12 July 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Combat Air Museum hosted a very historic World War II aircraft on Monday.
That’s All, Brother”, a C-47A Skytrain troop transport that led the Allied Airborne Invasion over Normandy, D-Day, June 6th, 1944 made a stop in Topeka on Monday. The C-47A got it’s name from its D-Day crew as a message to Adolf Hitler.
During the remainder of WWII, That’s All, Brother served in Operation Dragoon, Market Garden, the Relief of Bastogne and Operation Varsity. After the war, the aircraft was sold as surplus and its contribution to history almost forgotten.
In 2015, the Commemorative Air Force group rescued the aircraft from a boneyard, and completed restoration to its WWII configuration in 2018. In June 2019, it returned to England and France for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, flying over Omaha Beach on June 6, 2019 and plans to return to Europe for the 80th anniversary commemorations in June 2024.
The Commemorative Air Force group has become the world’s largest flying museum. Their fleet of over 170 World War II airplanes are assigned to unit locations across the U.S. and overseas, supported by over 19,000 volunteer members. Nearly all the aircraft are kept in flying condition.
Anyone interested in experiencing this history can take a tour of the plane and even take a flight in the historic aircraft. That’s All, Brother will be at the Topeka Regional Airport July 10-13 with tours Monday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Flights in the aircraft are available Tuesday through Thursday starting at 11 a.m. Some tour availability will be interrupted by ride flights.