# WW2 Gliders.



## Sagaris (Aug 14, 2004)

What with the Airspeed Horsa being a Glider, I was wondering how many other Gliders were used in the war, and were any of them effective?


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## Lightning Guy (Aug 14, 2004)

Glider's were designed an employed by Great Britain, the US, and Germany. The monster Me-323 started life as a glider. The gliders were rather dangerous to use but in general they proved to be effective.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 14, 2004)

i love your siggy sagaris, and i think the horsa was the most widely used...................


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## Sagaris (Aug 16, 2004)

Thanks. I didnt put the Sagaris on it, Pips done that for me, i only found the picture.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 16, 2004)

yeah i read al that in the siggy thread..............


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## Sagaris (Aug 16, 2004)

Ok. I just didnt want it to appear as though I was taking credit for something i didn't do.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 17, 2004)

it does look good though.......


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## Sagaris (Aug 17, 2004)

Established. What plane was used as a tug for the Horsa's? From the pictures I've seen they look like Lancasters.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 18, 2004)

lancasters were to busy bombing germany to tow gliders, halibags, stirlings and C-47s were used mainly.................


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## Sagaris (Aug 18, 2004)

Ah ok, thanks.


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## GermansRGeniuses (Aug 18, 2004)

Seeing as lanc doesn't like it, the real name is the Halifax, not Halibag...


Something else, weren't British C-47's called 'Dakotas'?


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 19, 2004)

> Seeing as lanc doesn't like it, the real name is the Halifax



i do like the halifax, and there's nothing wrong with using nicnames, i call the swordfish the stringbag but that doesn't mean i don't like it........................


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## Sagaris (Aug 20, 2004)

I read somewhere that Horsa's were used in a mission somewhere in Scandinavia during the war, could anyone elaborate on that?


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 20, 2004)

Oh, welcome to the site sagaris


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 21, 2004)

he's been here a while now CC, get with the times.................


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 21, 2004)

Jokes on you, I am/was Sagaris


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 21, 2004)

mmmm, not sure about that one............


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 21, 2004)

I am, i shall now log in as sagaris 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 21, 2004)

ha!! you're a brummy!!


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## Sagaris (Aug 21, 2004)

8)

You see lanc 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 21, 2004)

you got me..............

i prefered sagaris though.............


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 21, 2004)

only cos he was brummie and you wanted to extract the michael  Pips has known i was sagaris for ages, hehe.


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## GermansRGeniuses (Aug 21, 2004)

cheddar cheese said:


> Oh, welcome to the site sagaris


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 22, 2004)

and what is funny about that?


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## lesofprimus (Aug 22, 2004)

Ummmm.... Maybe the fact that u were welcoming urself back to the site???

Not really funny, more silly, but worth a smiley none the less...


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## GermansRGeniuses (Aug 22, 2004)

Exactly.


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 22, 2004)

i see


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## lesofprimus (Aug 22, 2004)

Did u just put ur glasses on, or did u have ur hands over ur eyes???


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 22, 2004)

i know you know this but it was metaphorical


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## lesofprimus (Aug 22, 2004)

Hehe.. yea i lmow.. was just bein a smartass....

And I like that siggy...


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 22, 2004)

cheers, it is rather aesthetically pleasing isnt it 8)


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## lesofprimus (Aug 22, 2004)

Yes it is.. Artist did a good job... Although, that Zero goin down most certainly woulda had flames comin off his aircraft.... No self-sealing fuel tanks was a big gamble...

And a BIG benefit to many, many Allied pilots...


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## cheddar cheese (Aug 23, 2004)

oh so its a zero? i couldnt make it out, you must have way better eyesight than me


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Aug 23, 2004)

i'd of thaught you'd be able t make that out CC..................

and that blue ring was for identification over perl harbour wasn't it.................


