Behind the Wings

The D-Day Air Campaign - Episode 46


Listen Later

National Museum of WWII Aviation Curator Gene Pfeffer discusses why winning the air war was pivotal to D-Day's success.


In this episode, we’ll dive into the planning and execution of air operations, the aircraft that supported the massive assault, the continued aerial support for troops after Operation Overlord, and its lasting legacy and impact on aviation. June 6, 2024, marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day and gave us the opportunity to learn more about one of the most important battles of WWII. This one is going to be cool!


Key Takeaways:

  • Gene takes us through the evolution of aircraft spurred by World War II, from biplanes to jets.
  • Although America hadn't yet entered the war, planning for D-Day began in 1940, outlining what exactly would be required for the invasion.
  • In 1943, it was decided that the Allies could not win the invasion without air superiority. Leading up to D-Day, the Allies focused heavily on eliminating the German Air Force as a factor, and on June 6, the German Air Force had 300 sorties while the Allies had 13,000.
  • The day before Operation Overlord, the Allies painted invasion stripes on their airplanes under the cover of darkness. Due to the massive amount of aircraft, the paint scheme helped mitigate friendly fire.
  • Multiple kinds of aircraft participated in the invasion and each had specific roles. To name a few, the C-47s towed gliders or dropped paratroopers, B-17s, 24s, and 26s dropped bombs, P-47s acted as flying artillery, and P-38s flew cover over the ships.
  • After D-Day, the Allies used their air power to aid troops with strategic bombings like Operation Cobra, targeting German oil and V-2 centers, and providing medical aid.
  • Gene encourages anyone interested in aerospace to visit your local museum and get involved.

Resources:

  • The National Museum of WWII Aviation Website 
  • Operation Overlord: D-Day (National Museum of the U.S. Air Force) 
  • Operation Overlord (Wikipedia) 
  • Air War During Operation Overlord (Wikipedia) 
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Behind the WingsBy Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum™

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

23 ratings


More shows like Behind the Wings

View all
Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast by Aviation Week Network

Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast

383 Listeners

The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe by The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

40,804 Listeners

Hangar Talk - An Aviation Podcast by AOPA

Hangar Talk - An Aviation Podcast

103 Listeners

Pilot to Pilot by Justin Siems

Pilot to Pilot

923 Listeners

AvTalk - Aviation Podcast by Flightradar24

AvTalk - Aviation Podcast

675 Listeners

"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast by AOPA Air Safety Institute

"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast

292 Listeners

Fighter Pilot Podcast by E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello, Retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot

Fighter Pilot Podcast

1,853 Listeners

Flight Safety Detectives by flightsafetydetectives

Flight Safety Detectives

314 Listeners

The Afterburn Podcast by John "Rain" Waters

The Afterburn Podcast

912 Listeners

10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit by Steve Davies

10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit

165 Listeners

Combat Story by Ryan Fugit

Combat Story

1,271 Listeners

I Learned About Flying From That by Flying Magazine

I Learned About Flying From That

182 Listeners

Unsubscribe Podcast by UnsubscribePodcast

Unsubscribe Podcast

2,039 Listeners

The Merge by The Merge

The Merge

341 Listeners

The Economics of Everyday Things by Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

The Economics of Everyday Things

1,600 Listeners