Just reading about plans to assemble as many Dakotas as possible for parachute drops over the landing zones in Normandy between June 3 and 8 - to be carried out by the Round Canopy Para Team. With possibly as many as 15 Dakotas available, this could be a sight to stir the blood! When out with the NOBS on the 60th Anniversary, in convoy with the French Juno Group, we were lucky enough to be stopped on the approach to Ranville while a couple of Dakotas delivered blokes from the Para Regt using round chutes. As they landed in the wheatfields around us with the village of Ranville in the near distance, it was a fantastic goosebumps moment! Ferg

Sounds good Ferg. I'll ask Google if there's an itinerary for the Dakota drop as it'd certainly be something to see

My neighbour was an instructor with the paras and he was in the last big drop over Normandy. All dressed in ww2 kit, he says it was the best experience of his instructing career. What a buzz eh. I've only done one drop myself but would love to do that one.

email (option): dwrudd@lineone.net

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota is certainly in training for something big. I live just a few miles down the road from its base at RAF Conningsby and it's been over my house at about 200 feet several times in the last few days. What a fabulous old thing.

The 16 Air Assault Brigade mass Jump over Ranville on June 5th http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25951403 Ian.

email (option): ianhince@tiscali.co.uk

Hopefully any events etc will allow us to see them over Normandy, I certainly want to see it going on..

email (option): kit247@hotmail.com