Take a flight during Sun 'N Fun in a C-47 used at Normandy

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You can take a step back in time this weekend at the Sun ‘N Fun International Fly-in and Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

This year, get an up-close historical experience with the Placid Lassie, which led a squadron of hundreds of other C-47s during the invasion of Normandy. 

In a few weeks, the aircraft is going to retrace that historic flight to mark the 75th anniversary of one of the most significant maneuvers of World War II.

“This airplane specifically pulled a glider holding an entire platoon of glider troops that landed right at dawn, after the paratroopers had landed late the night before,” said Dick Osborne, a Vietnam veteran and one of three people who will have the honor of piloting the plane during the journey.

The Placid Lassie will be one of the lead planes. Hundreds of others will be following.

In the years following the war, the plane fell into disuse and ended up rusty and falling apart in a field in Georgia.

By chance, someone came across it. After they began restoring it, they discovered its full historical significance.

Mack “Tater” Taylor, former special forces, started jumping from planes when he was 19 years old. Now in his early 50s, he has parachuted hundreds of times, but never from something like a C-47 that made history.

“I can’t wait... It is going to be the biggest honor,” he told FOX 13. “If you want to compare it to a bucket list, the bucket overruns.”

If you want to see more than the outside of the plane, you can take a flight during Sun ‘N Fun for about $250. For more information, go to www.centraltexaswing.org.