(KPAX) DUXFORD, ENGLAND – Parachutes filled the skies over the French coast on Wednesday as Miss Montana and other historical aircraft ferried dozens of paratrooper re-enactors as part of 75th anniversary commemorations marking D-Day in 1944.

After spending the past couple of days in final practice jumps, the planes that are part of the “D-Day Squadron” flew across the English Channel to drop their main “invasion force” of jumpers over the French coast.

The weather hasn’t been perfect, but so far the flights have been going well.

Miss Montana, the restored C-47, was the sixth plane in formation, dropping its paratroopers, including a number of Montana smokejumpers, around 11 a.m. Montana time.

Thousands of people gazed into the cloudy evening skies to watch the amazing sight.

The plane was restored in a year-long volunteer effort by the Museum of Mountain Flying.

Click here to follow along with Miss Montana’s D-Day journey.

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