68 years ago, courageous paratroopers were waiting to start Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. Aim of the plan was to secure bridges over the Dutch rivers Maas, Waal and Rhine to free the Northern part of the Netherlands from the German occupier and force an entry into Germany over the Lower Rhine. More than 34.000 English, American and Polish soldiers landed by glider or parachute. The operation lasted from 17-26 September 1944 and ended in failure. At times Market Garden was hindered by bad weather and low visibility and the German enemy troops defended fiercely. After the successful Battle of Nijmegen, the Allies did not manage to take the last bridge in Arnhem. From the soldiers involved in Market Garden 18.000 lost their live at the battlefield.

68th Commemoration
Market Garden is commemorated every year with a large-scale para dropping over the Ginkelse Heide near the Dutch town of Ede. On 21 September 2012 a large number of airplanes was gathered at Eindhoven Air Base to drop the hundreds of international paratroopers at various locations.

The participating aircraft
The paratroopers were dropped from a mix of aircraft from various countries. Although not used for Market Garden itself, there were two Dakota oldies, that actually flew during World War II. One of the Dakota’s is part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight from RAF Coningsby while the other one is owned by the Dakota Heritage Inc. in Wilmington, Delaware. The other participating planes were two German C-160 Transalls, a Polish C-130E, a Belgium C-130H, a Dutch C-130H, a Hercules C.4 from the RAF and a C-130J from USAF’s Rhode Island Air National Guard.