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## Piaggio108 (Sep 2, 2004)

Back on topic, the following is a list of gliders I can name

CG-4
CG-13
Airspeed Horsa
General Aircraft Hamlcar
Gotha Go.242
DFS 230
Messerschmitt Me.323
Antonov A-7
Kokusai Ku-8

They could be quite effective if used properly, the most sucsessful mission was the German capture of the fortress Eben-Emal.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 4, 2004)

or pegasis bridge, the germans were practically caught sleeping..............


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## Maestro (Sep 5, 2004)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> or pegasis bridge, the germans were practically caught sleeping..............



Here is a good site for informations on Pegasus Bridge.
 http://www.dday.co.uk/


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 5, 2004)

it was pretty amazing.............


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 25, 2004)

Piaggio108 said:


> Back on topic, the following is a list of gliders I can name
> 
> CG-4
> CG-13
> ...



The Me-323 wasnt a glider, that's the powered version. The Me-321 was the glider 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 26, 2004)

and what a glider it was too..................


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 26, 2004)

yeah, it needed a five engined He-111 to tow it


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 26, 2004)

the He-111Z looks so cool though.............


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 26, 2004)

Sure does...


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## evangilder (Sep 26, 2004)

It looked strange flying though. It looks like 2 planes flying together. The twin mustang looked okay, but the Zwilling was really big!


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## Lightning Guy (Sep 26, 2004)

They needed to connect the tailplanes in order for it to look right. I imagine that would have produced a stronger airframe as well.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 26, 2004)

you're right, i've always thought it looked like two separate planes, it some pic's it's hard to tell they're the same plane..............


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 26, 2004)

I can always tell cos there one engine too many for it to be 2 planes...


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 27, 2004)

yeah i know but at a quick glance.................


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 27, 2004)

Doesnt affect me


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 29, 2004)

you said yourself it's easy to mistake it for two planes............


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 29, 2004)

when


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 1, 2004)

at school.............


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## cheddar cheese (Oct 1, 2004)

I dont recall ever saying that


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 2, 2004)

you did, physics, last thing on a wednesday......................


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## cheddar cheese (Oct 2, 2004)

I know the conversation your on about, but i didnt say the 111Z looks like 2 planes.


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## plan_D (Oct 2, 2004)

eh...heh...whaat?


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## Crazy (Oct 3, 2004)

F-82 is sexier


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## cheddar cheese (Oct 3, 2004)

I agree 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 3, 2004)

> but i didnt say the 111Z looks like 2 planes



you said it could be easily mistaken for two planes...................


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## cheddar cheese (Oct 3, 2004)

I dont think i did.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 3, 2004)

you wouldn't.................


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## cheddar cheese (Oct 3, 2004)

Come on, you know i didnt, you're just looking for excuses to post.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 3, 2004)

but you did, i'd swear it in a court of law..........


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## cheddar cheese (Oct 3, 2004)

But i didnt, id stake my life on it.


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## Kiwi-Pete (Jan 16, 2005)

My father during WWII based with squadrons that towed Horsa gliders. These squadrons initially used Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers to train with. Paratroops were in the body of the aircraft and the Whitley towed the glider. This training was done on Boscombe Downs. By the time of D-Day they had converted to Albermarles (the first tricycle undercarriage bomber of the RAF). The same setup was used for Arnhem, which he also flew on, crashing on his return, due to Anti-aircraft damage. He spent the rest of the war in plaster from his chest to toe on his left leg.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 18, 2005)

sounds interesting, do you know any more??


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## Kiwi-Pete (Jan 18, 2005)

the lancaster kicks ass said:


> sounds interesting, do you know any more??


I actually have video of the Albermarle's and Horsa's doing training. I got this off the British Pathe Achive, so guess not kosher to post the vid here


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 19, 2005)

we don't mind........


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## DaveB.inVa (Jan 19, 2005)

Gosh yeah post that video!!


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 20, 2005)

Yes that would be great! We say here that as long as no-one tries to claim the material for their own its ok to post copyrighted material. If the Copyrighter asked for it to be removed then we will do so...

But by all means! POST THAT VIDEO! 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 20, 2005)

how big is it??


