L-BIRDS TO NORMANDY
D-DAY 75th ANNIVERSARY
8th of June 2019. L-BIRDS BACK TO NORMANDY.
This was my last day in Normandy, France. Our final destination was a small airfield near Evreux.
The name of the airfield was Saint Andre de L'Eure, a very cosy airfield.
The purpose of this event was to gather 75 L-birds and fly over the beaches in Normandy on the 6th of June.
At the website about 50 aircraft were confirmed but also here the weather changed all the nice plans. Because of the storm on Friday they needed to find shelter for almost 40-50 aircraft which was very difficult, nevertheless they where able to give shelter towards 20 - 30 aircraft. The other aircraft returned home.
We have noticed during our visit about 20 - 25 different L-Birds. Most of them Piper L-4.
This time the organisation was perfect, including some nice goodies, a tasteful pizza and off course lots of aircraft. Also a surprising visit of the Patrouille the France during the day. This was a very nice, calm and cosy event.
What are L-birds : the L is standing for 'Liaison' and those aircraft are used in WWII for artillery observation or transporting commanders and messages, also battlefield reconnaissance, air ambulance, column control, light cargo delivery and similar duties. Aircraft marked with L were mostly used by the United States.
Mainly used by the United States : Stinson L-1 'Vigilant' / Taylorcraft L-2 / Aeronca L-3 / O-58 'Defender' / Piper L-4 or 'Grashopper' / Stinson L-5 'Sentinel' /Sikorsky R4 (helicopter)
UK : Taylorcraft Auster
Germany : Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
List with participants mentioned on the official website and some additional aircraft arrived during the day. (type/reg/country/based)
marked in bold = noticed during my visit
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / OY-ECS / Denmark / Vamdrup
- Piper L-4 *J3C-65 CUB / EC-GQE / Spain / Ocana
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BPUR / UK / Popham
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-BCPK / France / Amiens
- Piper L-4 *J3C-65 CUB / F-AYEZ / France / Lille Marcq
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-BEGD / France / Chavenay
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-AYZA / France / Saint Andre de L'Eure
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-BFMQ / France / Avignon
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BDOL / UK / Bidford
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-AYAY / France / Saint Andre de L'Eure
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BILI / UK / RAF Halton
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-FINT / UK / Eggesford Airfield
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BHPK / UK / Priory Farm Tibenham
- Piper L-14 * J3C-65 CUB / EC-AAP / Spain / Cuatro Vientos
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / EC-AJY / Spain / Cuatro Vientos
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / HB-OGZ / Switzerland / Sitterdorf
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-AXHR / UK / Great Oakley
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BOXJ / UK / Rochester Airport
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-AISX / UK / Wycombe Air Park
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / N-29EG / Netherlands / Hoogeveen
- Auster 5 MkV / F-PAFL / France / Berdoues
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / D-EJIZ / France / Meaux
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-CGIY / UK / Leeds
- Auster 5 MkV / OY-EFI / Denmark / Ringsted
- Stinson L-5 / HB-TRY / Switzerland / Grenchen
- Stinson L-5 / F-AYLV / France / Saint Andre de L'Eure
- Piper L-4 * J-3C-90 CUB / G-AXGP / UK / Goose Green
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / LN-RAP / Norway / Kjeller Aerodrome
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BROR / UK / Sturgate
- Heliopolis Gomhouria Mk.6 (TP+WX) / G-TPWX / UK / Leicester Aero Club
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-BFYI / Belgium / Valenciennes
- Fairchild 24 / F-PBCM / France / Berdoues
- Bücker Bu-131 Jungmann / F-AZZF / France / Meaux
- Stinson L-5 / I-MEMA / Italy / Voghera
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / PH-UCS / Netherlands / Vliegveld Midden-Zeeland
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / G-BBLH / UK / Biggin Hill
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / HB-OUN / Switzerland / Buttwil
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / F-PCMM / France / St. Dizier
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / I-GRAS / Italy / Boglietto
- De HAVILLAND DH-82A Tiger Moth / F-AZEI / France / Bernay
- Cessna L-19 E 'Bird Dog' / F-AZTA / France / ?????
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / LN-SAI / Norway / Lillestrom
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / LN-MAV / Norway / Sessheim
- Aeronca 65 Superchief/Defender (L-3/O-58) / G-BRHP / UK / ?????
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / OY-ECV / Denmark / ?????
- Piper L-4 * J3C-65 CUB / OY-AFG / Denmark / ?????
link : https://www.l-birds.fr