Scott Harrison, a crew member of the D-Day Doll, closes the hanger doors to the Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing in Riverside on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. The WWII troop transport plane will be used for flight training at Edwards Air Force Base over the next two weeks. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Luke Harrison, 11, and his dad Scott Harrison, a crew member of the D-Day Doll, carry a ladder used in the cleaning of the WWII troop transport plane on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
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Al Elobeidi scrubs the undercarriage of the C-53 D-Day Doll based at Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire in Riverside on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Al Elobeidi scrubs the C-53 D-Day Doll a WWII troop transport plane in Riverside on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
D-Day Doll crew member Andy Conley, left uses a pressure washer as Al Elobeidi scrubs the undercarriage of the WWII warbird in Riverside on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing C-53 D-Day Doll crew member Andy Conley, left uses a pressure washer as Al Elobeidi scrubs the undercarriage of the WWII troop transport plane in Riverside on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The D-Day Doll, a WWII era C-53 transport plane that actually flew on D-Day during WWII, is scheduled to get back into action soon.
“This beautiful old plane is going to out to Edwards Air Force Base and will join with the test pilot school at Edwards where the engineers and test pilots that are in training fly a variety of older aircraft like they’ve never seen before and this is one of the ones they get their hands on,” said Scott Harrison, crew member of the D-Day Doll.
“They learn a lot about aerodynamics and getting the information that they need to fly an aircraft safely through the seat of their pants as opposed to any sort of computers or other gadgets,” said Harrison.
Last year the D-Day Doll, which is based in Riverside with the Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing, flew to Europe over England and France to take part in the 75th-anniversary celebration of D-Day.
