Current main topic notes (includes mini-projects, common circuits and common code snippits etc.)
(+) 3001 The Constraints of History
(+) 3003 Less of a near run thing - (How UK wins the war and saves lives)
(+) 3005 The Nazi alternative - (How Hitler defeats the Soviets and dominates Europe)
(+) 3007 The British alternative - (How the United Kingdom of Europe is formed)
(+) 301a Interlude 1
(+) 9a01 Soviet units at Kursk - (details)
(+) CF SRC file format
(+) DesertAirforce1942.txt (no desc)
(+) Dec 1969 (no desc)
(-) Dec 1969 (no desc)
The Horsa Mark I had a wingspan of 88 feet (27 m) and a length of 67 feet (20 m), and when fully loaded weighed 15,250 pounds (6,920 kg).
Global 39 Scale = 1.43" (36.5mm) Wingspan (Click here to purchase on Shapeways)
1/700 Scale = 1.51" (38.3mm) Wingspan (Click here to purchase on Shapeways)
1/600 Scale = 1.76" (44.7mm) Wingspan ( 0.508 mm per ft)
("15mm" wargames scale is 1/100, 3.048 mm per ft., "20mm" wargames scale is 1/91.44, 3.333 mm per ft.)
1/100 Matilda Length: 2.24" (57mm), Sherman is Length: 2.79" (71mm), a Panzer IV Length: 2.24" (57mm), a Tiger I Length: 3.22" (82mm)
The wing carried large “barn door” flaps which, when lowered, made a steep, high rate-of-descent landing possible - allowing the pilots to land in constricted spaces. Stalling speed (flaps lowered) was 65-70 mpm (towing speed 145-170mph, free flight & diving max. 190mph).
The pilot's compartment had two side-by-side seats and dual controls. Aft of the pilot's compartment was the freight loading door on the port side. The hinged door could also be used as a loading ramp. The main compartment could accommodate 30 troops on benches (15 along each side) with another access door on the starboard side. The fuselage joint at the rear end of the main section could be broken on landing to assist in rapid unloading of troops and equipment. Supply containers could also be fitted under the center-section of the wing, three on each side. The later AS.58 Horsa II had a hinged nose section, reinforced floor and double nose wheels to support the extra weight of vehicles. The tow cable was attached to the nose wheel strut, rather than the dual wing points of the Horsa I.
On operations, the Horsa was towed by various aircraft: four engined heavy bombers displaced from operational service such as the Short Stirling andHandley Page Halifax, the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle and Armstrong Whitworth Whitley twin engined bombers, as well as the US Douglas C-47 Skytrain/Dakota (not as often due to the weight of the glider,[21] however in Operation Market Garden, a total of 1,336 C-47s along with 340 Stirlings were employed to tow 1,205 gliders,) and Curtiss C-46 Commando.
With up to 30** troop seats, the Horsa was much bigger than the 13-troop American Waco CG-4A (known as the “Hadrian” by the British), and the 8-troop General Aircraft “Hotspur” glider which was intended for training duties only. Instead of troops, the AS.51 could carry a jeep (and driver) (or ?) 6 pounder anti tank gun (with gun crew).
** a British Platoon was 15-30 men (US 39), a Section (squad) 8-12 (typ 10), although numbers varied especialy in 'specilist' Platoons (eg Engineers, could be 50 men or more)
A.S.51 was developed in 1940 under specification X.26/40. A total of seven prototypes were constructed, of which two were built by Fairey and five by Airspeed. On September 12, 1940, first A.S.51 was towed into the air by a "Whitley" bomber. First military use of the gliders was British invasion of Sicily on July 10, 1943, in which 27 A.S.51 were used. Most famously, the Horsa was use for the storming of the"Pegasus Bridge" Which signaled the invasion of Allied forces in Europe in June 1944.
Huge flaps powered by compressed air and wing mounted air brakes allowed the to stand on it's nose and swoop down quietly to a landing,
The Horsa was first used operationally on the night of 19/20 November 1942 in the unsuccessful attack on the German Heavy Water Plant at Rjukan in Norway (Operation Freshman). The two Horsa gliders, each carrying 15 sappers, and one of the Halifax tug aircraft, crashed in Norway due to bad weather.
On 10 July 1943, 27 surviving Horsas were used in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Large numbers (estimated at over 250) were subsequently used in Battle of Normandy; in the British Operation Tonga and American operations.
Operation Varsity was more costly to Allied airborne than the invasion of Normandy. By early evening of March 24, in eight short hours, our airborne forces had suffered 819 killed, 1,794 wounded and 580 missing in action. Over six dozen glider-towing planes were shot down. Seventy glider pilots were killed and 114 wounded or injured. British and American glider-recovery teams found later that less than 25 HORSA GLIDER-jeeppercent of the gliders landed unscathed.
The first units to land in France, during the Battle of Normandy, was a coup de main force carried by 6 Horsas that captured Pegasus Bridge in Operation Deadstick, over the Caen canal, and a further bridge over the River Orne. 320 Horsas were used in the first lift and a further 296 Horsas were used in the second lift.
"Pegasus Bridge. At 0007 hours, June 6, 1944, it was time to cast off the tow line. The bombers roared off for their diversionary attack on Caen, and the gliders began their descent toward the bridges. At three minutes and 42 seconds, Ainsworth said simply, “Now!” and Jim Wallwork turned the glider to starboard. The glider lost altitude rapidly, and seconds later Ainsworth gave the signal for a second right turn that brought the glider onto course for the landing field next to the canal bridge. At first they could see nothing ahead of them, only the antiaircraft searchlights and tracer fire behind them in Caen, firing on the bombers.
Then, just as in their training, there it was. The bridge with its distinctive shape, the bunker, the antitank gun, and fields around it all were clearly visible. The barbed wire sat on the north side of the landing strip. During training Howard told Wallwork he wanted the nose of the glider right against the wire. The pilot was dubious as to whether it could be done but promised he would do his best. At 0016 hours, he did just that. The glider touched ground and skidded across the landing field, coming to a halt right at the wire.
The aircraft stopped so suddenly both pilots were thrown out the front, crashing through the windscreen and landing in front of the glider. In the rest of the glider, 25 Platoon sat stunned for a few seconds. Major Howard was unconscious for just a moment. His seatbelt had broken, throwing him forward where he hit his head on the ceiling. The impact forced his helmet down over his eyes. When he came to, he thought he was blind for a moment.
Behind him, Lieutenant Brotheridge opened the glider’s door and told a nearby Bren gunner, “Gun Out!” The platoon quickly recovered and got out. The bridge was a mere 30 yards away. Private Gray, also carrying a Bren gun, charged toward the bridge; his mission was to clear a barn on the west side. As he neared the span he saw a German soldier and fired a burst at him. The enemy soldier went down, and Gray carried on across the bridge, firing as he went. He reached the barn and tossed in a grenade before emptying the rest of his magazine into the structure. When he went inside to check, it was empty.
"
This note last modified: 20th Dec 2017 04:29.