Allied aircraft
During the Second World War, the airspace over the Achterhoek region was a major flight path for tens of thousands of Allied aircraft. German anti-aircraft guns and fighter planes frequently tried to intercept these missions, resulting in the crash of more than 400 aircraft in the border area. Surviving crew members were often aided by the Lichtenvoorde resistance, which became an important link in the so-called Pilotenlijn (“Pilotsline”), a clandestine network that helped downed Allied airmen escape occupied territory.