Chapter 528 Giant Glider

The DFS230 glider is a small glider. Its size is similar to that of a fighter jet. It can carry a dozen soldiers and has a load capacity of about 1.2 tons. Therefore, a large number of such gliders must be used in one operation.

And the current glider, in terms of volume, has to be bigger, it is like a huge hamburger, with a fat belly, and it is like a pregnant doe.

The Me 321 "Giant" glider, viewed from the nose, is similar to the super-helicopter of later generations.

It is centered on a box-shaped cargo hold 11 meters long, 3.15 meters wide, and 3.32 meters high. The front nose is a shell-shaped cargo door that can be opened to both sides, which can directly load large-volume cargo. This is very similar to the large transport aircraft of later generations.

In order to facilitate vehicle entry and exit, the cargo floor is low from the ground and a special ramp is designed. At the same time, the cargo floor is reinforced with a solid frame, which can carry 22 tons of cargo.

The cargo floor area is about 40 square meters, and the entire cargo volume is 108 cubic meters. With the addition of auxiliary partitions in the middle section, 200 fully armed soldiers can be transported.

It can be said that the entire aircraft is unfolded around this cargo compartment. Above the cargo compartment is a steel-steel welded N-shaped metal wing spar, and wooden ribs are used to maintain its airfoil.

Compared to those pediatric gliders, this glider is already bigger than the largest aircraft in many countries!

It can be said that this glider was specially prepared for landing in the UK, and now it is only the first experiment.

In the war of invading Belgium, this type of glider was not used because it was not suitable. Only a small glider could accurately land on the top of the fortress and beside the bridge. This kind of heavy glider was not suitable and unnecessary.

When opening the warehouse, as long as you see the majestic tank inside, you know that it is really unnecessary.

This glider has a load of 22 tons and was of course developed to transport main battle tanks!

Paratroopers can only carry light weapons and equipment. On the battlefield, they are quite passive. If they have a main battle tank, it will be different!

Due to the limited carrying capacity, the glider did not carry a 40-ton Panther 3 tank, but a 20-ton Panther 2 tank. These tanks still have some stocks, which are all equipped to the special forces in Skorzeny, a total of two Ten, with this batch of tanks, they will be able to last long enough!

Tanks take up most of the volume of the cargo hold and are cleverly fastened, and in the other half of the cargo bay, in the middle are their individual equipment, 75mm recoilless guns, neatly placed in the box, the same It is fixed to the floor, while the warriors ride in the spaces on both sides.

The number of people on board is not much. One glider only carried 50 fighters, and these 20 gliders carried a thousand fighters. They will be the first people to land in Brest, and they will rely on these equipment. , persisted until the arrival of the follow-up troops.

On the other hand, it is not easy to pull these gliders away. In the history of later generations, German engineers had to rack their brains and come up with various methods.

For example, three transport planes were used for traction first, but it turned out that the danger was too high, and it was like walking a tightrope in the air!

Later, two HE111 aircraft were used for towing. In order to avoid danger, the two aircraft were directly spliced ​​from the middle, and an additional engine was added at the junction of the wings of the two aircraft to form a unique aircraft such as the He111Z. That's the solution to the traction problem.

Fortunately, there is no problem now. Germany already has an advanced intercontinental bomber, the Junkers JU-290 bomber. This advanced four-engine large bomber can completely tow the ME321 glider.

Now, this is the scene. Twenty Junkers-290 bombers are already in place. Behind them, they are pulling the heavy ME321 glider ready to take off.

As a heavy glider, ME321 has a total of five crew members, including 1 pilot, 1 communication officer, 1 carrying commander, and 2 gunners. The fixed armament on the aircraft is the 7.9mm MG15 machine guns protruding left and right from the upper part of the nose cargo door.

Now, the pilots are intensively preparing for takeoff. Although the plane does not have an engine, it must use external force when taking off.

"Prepare to take off, ready to take off," the pilot shouted.

"No. 001, you can take off." The communications officer shouted over the radio.

Immediately, the Junkers-290 in front, the four engines were fully turned on, and the propellers were turning frantically, pushing the large bomber to roll down the runway.

Followed, shining fire, illuminated everyone's eyes.

Four booster rockets are bundled on both sides of the fuselage of ME321. Now, these four booster rockets are ignited together! The blazing flames lit up the entire runway.

If Junkers-290 drags this glider to take off, it needs a full 1,500 meters of runway. In order to fly more easily, it must use booster rockets.

It was also the first rocket-propelled aircraft from Messersmith.

As the booster rocket ignited, the bomber in front suddenly felt a lot easier. After just running for more than 800 meters, it pulled the glider, took off into the sky, and entered the darkness!

At the back, the second Junkers-290, was about to take off.

One, take it.

Reinhardt stood at one end of the runway, watching the troops go out, like a drawn sword, stabbing the heart of the French.

"Oh, no!" suddenly, the people on the runway shouted loudly.

I saw an ME321 glider. When taking off, only the booster rocket on the left ignited, and the booster rocket on the right unexpectedly failed!

This resulted in the yaw of the glider, which veered to the right! At the same time, the reaction force acts on the wire rope, and it seems that it is about to collide with the tractor in front!

At a critical juncture, the pilot of the glider pressed the button, and the front tow hook was disengaged.

After getting rid of the burden, the Junkers-290 in front immediately relaxed, gliding forward for a while and taking off quickly, while the glider in the back rolled to one side and slid to one side, rushing into the lawn next to it.

The fire truck and the ambulance quickly headed towards the lawn. Here, the commander's voice was still firm: "Continue to take off!"

This is war, and we must not fear any danger! Even if the person in front falls, the person in the back must continue to rush forward!

Over there, the fire has been ignited, the wooden structure, the canvas skinned glider has been burned, and here, it is still taking off!

As a special force, every day, we must be prepared to die, and we are willing to die for Germany!