Flights from £599
Fly in the Dragon Rapide or T6 Harvard, wing to wing with the Douglas R4D, C47 Skytrain.
This is a truly unique, once in a lifetime experiences.
The historic U.S. Navy Second World War aircraft Ready 4 Duty is honouring the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in 1945, paying tribute to the sacrifices of American and Allied sailors and airmen during the Second World War. Its 12,000-mile journey has taken it from Texas in the United States of America, across the Atlantic, and eventually to IWM Duxford, where it will be based over the summer.
You will fly in formation with this iconic aircraft giving a unique view and amazing photo opportunity.
Included in this amazing experience is a souvenir photo, a meet and greet with the R4D pilot and a tour of the aircraft.
Availability
Dates is limited to Sunday 13th July 2025.
Spectator Information
Please note spectators must enter the Imperial War Museum to watch the activities, but will receive a 50% discount on the usual entrance fee.
Restrictions
Max weight: 18stone. Min age: 14 Max age: none. Passengers must be able to climb up 3 steps to get into the Rapide.
Clothing Required
Wear comfortable clothes and flat shoes.
Weather Restrictions
All flights are weather dependent and therefore subject to suitable flying conditions. If a flight has to be cancelled it will be rebooked for an alternative date, which must be within 12 months of the cancellation date.
Other Information
Vouchers are strictly non-refundable unless returned within 14 days of purchase.
The Aircraft
The aircraft used on the day may not necessarily be that pictured in our promotional material
ALL BOOKINGS ARE CONFIRMED INSTANTLY BY EMAIL.
Please contact us if you do not receive your confirmation email immediately after booking.
Douglas R4D-6S “Ready-4-Duty” | Bureau Number 50783
Originally C-47B S/N 43-49147 Naval Air Transport Service | Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit | VR-3 | VX-1 | NART
Built in 1944 as a C-47B with Serial Number 43-49147, this aircraft was accepted by the U.S. Navy on October 20, 1944, at the Douglas Aircraft factory in Oklahoma City.
Delivered to Olathe, Kansas, on October 25, 1944, she became one of the original R4D-designated aircraft in the Allied Armed Forces and was reclassified as an R4D-6S, a variant of the legendary C-47 Skytrain modified for U.S. Navy operations.
Her wartime service began with an assignment to VR-3, the Naval Air Transport Service, from October 1944 through April 1946. VR-3 pioneered the concept of “Air Evacuation” flights, transporting wounded servicemen from Washington, D.C. to Burbank, California-missions that R4D aircraft proudly flew while also carrying critical cargo and supplies.
Following the war, she was reassigned to the Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit, Atlantic, and later to VX-1, an elite evaluation squadron based in Key West, Florida. There, she participated in testing top-secret airborne electronic warfare equipment-referred to in records only as “gadgets,” many of which remain classified or lost to time. Her role evolved further as she was modified to carry depth charges on racks mounted beneath the fuselage and assigned to the Atlantic Special Service Squadron. Her flight duties spanned the Western Hemisphere-from Texas to Guantanamo Bay, south to Rio de Janeiro, across the South Atlantic to Dakar, and north to Baffin Bay, Greenland, and Iceland. She concluded her Navy career in 1959 while serving in NART (Naval Reserve Training), having supported a wide array of missions from antisubmarine training to specialist development.
After being decommissioned from military service, “Ready-4-Duty” transitioned to the U.S. Forest Service, where she took on a new life as a smoke jumper transport aircraft-continuing to serve the nation until July 1, 1964.
In the early 1980s, she found a new mission with the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) and was assigned to the Dallas/Fort Worth Wing. There, she supported the CAF’s Communications Squadron and Marshalling Detachment, transporting crews and equipment to airshows and even serving as a flying PX. In 1985, “Ready-4-Duty” became the first CAF warbird to cross the North Atlantic, flying to Great Britain and the Netherlands to represent the CAF at the 50th Anniversary of the DC-3, C-47, R4D, and Dakota aircraft. She was honoured at that event as the best restored military aircraft on display.
Today, proudly maintained and flown by the CAF Dallas/Fort Worth Wing, “Ready-4-Duty” continues to tell the story of naval aviation. As part of the Commemorative Air Force mission – to educate, honour, and inspire through flight – she is flying once again across the Atlantic. In 2025, 80 years after Victory in Europe Day, “Ready-4-Duty” is returning to Normandy as part of the Navy to Victory Tour, commemorating the U.S. Navy’s contribution to liberation and preserving the legacy of those who served. Now configured to represent multiple WWII roles—sub-chaser, medical evacuation, paratrooper transport, and cargo carrier – this historic aircraft serves not only as a powerful symbol of freedom, but also as a flying classroom dedicated to ensuring history lives on.