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## Kiwi-Pete (Jan 20, 2005)

Damed if I can figure out how to get to post a video on here. Thick I guess
It is 7.5 megs in size, so that could be a problem.


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 21, 2005)

7.5 megs is fine. To post a video, place the file in a zip folder. Then when you wish to post it, com to this thread and click "post reply" at the bottom of the page. A new window will come up and you should see a text box and a box below in which you can attach a file. Browse to find the file and attach it, type a message in the text box and away you go 8)


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 21, 2005)

and we can all enjoy that motion picture goodness...........


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 21, 2005)

Indeed. I like the Albemarle.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 21, 2005)

good looking plane..............


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 21, 2005)

Yep, as was the Blenheim MkIV...


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## Kiwi-Pete (Jan 21, 2005)

Lets try again


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 22, 2005)

Ok, good luck! If you need anymore help just ask 8)


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## Kiwi-Pete (Jan 22, 2005)

Success!!!! Thanks for all the help.


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## evangilder (Jan 22, 2005)

Cool video, a neat piece of history. After watching that, I don't think I would have wanted to be in a glider! Looks like a wild ride.

Reactions: Agree Agree:
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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 23, 2005)

downloading now, can't wait to see it...............

if anyone finds any other RAF related films please post..............


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 23, 2005)

Your Welcome Kiwi-Pete. Im downloading now and looking forward to watching it, im sure its great 8)

How about the Dambusters, lanc?


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 23, 2005)

it didn't work, i downloaded it, i just can't watch it, it's a zip file and i've tried extracting it but it says there's no file to extract............


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 23, 2005)

Just click the file straight from inside it, dont bother extracting it...

Nice vid BTW! I never realised Horsas came in to land at angles as steep as that...


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Jan 23, 2005)

i can't open the file..............


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## cheddar cheese (Jan 23, 2005)

Hehe...


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## Kiwi-Pete (Jan 24, 2005)

If any of you use WinMx I am sharing over 2000 aviation video files there, from all eras. I go by the handle Waikato, and have a locate file named Waikato111.wmv.


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## Vahe Demirjian (Dec 11, 2019)

There was a chubby US transport glider, the Laister-Kauffman CG-10, that was intended for the US invasion of Japan (which never materialized). More info is available at this Wikipedia article:

Laister-Kauffman CG-10 - Wikipedia

Reactions: Informative Informative:
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## Admiral Beez (Dec 16, 2019)

Piaggio108 said:


> Back on topic, the following is a list of gliders I can name
> 
> Kokusai Ku-8


Wikipedia says the Ku-8 started off as a powered aircraft, the Kokusai Ki-59. This must be unusual, as most gliders with engines started started off as gliders.


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## Admiral Beez (Dec 16, 2019)

Piaggio108 said:


> Back on topic, the following is a list of gliders I can name
> 
> CG-4
> CG-13
> ...


I had no idea the US had so many gliders.

List of military aircraft of the United States - Wikipedia

Look at this thing.... I thought gliders are supposed to be disposable.


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## tyrodtom (Dec 17, 2019)

Admiral Beez said:


> I had no idea the US had so many gliders.
> 
> List of military aircraft of the United States - Wikipedia
> 
> ...



Sorta looks like a glider version of a C123.


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## swampyankee (Dec 17, 2019)

Perhaps the oddest DC-3 variant was that of glider.

I think they made a prototype, then wiser heads prevailed.

The USN also had prototype amphibious (?) gliders made, to land in the surf and discharge their cargo (self-loading and otherwise) onto the beach. Again, wiser heads prevailed.


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## Shortround6 (Dec 17, 2019)

Admiral Beez said:


> I had no idea the US had so many gliders.
> 
> List of military aircraft of the United States - Wikipedia
> 
> ...



what happens when you put jets on a glider





It certainly looks badass  
some B-47 is missing some engines.

Reactions: Like Like:
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## ThomasP (Dec 17, 2019)

oooooh


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