Douglas C-47 N62CC Virginia Ann | Mission Boston D-Day LLC

  • STATUS: Airworthy
  • LOCATION: Newport Beach, CA
  • OWNER: Mission Boston D-Day LLC
  • ROLE: Military Transport
  • BUILT: 1943
  • LENGTH: 63 ft 9 in 9.43 m
  • WINGSPAN:   987 ft 91.70 m
  • ENGINE:  2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines
  • MAXIMUM SPEED:   224 mph 360 km/h)
  • RANGE:  1,600 miles 2,575 km

Douglas C-47 N62CC Virginia Ann was built at Douglas Aircraft’s factory in Long Beach, California and was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force on September 21st, 1943. She was initially assigned to the 12th Air Force in January, 1944, but transferred to 59th Squadron of the 61st Troop Carrier Group in the 9th Air Force shortly thereafter. On D-Day, based at RAF Barkston Heath in England, Colonel Willis Mitchell chose Virginia Ann to lead the 61st Troop Carrier Group with her four squadrons, the 14th, 15th, 53rd and 59th containing 72 C-47s in total. They were carrying elements of the 2nd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne. Colonel Mitchell received the Purple Heart for injuries he sustained that early morning. Virginia Ann was involved in resupply and injured evacuation operations in the days following the June 6th invasion. The aircraft went on to participate in Operations Market Garden , the failed attempt to gain a foothold over the River Rhine and Operation Varsity which succeed in the Allies attempt to cross the northern Rhine River and from there enter Northern Germany.

 

Following WWII, Douglas C-47 N62CC Virginia Ann went on to a life in the civilian sector as a transport. Mission Boston D-Day LLC, of Newport Beach, California have owned the historic aircraft since 2016, and she is presently painted in the same livery she wore back in June, 1944.

 

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