U.S. Airborne in Cotentin Peninsula



 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


  The Flight Formation

The Troop Carrier Groups flew in their traditional "V of Vs"; where three planes flew as a "V" and three "Vs" made a flight of nine planes. (see diagram)
For Operation Neptune, the C-47s traveled predominantly in serials of 36 or 45 aircraft made up of nine-plane "V of Vs."

#1
#3
#2
#7
#4
#9
#8
#6
#5

The pilots relied on visual sightings to keep their tight formations. Within each "V" or wing, the planes flew 100 feet apart. At night, only three small blue lights glowed atop the wings and the fuselage.

Mission Albany
101st A/B
 
Mission Boston
82nd A/B
 
 
Glider missions
 
Resupply missions

click on each serial (if available) to see the formation chart.

The construction of these formation charts was made possible with the help of :
- Randy Hils / Mark Durivage : www.440thtcg.org
- Dave Berry
- Randy Lewis : Snow camp, NC
- Brian N. Siddall : www.airborneinnormandy.com
- Charles D. Young : www.usaaftroopcarrier.com
- Hugh J. Rafferty : Radio Operator 99th TCS - 441st TCG
- Airborne Demontration Team via Gordon Stewart : www.wwiiadt.org
- Hans den Brok : www.airbornetroopcarrier.com
- Neil Stevens : Friends of the WWII 437th TCG
- Neil Jones
- Pim Van Gelder
- Mark Vlahos : Historian 314th TCG

If you have any information about a plane or a serial please contact me and help us to fill the gaps.