The dropping of parachutist from gliders?

[parahist]

True or not?

The source booklet:¨
"Enemy Air-Borne Forces"
December 2, 1942
Prepared by Military Intelligence Service (US ARMY)

"28. THE DROPPING OF PARACHUTISTS FROM GLIDERS
It has often been reported that in training, men jump
by parachute from gliders. Some observers reported
that this method was used in Crete, but the reports are
unconfirmed. It is certain that glider-borne troops do
not normally wear parachutes (in Crete they had life
jackets), and are technically not parachute troops but
air-landing troops. Moreover, the DFS-230 is most
unsuitable for the dropping of parachute troops."

Was there any fallschirmjäger dropps from gliders in WWII times (or earlier) in really? If yes, I'd like to know more (where, when, how many jumped, unit ... ?).

Can anyone help?

[Kingfish]

Dropping men out of a glider would negate the advantage it provides, mainly getting a group of men on an objective faster and in a more concentrated deployment.

[phylo_roadking]

....and surely make a bit of a bollix of lading/balance factors for the poor pilot???

[John T]

It has often been reported that in training, men jump
by parachute from gliders.

That could make some sense if no proper transport plane available but a glider and a tug where.
(Sweden planned to use retired dive bombers to tow gliders)

So as a training device possibly, operational I aggre with previous posters.

cheers
/John

[parahist]

Thanks for commets. So, no one have any info about training jumps from gliders! Strange, I belive that there will be some info in somewhere.

I also belive that there wasn't any combat jumps from gliders. But training jumps....

Can anyone help more?

[Schnitzel]

I know it was used with great success on the Allied side.
An uncle of mine served with the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division.

http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/325/325.html

[parahist]

On the Allied side, they tested gliders for parachute jumps. At the least, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment, used gliders for jumps.

Source: http://www.insigne.org/551-history.htm

Still, nothing about German side! Any info?

[Atrevida]

The recently published book "Der stille Angriff" covering the attack on the bridges between Eben Emael and Maastricht on 10 May 1940 is as comprehensive work on the subject of German glider-borne troops as you could wish to have.

Full coverage is given to the concept and development of the troop-carrying glider and the training of glider pilots in the run up to the assault on Belgium and Holland on 10 May 1940.

Consideration was never given to dropping paratroops from a glider, and apparently never practised to see how it went. On the day in question, paratroops landing on hostile soil from the air parachuted down from conventional aircraft.

[parahist]

Thanks Atrevida!

So, it looks that Germans never try to drop parachutist from gliders.

Little part of the history, is that Russians dropped also parachutist from gliders. Little more about that:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article ... rchLimits=

[Empiricist]

On the Allied side, they tested gliders for parachute jumps. At the least, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment, used gliders for jumps.

Before D-Day also dropping the supplies on the chutes from towed CG-4As was tested over UK.

[parahist]

On the Allied side, they tested gliders for parachute jumps. At the least, 551st Parachute Infantry Regiment, used gliders for jumps.

Before D-Day also dropping the supplies on the chutes from towed CG-4As was tested over UK.
[/quote]

Interesting. Do you have more info about those tests? Where and when... source ...?

[Empiricist]

Here is a pic of those test flights when the CG-4As dropped cargo containers over UK before D-Day. I do not remember now the source of this photo. I am a collector of the American aviation press of 1930s and 1940s with glider-dedicated materials. If I am not mistaken it comes from the US WWII press (information on source burned with my previous computer unfortunately).

The photo is unique because before D-Day not so many USAAF glider pilots were trained in double tow. I wouldn't be surprised if the I TCC instructors were main part of those tests over UK.

[Empiricist]

True or not?

The source booklet:¨
"Enemy Air-Borne Forces"
December 2, 1942
Prepared by Military Intelligence Service (US ARMY)

"28. THE DROPPING OF PARACHUTISTS FROM GLIDERS
It has often been reported that in training, men jump by parachute from gliders. Some observers reported that this method was used in Crete, but the reports are unconfirmed. It is certain that glider-borne troops do not normally wear parachutes (in Crete they had life jackets), and are technically not parachute troops but air-landing troops. Moreover, the DFS-230 is most unsuitable for the dropping of parachute troops."

Was there any fallschirmjäger dropps from gliders in WWII times (or earlier) in really? If yes, I'd like to know more (where, when, how many jumped, unit ... ?).

Can anyone help?

Be very careful with such pieces of information in the USA then.

In 1942 the US intelligence informed that Poland in 1939 was attacked by the German gliders among others -- complete rubbish of course. The US WWII press also wrote about it. Generally speaking in 1942 there was a mix of hysteria and paranoia in the USA when it comes to various theories how the Germans used their assault gliders. Take a look at one more absurdity told in July 1941 by the USAAF commander Maj.Gen. Henry H. Arnold (it is his speach for WENY Radio): "German troops swarmed down in gliders onto the Island of Crete and captured the historic Greek Island after bloody fighting. They came in gliders carrying from 12 to 30 soldiers. They were towed by lumbering old transports unsuited for aerial but ideal for this new purpose, with as many as ten or eleven gliders strung out behind each plane". The US Army hated soaring and gliding in interwar period and such absurdities against flight mechanics were typical in the USA then.

[parahist]

Thanks Empiricist!

Yes, in quite many/some US intelligence papers told different story than what we now know.

[Empiricist]

Hello Parahist,

Here you have 1944 movie when paratroopers jumped from CG-4As in double-tow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xc_yqsqjws