Rueckenpackung Zwangsausloesung I (RZ 20), contemporary photo after landing.

The German paratroopers used parachutes of a very simple design. The development of domestic models, deployed in the early 30s by professors Hoff (Hoff) and Madelung (Madelung), was successfully continued by the department of technical equipment of the imperial Ministry of Aviation. Work on the creation and testing of new systems was carried out in four experimental centers in Berlin, Rechlin, Darmstadt and Stuttgart. The test cycle made it possible to successfully fine-tune the new parachute and soon began mass production of the first landing model with forced opening - Rueckenpackung Zwangsausloesung I (RZ 1).

In early 1940, an improved RZ 16 model was adopted by the German paratroopers: the reason for this was regular reports of excessive swaying of the first sample in the air and fatal malfunctions in the forced opening system leading to tragedy. The modified RZ 16 was widely used, and the last mass-produced amphibious parachute was the RZ 20, which appeared in 1941, and was used until the end of the war as a standard one.

The white silk dome RZ 16 with a pole hole was 8.5 meters in diameter and consisted of 28 panels. From the moment of landing on Crete, the Germans began to use domes that had camouflage colors.

The Germans jumped with one parachute, located at the level of the waist in a square satchel. There were two slightly different models of parachute packs. An early version, known from pre-war photos, was intended for the first sample of the German landing parachute - RZ 1. The satchel for RZ 16 appeared in 1940, for RZ 20 - in the next. For both of these systems, as a rule, modified backpacks of the second model were used. The design of the straps of the suspension system, sewn from strips of durable light gray quilted fabric, practically did not differ in all three samples.

The folded dome was placed in a cloth bag, its top was tied with a special sling to the neck of the bag. The bag itself was rigidly connected to an exhaust halyard - a piece of thick braided cable with a massive carabiner at the opposite end. The folded dome and the slings neatly rolled into a spiral bay were packed in a strong cloth “envelope” fastened to the back wall of the knapsack. From the slots at its corners came out two segments of thick twin halyards - the free ends of the suspension system. The latter came from the point of connection of the parachute lines and were attached with carabiners to the D-rings on the waist strap of the circular strap.

Before the start of the landing, 12 - 18 soldiers sat facing each other on folding seats inside the cargo compartment of a transport aircraft. The release was carried out in the following order: when approaching the designated area, the issuer (Absetzer) gave the command to stand up and line up in a column along the compartment. At the same time, each paratrooper clamped the carbine of the exhaust line in his teeth so that his hands remained free. After the order, the paratroopers snapped the hooks of the carbines on the cable or longitudinal beam passing along the fuselage to the hatch. Approaching him, the parachutist spread his legs wide, took hold of the handrails on the sides of the opening with both hands and abruptly threw himself out, falling head down (this maneuver was constantly practiced in training). The exhaust halyard rolled into a bay began to unwind immediately after leaving the aircraft, and when it was etched to its full length (9 meters), the weight of the soldier and the momentum created by the opposite movement of the car forced the halyard to pull the contents of the satchel out, opening the folded neck valves. As the soldier continued to fall, the bag with the parachute dome jumped out: at this time, a small clasp holding the “package” with the parachute closed opened and the bag fell off the dome. The exhaust halyard, along with an empty bag, remained hanging in the hatch of the aircraft, and the spirally coiled lines continued to unfold for some time even after the canopy was completely filled with air. All this time, the paratrooper fell head down and only the straightened lines sharply “pulled” him to his normal position, which was accompanied by a very sensitive jerk.

This method of parachute opening was very different from that adopted in most countries of the world and was recognized by the allies as quite primitive (especially if we take into account the force of the dynamic impact when the canopy and lines are fully deployed in the Anglo-American-Soviet and German models). However, the German technique also had a number of advantages, including when landing from low altitudes. Unpleasant sensations during a jerk, in this case, they were more than compensated by a short period of time until the dome was completely filled with air, and, consequently, by the ability to make a jump from heights much lower than, for example, the British could afford on their Hotspurs. In cases where a paratrooper came under fire from the ground, dangling helplessly under the dome, this advantage was difficult to overestimate. For German paratroopers, the echelon of 110 - 120 meters was considered the normal drop height (in the Soviet army this height was called ultra-low and jumping from such heights was practiced extremely rarely, and then only in the brigades of the "special forces" of the GRU), however, in conditions of strong opposition from air defense forces (for example, on Crete) paratroopers were also thrown from 75 meters (they do not jump from such heights at present). In this case, the dome effectively slowed down the fall of the parachutist no more than 35 meters from the ground.

The suspension system was standard for all countries and was a classic "Irwin" scheme - an early version provided for the presence of a wide circular strap, passing along the sides and under the buttocks and crossing the free ends behind the back in the area of ​​​​the shoulder blades. Above the intersection point, one D-ring was sewn to each end of the strap for attaching parachute pack carabiners.

Pre-war samples of knapsacks were distinguished by a bay of an exhaust halyard fixed in a vertical position (located on the front surface of the knapsack on its right side) with a white check label holding the coils in the bay and fixed on the left side surface or left edge of the front side. In front there were chest and waist jumpers with fasteners, and below - two leg loops.

