ME-323, the Messerschmitt "GIANT" - Largest Air Transport of WWII

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

This thread is dedicated to the ME-323. I had, until recently, never heard of this aircraft.

Very interesting.....

https://m.warhistoryonline.com/inst...t-transport-aircraft-of-wwii-in-pictures.html

Here's what WIKI has to say about it....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_323

It's sad that their are no surviving examples of this plane, and that the most complete specimen is at the bottom of the sea.

.

 

[Tinstar]

A German Spruce Goose.

Wunderbar!!

 

[Tracer]

Chaplain, the ME-323s clamshell doors are similar to those on the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. Neat aircraft thanks for the post.

 

[Guyfang]

I read someplace, sometime, in the last 50 years, about the shoot down of the ME-232 off the coast of Crete. Rather intresting. I went to Crete in 74, and 80 to fire HAWK missels. We walked some of the battle ground that the Brits and German para's fought over. It was really a tragic affair for both sides. The Brits were badly led, the German general Kurt Tank bit off more then they could chew. That battled spelled the end of German airborne ops. The German Air Force paid a heave price.

 

[SETOYOTA]

There is also an unpowered glider version

 

[Another Ahab]

There is also an unpowered glider version

That was the first prototype if I recall right.

One of the test pilots for that beast was a lion of a flyer named Hannah Reitsch, a petite woman who gets little press (she was an unrepentant Nazi).

She also was the pilot for the first flight ever of a helicopter (and she pulled that off INDOORS).

Her story is amazing if you find time to check it out.

 

[Another Ahab]

PS Great stuff, ColdWarrior, thanks for the thread!

 

[Tracer]

Chaplain, here are some photos of an ME-323 wreck on land and in the drink. Couple more of an ME-323 in flight and the ME-323 in combat over Malta. Wikipedia says they built over 200 of these aircraft. Too bad there are no easy to recover survivors.

 

[Another Ahab]

That was the first prototype if I recall right.

One of the test pilots for that beast was a lion of a flyer named Hannah Reitsch, a petite woman who gets little press (she was an unrepentant Nazi).

I found a reference to Hannah Reitsch and her test pilot flying of the Gigante (as it was called).

It's the last post (by a guy named Root66), in this thread attached:

http://www.falfiles.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-400833.html​

 

[SETOYOTA]

Here is the glider. Me-321

 

[Guyfang]

Hanna was also the last person to fly out of Berlin, just before the wars end. Tough lady. I believe in Cornelius Ryan's "The Last Battle", is a description of her last flight and the reason why.

 

[Another Ahab]

Found a short vid showing loading-in of some Gigantes:


https://youtu.be/ZVTP4ZnYI4Y

 

[M813rc]

Here is the glider. Me-321

With an equally uncommon Ju-290 towing it! Also, note the rocket boosters under the Gigant's wings.

Cheers

 

[Tracer]

Hanna was also the last person to fly out of Berlin, just before the wars end. Tough lady. I believe in Cornelius Ryan's "The Last Battle", is a description of her last flight and the reason why.

Guyfang, did Hanna test fly the ME-163 Komet rocket plane??

 

[Another Ahab]

View attachment Test Flights V.pdf

 

[Guyfang]

It would appear so, from the document Ahab posted. I have never read it, so I might just have to see if the army Library in Graf can get a copy.

 

[Another Ahab]

I stumbled by accident on her autobiography, and if you have time to read her story you won't be disappointed. She was not your everyday wallflower.

I recall she wrote something about the "complexity" (she understated most everything she did) of using three tugs to get the Gigante glider airborne. I believe there were a few real disasters related to that (easy to imagine).

I found a short vid that addresses that some:


https://youtu.be/1OvyOeXnW0k

 

[M813rc]

The He-111Z Zwilling was developed to solve the multiple tow-aircraft problem. It was basically two He-111 twin engined bombers joined together mid-wing with a fifth engine. Unorthodox, but it apparently worked.

Cheers

 

[Tracer]

The He-111Z Zwilling was developed to solve the multiple tow-aircraft problem. It was basically two He-111 twin engined bombers joined together mid-wing with a fifth engine. Unorthodox, but it apparently worked.

Cheers

Surprised they didn't join the horizontal as well as the wing. Looks like there would be some torsional issues in bad weather especially with just the wing joined. The F-82 Twin Mustang used a joined wing and horizontal, making for a more rigid airframe. My

 

[Another Ahab]

The number of airfields you can operate from with that airframe must have also been an issue.

Wonder if they ran it through any Immelmann Turns or Barrel Rolls during test flights?!