Membury, Berkshire, UK: An American World War II era C-47 aircraft, better known in Britain as the Dakota, is set to take to the skies once again, thanks to Walker Logistics.
This aircraft and other like it played a key role in the D-Day landings. Christened Night Fright, it flew in every major airborne operation of WW2 from an airfield at Membury, Berkshire, where Walker Logistics is based.
“Membury was the departure point for hundreds of American troops heading for Normandy to take part in the D-Day landings and the C-47 in particular was synonymous with Membury,” says Walker Logistics’ head of marketing, Charlie Walker.
Initially Walker Logistics set out to find a wartime plane that had flown from Membury that could stand as a monument at the gates of the airfield to commemorate the role that the village had played in World War II.
But after ‘Night Fright’ was discovered in a scrap yard in Arkansas the plan quickly changed and it was decided to restore the plane to flying condition.
“I want to bring Night Fright back home again,” Walker said. A qualified pilot, he has been at the heart of the project and his passion for history and aviation – along with no small amount of hard work and determination – has been key to delivering what Walker hope will be “the most authentic flying C-47 anywhere in the world.”
Walker Logistics is also funding the development of a hangar to house Night Fright as well as a museum building to display a collection of artefacts and memorabilia.
Walker said: “We want to help educate all age groups about the history of Membury and the surrounding area during the Second World War: it’s about honouring past generations and educating future ones.
