At 4:30 A.M. on May 10, 1940, three Junkers Ju 52's took off from the Cologne airfields of Ostheim and Butzweilerhof, towing behind them three other aircraft that lacked motors.
The first front service of a new weapon, the freight glider, developed by the DFS (Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Segelflug / German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight), had begun. A total of 41 DFS-230 freight gliders with 400 paratroopers were launched for this mission. It was their task to take the Belgian Fort Eben Emael near Maastrich. With this successful operation the crossing of the Albert Canal was secured and the cornerstone of Belgian defense felt in German hands.These assault gliders were also used during Krete invasion (1941). The DFS 230's last significant use was during the 'Eichen' operation: 10 assault gliders were used to deliver the group of hand picked commandos led by Otto Skorzeny against the Gran Sasso mountain-top hotel that was used to hold Mussolini.The Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) received from Luftwaffe,during 1941,almost 20 DFS-230 and 4 Gotha Go-242 assault gliders. These aircrafts were used only for pilots training until 09/1943. Complete aircraft. Original GMAX hi-res model, features the usual moving parts, such as all flight controls, canopy, doors and so on (5 different versions); Five different liveries (4 'Luftwaffe' +1 "Regia Aeronautica'); multiview 2D panel (NO VC).
Created by Manuele Villa.
by mvg3d (2007-01-03 02:27:51)
The first front service of a new weapon, the freight glider, developed by the DFS (Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Segelflug / German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight), had begun. A total of 41 DFS-230 freight gliders with 400 paratroopers were launched for this mission. It was their task to take the Belgian Fort Eben Emael near Maastrich. With this successful operation the crossing of the Albert Canal was secured and the cornerstone of Belgian defense felt in German hands.These assault gliders were also used during Krete invasion (1941). The DFS 230's last significant use was during the 'Eichen' operation: 10 assault gliders were used to deliver the group of hand picked commandos led by Otto Skorzeny against the Gran Sasso mountain-top hotel that was used to hold Mussolini.The Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) received from Luftwaffe,during 1941,almost 20 DFS-230 and 4 Gotha Go-242 assault gliders. These aircrafts were used only for pilots training until 09/1943. Complete aircraft. Original GMAX hi-res model, features the usual moving parts, such as all flight controls, canopy, doors and so on (5 different versions); Five different liveries (4 'Luftwaffe' +1 "Regia Aeronautica'); multiview 2D panel (NO VC).
Created by Manuele Villa.
by mvg3d (2007-01-03 02:27:51)
