Does anyone know (with as much detail as possible) how the Whitleys were loaded for Operation Biting?
Operation Biting - Wikipedia
Operation Biting - Wikipedia
Whitley and Paratroops
- Thread starter Greyman
- Start date
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Airframes
Benevolens Magister
What do you mean by 'loaded' ?
I think I might have, somewhere, the break-down of the distribution of troops between the individual aircraft, but not names etc.
I think I might have, somewhere, the break-down of the distribution of troops between the individual aircraft, but not names etc.
dogsbody
Airman 1st Class
They boarded through the regular port-side boarding hatch.
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos...y-bomber-original-picture-id3382419?s=612x612
Chris
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos...y-bomber-original-picture-id3382419?s=612x612
Chris
- Thread starter
- #4
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
The Whitley carried a maximum of 10 Paratroops, who sat on the floor, legs outstretched, opposite each other in a staggered line. Headroom was only around 4 feet in the narrow fuselage.
Exit was from the belly hatch, a 3 feet diameter hole, adapted from the redundant 'dustbin' ventral turret position, with the static lines hooked onto a cable running the length of the roof, each jumper shuffling into position to face forward for the exit from the aircraft.
Pushing off from the 'sill' of the hole too hard meant that the jumpers face hit the opposite side of the hole. Pushing off weakly invariably meant that the back-pack parachute caught on the lip of the hole, leading to a more violent contact with the opposite edge of the hole !
This was known as 'Ringing the bell'.
The diagram below shows the arrangement and jump order positions, with the photo giving some idea of the cramped conditions inside the Whitley. Note the Sten gun tucked beneath the parachute harness of the Sergeant in the foreground.
At the time of Operation Biting, the equipment leg bag had not yet been introduced, and each soldier wore his webbing personal equipment under the parachute harness, covered by a sleeveless jerkin (the famous Dennison smock was introduced later).
It was possible to carry a Sten gun, tucked into the harness across the chest, if the skeleton butt was removed - note that British Airborne Forces did not use a chest-mounted reserve parachute at this period, this not being introduced until the early 1950's.
All other weapons and equipment were carried in tubular metal containers, carried in the bomb bays, which were dropped in the middle of the stick (i.e., between parachutist No.5 and No.6) on their own parachutes.
This equipment would include Lee Enfield rifles, Bren guns, radios etc etc.
Make-up of each 'stick', or 'chalk', would depend on the operational requirements, but would generally consist of a 10 man Section, with the distribution of Ranks as appropriate.
Exit was from the belly hatch, a 3 feet diameter hole, adapted from the redundant 'dustbin' ventral turret position, with the static lines hooked onto a cable running the length of the roof, each jumper shuffling into position to face forward for the exit from the aircraft.
Pushing off from the 'sill' of the hole too hard meant that the jumpers face hit the opposite side of the hole. Pushing off weakly invariably meant that the back-pack parachute caught on the lip of the hole, leading to a more violent contact with the opposite edge of the hole !
This was known as 'Ringing the bell'.
The diagram below shows the arrangement and jump order positions, with the photo giving some idea of the cramped conditions inside the Whitley. Note the Sten gun tucked beneath the parachute harness of the Sergeant in the foreground.
At the time of Operation Biting, the equipment leg bag had not yet been introduced, and each soldier wore his webbing personal equipment under the parachute harness, covered by a sleeveless jerkin (the famous Dennison smock was introduced later).
It was possible to carry a Sten gun, tucked into the harness across the chest, if the skeleton butt was removed - note that British Airborne Forces did not use a chest-mounted reserve parachute at this period, this not being introduced until the early 1950's.
All other weapons and equipment were carried in tubular metal containers, carried in the bomb bays, which were dropped in the middle of the stick (i.e., between parachutist No.5 and No.6) on their own parachutes.
This equipment would include Lee Enfield rifles, Bren guns, radios etc etc.
Make-up of each 'stick', or 'chalk', would depend on the operational requirements, but would generally consist of a 10 man Section, with the distribution of Ranks as appropriate.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Nice info Terry!
Old Wizard
2nd Lieutenant
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks Airframes. I was looking to compare with:
Loading of a Whitley V. as Paratroop Carrier - 11th January 1942
It 'sets forth the scheme proposed by the Army for loading 49 Whitley V aircraft with the equipment and personnel of one Parachute Battalion'.
https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/attachments/parawhitley-jpg.381436/
Loading of a Whitley V. as Paratroop Carrier - 11th January 1942
It 'sets forth the scheme proposed by the Army for loading 49 Whitley V aircraft with the equipment and personnel of one Parachute Battalion'.
https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/attachments/parawhitley-jpg.381436/
fubar57
General
Looks real cozy
fastmongrel
1st Sergeant
I cant think of a worse aircraft for Para ops than a Whitley. Small entrance door, slender very cramped fuselage and a jumping hatch that was liable to remove your teeth. Why not just strap them up and drop them from the bomb racks.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
The original method of para dropping from the Whitley was by the 'pull off'. where the parachutist stood on a small platform where the tail turret had been removed, facing forward, and pulled the 'rip cord' of his parachute !
Due to the efforts of Louis Strange and 'Rocky' Small, the embryonic Parachute School at Ringway, Manchester, was able to experiment with parachutes and static lines, eventually developing the correct type of parachute pack and static line length, having had to beg, borrow or steal equipment, including aircraft.
The Whitley was indeed far from ideal as a para-dropping aircraft (and later Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Albermarles were only slight improvements), but it was all that was available at the time - the introduction of the American-provided Dakota (C-47), with it's large side door allowing 'standing up' exits of a full stick, rapidly, was still some time away.
Due to the efforts of Louis Strange and 'Rocky' Small, the embryonic Parachute School at Ringway, Manchester, was able to experiment with parachutes and static lines, eventually developing the correct type of parachute pack and static line length, having had to beg, borrow or steal equipment, including aircraft.
The Whitley was indeed far from ideal as a para-dropping aircraft (and later Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Albermarles were only slight improvements), but it was all that was available at the time - the introduction of the American-provided Dakota (C-47), with it's large side door allowing 'standing up' exits of a full stick, rapidly, was still some time away.
My father could vouch for that - he had two false teeth in the front of his top jaw thanks to the Whitley!
When he did it for real it was from a Stirling of 620 Squadron. Dropped near W Francieres, 8 km SE La Neuville-Roy, DZ Le Moulin (Oise), France on 26th August 1944
