A Dakota and two Spitfires belonging to Aero Legends landed at Headcorn Aerodrome yesterday.

Today they are off to Normandy to take part in the 75th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings.

On June 6, 1944, almost 160,000 Allied troops stormed the Normandy beaches to start the liberation of Western-Europe.

But before the assault on the beaches, there was an airborne drop of 24,000 troops who parachuted in behind enemy lines or landed by glider.

Most of the paratroopers were dropped from C-47 Douglas Sky Trains - affectionately known as Dakotas.

The Aero Legends Dakota took part in the original operation three-quarters of a century ago.

At 00:46 on June 6, 1944, she dropped 18 paratroopers of the US 82nd Airborne Division just behind the Normandy beach heads, near St. Mere Église.

She returned safely to the UK and after a second mission that same day, she started to resupply the troops in France.

Following the official D-Day celebrations tomorrow, she will repeat that mission. dropping re-enactors dressed in Second World War uniforms over Pegasus Bridge, a British drop-zone in Normandy.

Meanwhile a separate flight of 34 Dakotas, part of the Daks Over Normandy campaign, is due to fly over Maidstone today.

They should pass over the county town around 2.37pm on their way from Duxford to Le Havre.

For a map of the route, click here.