LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Nearly 80 years ago, war raged on the beaches of Normandy, where allied troops helped free Europe of Adolf Hitler’s tyranny.

It became known as D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. While celebrations of the anniversary get underway, there’s one way to honor the day right in our backyard at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky.

The Aviation Museum of Kentucky will be featuring a D-Day aircraft known as the L-4 “Grasshopper.”

On June 6, 1944, thousands of ships, hundreds of planes, and hundreds of thousands of troops were sent to Normandy to begin their advance into western France, which was occupied by Nazis.

It was an international effort that consisted primarily of American, British and Canadian troops.

D-Day is what many say saved the world.

One of the biggest assets of the invasion was airplanes like the L-4 “Grasshopper.

Dean Hammond with the Aviation Museum of Kentucky said planes were key during the invasion because they gave commanders the ability to see the battleground from a different perspective.

While the one in the museum wasn’t there on D-Day, Hammond said it had been flown to England for a D-Day reenactment.

“One of the main jobs of the L-4 and their crew is to be able to adjust artillery and see the impact of the rounds that they were firing from artillery units as well as naval gunfire and then attack air from the airplanes as well that were attacking the strafing. It was a tremendous attack, and it was just devastating to those first troops that got out of the landing craft,” said Hammond.

If people want to come out and commemorate the anniversary, the museum is open from 10-5 on Thursday.

You don’t need to book a tour ahead of time unless you have a big group of people. For more information about the museum, click here.

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