Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:24 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:07 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:22 am
Posts: 620
Location: VA, USA
Stumbled on this short clip that shows the pre-flight process. No sound, but some marvelous detail.

Those things seem so flimsy, it’s hair raising to think of riding one into battle.

https://youtu.be/X2ErJAKaSeY


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:38 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2004 6:11 pm
Posts: 1911
Location: Pacific Northwest USA, via North Florida
Richard W. wrote:
Those things seem so flimsy, it’s hair raising to think of riding one into battle.

I knew a WW2 glider pilot, many years ago. He said when they were putting them together and taping the seams, they'd tell passers by that the tap was the only thing holding them together.
At Operation Varsity, when they had very few glider rated pilots, he stepped into his Waco glider to get ready and found a glider infantryman who'd had time in light aircraft before the war (but wore glasses, keeping him from flying for the Army) as his co-pilot. He said the kid actually helped out a lot and knew how to fly well when they went in. He even wrote a letter recommending a waiver for him to get his own glider wings but he never heard what happened (he as sure it was turned down, which I agree was likely). The kid, he said, told him he was better off as a grunt, saying he'd "live longer that way".
He also said the gilder riders got grief from the paratroopers all through the war, right to the very end of the war when apparently they all got told of the losses among glider forces. He said right around the time of VE day, he had drinks paid for by paratroopers a couple of times.

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot], tankbarrell and 84 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group