A Spitfire, which brought down the first enemy aircraft during D-Day, will be returning to the sky this weekend.
The Supermarine Spitfire IXT ML407 will be one of several World War II planes taking part in the D-Day Anniversary Air Show at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in Duxford.
Known as The Grace Spitfire, the aircraft is believed to have shot down the first enemy plane on the Normandy beach-head.
Flying Officer Johnnie Houlton, who is credited as shooting down the aircraft while flying the ML407, said: “Supreme Headquarters nominated the first Ju88 I had destroyed as the first enemy aircraft to be shot down since the invasion began, putting 485 (NZ) Spitfire Squadron at the top of the scoreboard for D-Day.”
The ML407 will be just one of many historic planes making an appearance at the IWM this weekend.
Another will be the Douglas C-47, which was the lead plane of the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron during the early hours of D-Day.
Sent by the National Warplane Museum of Geneseo, New York, the aircraft was responsible for dropping paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division near St-Mère-Église.
Another, the C-47 Skytrain ‘Drag-em-oot’, still bears the bullet scars from recovering gliders from Normandy.
World War II aircraft said to have shot down first enemy plane on D-Day to take part in IWM, Duxford, airshow