Late model knapsacks were distinguished by the presence of a wide fabric collar, which integrated the ends of the circular strap. The exhaust halyard, as a rule, was wound in a horizontal plane and laid in the upper part of the knapsack, partially covering it with side flaps. The free ends of the suspension system from carabiners fastened on the side D-shaped rings were passed vertically upwards and hidden under the knapsack valves in its upper corners. These improvements were caused by frequent accidents associated with the unreliable design of the previous parachute packs. The halves of the narrow chest strap were fastened with a draw buckle; the left, longer end, was wrapped around the strap so as not to dangle. A wider belt jumper was connected similarly. The ends of the leg loops were fastened with carabiners to the D-rings on the circular strap.

In 1941, a simplified model of the suspension system was developed. Instead of difficult-to-handle D-rings and carabiners on the chest and waist straps, as well as on the leg loops, a system of massive single-prong latches was introduced, held in the sockets by elastic retainer plates. This allowed faster release from the straps after landing.

The main difference between the German harness system and the American, British or Soviet one was that on the RZ the free ends of the harness system did not pass over the shoulders, like the rest of the systems, but according to the scheme adopted in the old Italian parachute of the Salvatore system: all the lines converged to one point, located behind the paratrooper's back above shoulder level. The slings were connected to the suspension system with only two halyards of the free ends, passing from their ligament to the D-rings on the waist jumper.

There were several direct consequences of such a constructive decision, and all of them are inherently negative. The “dive” of the paratrooper described above upside down after leaving the plane was not an indicator of bravado, but an urgent need: if at the moment the dome was opened the fighter was in a horizontal position, the jerk in the lumbar region would be so strong that it could break the body of the paratrooper into the “head” position. to the legs” with very painful sensations and a serious risk of injury. If the paratrooper at that time was falling down like a “soldier”, a dynamic jerk would easily turn him upside down with a good chance of getting tangled in the slings with his foot or wrapping them around himself.

Any statement that a German paratrooper could not control his parachute does not mean that the Germans did not want their paratroopers to have a "good" parachute, but that the Germans were dropping from extremely low altitudes, which is explained above all, tactical expediency and common sense. Since 1936, the Germans have not made or trained throws from 700 - 800 meters. Perfectly aware of the fact that in such a case, the paratroopers will be shot by anti-aircraft gunners while still in the air.

To reduce the level of risk, paratroopers were taught to land in the “lean forward” position: in the last seconds before touching the ground, the paratrooper could try to turn around in the wind, making convulsive “floating” movements with his arms and legs. After that, he was faced with the need to land with a fall on his side and a rapid roll forward. This, by the way, explains the presence in the equipment of the German paratroopers of massive shields-shock absorbers on the knees and elbows, completely unknown to the paratroopers of the allied armies. Because the German paratroopers on RZ parachutes landed at a speed of 3.5 - 6.5 m / s even in calm weather.

PS. In this regard, it is absolutely incomprehensible why parachutes with a "normal" suspension were used in the Air Force. In addition, even for the remaining 5-10 seconds before landing, the paratrooper could at least turn downwind without convulsive "floating" movements. Well, of course, it would be immeasurably easier to extinguish the dome even with a sufficiently strong wind, believe my experience.

The unusual nature of airborne operations dictated the development of the necessary specialized equipment, which in turn led to the expansion of the possibilities of military art in general.

The operations of the German paratroopers in World War II presented contradictory requirements for weapons and equipment. On the one hand, paratroopers needed a high firepower, which they could demonstrate in battle in order to act decisively and with maximum efficiency, but, on the other hand, the arsenal available to them
was limited by the extremely low carrying capacity of landing equipment - both aircraft, parachutes and gliders.

During the landing operation, the paratrooper jumped from the plane practically unarmed, except for a pistol and additional bandoliers. When the paratroopers were introduced into battle by glider landing, the capacity and aerodynamic characteristics of the Gotha DFS-230 gliders dictated their limitations - the aircraft could accommodate 10 people and 275 kg of equipment.
This contradiction has never been overcome, especially in the part that concerns field artillery pieces and anti-aircraft guns. However, German companies with powerful technical resources, such as the Rheinmetall and Krupp concerns, found many innovative solutions to the problems associated with the mobility and shock firepower of parachute units. On the ground, it was often difficult to distinguish the equipment of paratroopers from that adopted in ground forces ah Wehrmacht, however, specialized weapons still appeared, and it not only increased the combat potential of paratroopers, but also influenced the development of military equipment and weapons in the coming half of the 20th century.

Outfit

Protective clothing is very important for someone who is skydiving, and for skydivers it began with high, ankle-covering boots. They had thick rubber soles that were very comfortable, though not suitable for long walks, and provided good traction on the floor inside the aircraft fuselage (because they did not use the large shoe nails commonly found on the kind of shoes supplied to soldiers of other branches of the military). Initially, the lacing was on the sides to avoid snagging with parachute lines, but it was gradually figured out that this was not necessary, and after operations in Crete in 1941, manufacturers began to supply paratroopers with boots with traditional lacing.

