The Commemorative Air Force (CAF), the world’s largest organization dedicated to the preservation and operation of airworthy military history, has announced a collaboration with Barnstormer USA, an aviation-themed apparel company, in preparation for the Legacy Tour 2024, a series of airshow appearances and commemorative flights in England, France, and Germany in memory of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy and the 80th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The CAF is among the U.S.-based operators of the DC-3/C-47/C-53 that is sending one of their World War II veteran aircraft to Europe for the Legacy Tour, organized by the D-Day Squadron and European partners.
The collaboration with Barnstormer USA specifically benefits the CAF Central Texas Wing, which operates the 1944 Douglas C-47 Skytrain That’s All, Brother, the very aircraft that led the main airborne invasion of Normandy on June 6th, 1944. The CAF completed the restoration of That’s All, Brother in 2018, and the Central Texas Wing brought her to Europe for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion the following year. The cost of bringing a C-47 across the Atlantic Ocean and back, including training, participating in commemorative flights in Europe, and maintenance, is estimated to exceed $200,000. To help alleviate these costs, Barnstormer USA has released a commemorative hoodie, from which a portion of the profits will benefit the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. The hoodie features embroidered CAF and Central Texas Wing insignia, the That’s All, Brother nose art, and D-Day invasion stripes, and is available for order in sizes from XS to XXXL at this link for $130, with deliveries expected in March 2024.
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Luc Zipkin grew up in Middlebury, Connecticut, in a family passionate about aviation, inspired by his grandfather who became a pilot after WWII. Luc soloed in gliders at 14 and flew a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub at 16. Now a commercial pilot and flight instructor, he runs a tailwheel flight school. He volunteers with the Tunison Foundation, the Commemorative Air Force, and private warbird collections. As the founder of Young Pilots USA, Luc's writing has appeared in AOPA Pilot and EAA's SportAviation. He joined Vintage Aviation News in 2023 and is pursuing a degree in politics, history, and engineering design at Wesleyan University.
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