Tico Belle: The D-Day C-47 Skytrain Still Flying in Titusville, Florida
Most surviving World War II aircraft are reminders of history. Tico Belle was part of it. This Douglas C-47A Skytrain towed a glider full of 82nd Airborne troops into Normandy on D-Day, flew in four more major airborne campaigns, served with two European air forces and survived a serious crash. Today she still flies from the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville, Florida.
Here is the story of one of the world's genuine combat-veteran C-47s. For her complete, fully detailed record, visit Tico Belle's aircraft page.
From Long Beach to RAF Ramsbury
Tico Belle was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California (construction number 19054) and delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces in November 1943 as serial number 42-100591.
In early 1944 she crossed the Atlantic to England and joined the 84th Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group, flying from RAF Ramsbury in Wiltshire. Her squadron code was Z8 and her individual aircraft letter was V, so her wartime identity was Z8-V. The crews of the 437th spent that spring training for one job: the invasion of occupied Europe.
D-Day: Towing a Glider into Normandy
In the early hours of June 6, 1944, 42-100591 took off from Ramsbury on the 437th Troop Carrier Group's first combat operation, Mission Detroit. Flying as Chalk 50 in Serial 28, she towed a Waco CG-4A glider carrying soldiers and equipment of the 82nd Airborne Division to the Sainte-Mère-Église area of Normandy.
Her recorded crew that night:
1st Lt. Jay E. Bloch, pilot
2nd Lt. Oscar B. Hill, co-pilot
S/Sgt. John A. Quinn, crew chief
Pfc. J. D. Calhoun, radio operator
Through darkness, poor visibility and German anti-aircraft fire, they completed the mission. The next day, June 7, she returned to Normandy on Mission Galveston, again as Chalk 50, towing another glider carrying reinforcements, artillery and equipment for the 82nd Airborne. The 437th Troop Carrier Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy invasion.
Four More Major Airborne Campaigns
D-Day was only the beginning. Over the following nine months, 42-100591 is recorded as taking part in:
Operation Dragoon (August 1944): the Allied invasion of southern France
Operation Market Garden (September 1944): the airborne assault on the bridges of the Netherlands
Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944): resupplying surrounded American troops with ammunition, food and medical supplies
Operation Varsity (March 24, 1945): one of the largest single-day airborne operations of the war, in which she towed two gliders across the Rhine near Wesel, Germany
Between these operations, C-47s like her hauled fuel, ammunition and food to the front and carried wounded soldiers back.
After the War: Berlin, Norway and Denmark
Historical accounts also credit 42-100591 with service in the Berlin Airlift of 1948–49. On May 20, 1950 she joined the Royal Norwegian Air Force as 2100591, and on August 8, 1956 she moved to the Royal Danish Air Force as 68-684 (later K-684), where she flew VIP passengers, including members of the Danish Royal Family. When Denmark retired her in 1982, she had logged more than 13,500 flying hours.
A New Home in Titusville, Florida
The Valiant Air Command acquired the aircraft after her Danish retirement, and she was registered in the United States as N3239T in January 1983. VAC members, helped by Royal Danish Air Force personnel, brought her across the Atlantic to Titusville.
Painted in World War II U.S. Army Air Forces markings, she became Tico Belle, a name taken from TICO, the long-standing abbreviation for the Titusville-Cocoa Airport area that the Valiant Air Command calls home. The name and nose art belong to her VAC years; no authenticated wartime nickname has been found.
Crash, Restoration and Return to Flight
On July 9, 2001, Tico Belle ground-looped while landing at Space Coast Regional Airport. Neither pilot was seriously injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. Rather than retire her, VAC volunteers began a years-long restoration: structural and sheet-metal repairs, landing gear work, and extensive attention to her engines, propellers and systems. Her radial engines ran again in July 2008, and on June 23, 2009 she flew once more.
Still Serving Today
In 2019, after Hurricane Dorian, Tico Belle carried relief supplies to the Bahamas, 75 years after her wartime supply runs. Today she remains registered as N3239T and preserved by the Valiant Air Command: a living, flying link to the generation that fought the Second World War.
Tico Belle at a Glance
Type: Douglas C-47A-65-DL Skytrain
Built: Long Beach, California; delivered November 1943
USAAF serial: 42-100591 (wartime code Z8-V)
Wartime unit: 84th Troop Carrier Squadron, 437th Troop Carrier Group
Combat: D-Day (Missions Detroit and Galveston), Dragoon, Market Garden, Bastogne, Varsity
Later service: Royal Norwegian Air Force (1950–1956), Royal Danish Air Force (1956–1982)
Registration: N3239T
Home: Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, Titusville, Florida
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Tico Belle fly on D-Day?
Yes. On June 6, 1944, as 42-100591, she towed a Waco CG-4A glider carrying 82nd Airborne troops into Normandy during Mission Detroit, and she returned on June 7 for Mission Galveston.
Why is she called Tico Belle?
The name comes from TICO, the historic abbreviation for the Titusville-Cocoa Airport area, home of the Valiant Air Command. It was given during her VAC years, not during the war.
Is Tico Belle still flying?
Yes. After a 2001 landing accident, VAC volunteers restored her, and she returned to the air on June 23, 2009.
Where can I see Tico Belle?
At the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, 6600 Tico Road, Titusville, Florida. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Buy tickets online.
Visit Tico Belle and Help Keep Her Flying
See Tico Belle up close alongside the rest of our Inter-war, WWII and Post-war collection. Read her complete service history, plan your visit, or become a member to support the volunteers who keep historic aircraft like her flying. You can also join us on November 13, 2026 for the Keep Them Flying 1941 Gala & Fundraiser.
Thank you for sharing the incredible story of Tico Belle! It’s inspiring to see such historical aircraft still in action, connecting us with D-Day's legacy. The way she symbolizes resilience is much like navigating challenges in drift boss– both require skill and determination. I appreciate this glimpse into aviation history!
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