Tow rope musings - informal survey

Just watched an American (PBS) film on "German transport aircraft
of WW2"; it had some interesting footage of THREE Heinkel 111's
(just) launching a truly massive transport glider......
Interesting to speculate on who was in control of that launch!
Dave Walsh

On Tue, 26 Feb 2019 23:57:53 +0000, Dave Walsh wrote:

Just watched an American (PBS) film on "German transport aircraft of
WW2"; it had some interesting footage of THREE Heinkel 111's (just)
launching a truly massive transport glider...... Interesting to
speculate on who was in control of that launch! Dave Walsh

An Me-321 Gigant, but initial tests used a Ju-90 and then three Me-110s
to tow them. Improvements were needed and two were made:

1) Use an He-111Z (two He-111s stuck together side-by-side with a 5th
engine fitted on the centre line where the cut-down inner wings joined.
This never seems to have been much good.

2) Fit 6 1160 hp radial engines made in the captured Gnome et Rhone
factory and call the result an Me-323 Gigant. They flew well enough, but
were slow and poorly defended, making them easy meat for the RAF
operating from Malta when they were used to supply Rommel's Afrika-Corps


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

The "Troika Schlepp" incurred considerable tow pilot attrition.