Gordon L. Rottman

World War II Glider Assault Tactics (eBook, PDF)

Illustrator: Dennis, Peter

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

Military gliders came of age in World War II, when glider assault infantry were the forerunners of today's helicopter-delivered airmobile troops. From the light pre-war sports and training machines, several nations developed troop-carrying gliders capable of getting a whole squad or more of infantry, with heavy weapons, onto the ground quickly, with the equipment that paratroopers simply could not carry. They made up at least one-third of the strength of US, British, and German airborne divisions in major battles, and they also carried out several daring coup de main raids and spearhead operations. However, the dangers were extreme, the techniques were difficult, the losses were heavy (particularly during night operations), and the day of the glider assault was relatively brief. This book explains the development and organization of glider troops, their mounts, and the air squadrons formed to tow them, the steep and costly learning-curve and the tactics that such troops learned to employ once they arrived on the battlefield.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury UK eBooks
• Seitenzahl: 64
• Erscheinungstermin: 20. März 2014
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781782007746
• Artikelnr.: 44867240

Autorenporträt

Gordon L. Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He served in the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969-70 and subsequently in airborne infantry, long-range patrol and intelligence assignments before retiring after 26 years. He was a Special Operations Forces scenario writer at the Joint Readiness Training Center for 12 years and is now a freelance writer, living in Texas.

Inhaltsangabe

Introduction: background/ Gliders
construction and characteristics: the US Waco CG-4A
British Horsa and Hamilcar
German DFS 230
and minor types/ Techniques: take-off
towing
release
landing procedures/ Tug aircraft
types and employment: the US C-47 and German Ju 52. Glider and tug training; the fate of glider pilots after landing/ Strengths and allocation of glider and tug flying units/ Glider-delivered units
their organization
weapons
and equipment: infantry
artillery
engineers
and support units/ Operations: tactical concepts; capabilities and limitations; early difficulties
and lessons learned; key operations examined/ Select bibliography/ Plate commentaries/ Index