Over the combat uniform, the paratroopers wore a waterproof tarpaulin overalls up to the hips. It has undergone various improvements and was designed to provide additional protection against moisture when jumping, and was also more suitable for putting on a suspension system.

Since landing has always been one of the most risky stages of a skydiver's jump, his uniform was supplied with special knee and elbow pads. The trousers of the combat uniform set had small slits on the sides at the level of the knees, into which tarpaulin thickenings lined with vegetable fluff were inserted. Additional protection was given by external "shock absorbers" made of leather-covered porous rubber, which were fixed with straps or ties. (Both the thickenings and the jumpsuit itself were usually disposed of after landing, although the overalls were sometimes left to put on a harness over it.) The trousers had a small pocket just above the level of the knees, in which an important sling knife was placed for the paratrooper.

Sling cutter Fliegerkappmesser - FKM

1 - Helmet M38
2 - Jumping blouse with a "comminuted" pattern with sleeve insignia
3 - Trousers M-37
4 - Gas mask M-38 in canvas bag
5 - 9 mm MP-40 SMG
6 - Magazine pouches for MP-40 on the belt
7 - Flask
8 - Bread bag M-31
9 - Folding shovel
10 - Binoculars Ziess 6x30
11 - Boots

As the war picked up pace, paratrooper uniforms became more hallmarks uniforms of soldiers of the ground forces. This well-worn soldier, however, still wears his special paratrooper helmet, by which the paratroopers were easily recognized among other German units.

Probably the most important piece of protective equipment. indispensable for both jumping and combat was a specific landing helmet. In general, it was an ordinary helmet of a German infantryman. but without a visor and falling down fields that protected the ears and neck, equipped with a shock-absorbing balaclava and firmly fixing it on the fighter's head with a chin strap.

German airborne helmet

Parachute helmet liner

Scheme of the device of the German landing helmet

Since in most cases paratroopers had quite long time to fight without the possibility of obtaining supplies, the ability to carry a large amount of additional ammunition was considered important for them.

German paratrooper with bandolier

The paratrooper bandolier of a special design had 12 pockets connected in the center with a canvas strap that was thrown over the neck, and the bandolier itself hung over the chest so that the fighter had access to the pockets on both sides. The bandolier allowed the paratrooper to carry about 100 cartridges for the Kag-98k rifle, which should have been enough for him until the next drop of equipment or the arrival of reinforcements. Later in the war, bandoliers appeared with four large pockets, which contained up to four magazines for the FG-42 rifle.

Parachutes

The first parachute that entered service with the German paratroopers was the RZ-1 forced-opening backpack parachute. Commissioned by the Department of Technical Equipment of the Ministry of Aviation in 1937, the RZ-1 had a dome with a diameter of 8.5 m and an area of ​​56 square meters. meters. When developing this means of landing, the Italian Salvatore model was taken as the basis, in which the parachute strands converged at one point and from it, with a V-shaped braid, were attached to the belt at the waist of the paratrooper with two half rings. An unfortunate consequence of this design was that the parachutist hung from the lines in an absurdly inclined position facing the ground - this also led to the technique of making a head-first jump from the aircraft in order to reduce the impact of the jerk when opening the parachute. The design was noticeably inferior to the Irwin parachute, which was used by Allied paratroopers and Luftwaffe pilots and which allowed a person to be in an upright position, being supported by four vertical straps. Among other things, such a parachute could be controlled by pulling up the supporting lines of the suspension system, which made it possible to turn into the wind and control the direction of descent. Unlike the paratroopers of most other countries, the German paratrooper could not have any influence on the behavior of the parachute, since he could not even reach the straps behind him.

Another drawback of the RZ-1 was the four buckles that the paratrooper had to unfasten in order to free himself from the parachute, which, unlike the similar kind of Allied products, was not equipped with a quick release system. In practice, this meant that the skydiver was often dragged along the ground by the wind while he made desperate efforts to quickly unfasten the buckles. In such situations, it would be easier to cut the parachute lines. To this end, since 1937, every paratrooper had a "kappmesser" (knife-strop cutter), which was stored in a special pocket of combat uniform trousers. The blade was hidden in the handle and opened by simply turning it down and pressing the latch, after which the blade would fall into place under the influence of gravity. This meant that the knife could be used with one hand, making it an essential item in a paratrooper kit.
The RZ-1 was followed in 1940 by the RZ-16, which featured a slightly improved suspension system and hauling technique. Meanwhile, the RZ-20, which entered service in 1941, remained the main parachute until the end of the war. One of its main advantages was simple system buckles, which at the same time was built on the same problematic Salvatore design.

Quick release buckle system on a German parachute RZ20

German parachute RZ-36

Later, another parachute, the RZ-36, was also produced, which, however, was found only limited use during the operation in the Ardennes. The triangular shape of the RZ-36 helped control the "pendulum swing" typical of previous parachutes.
The imperfection of the RZ series parachutes could not but slip into the effectiveness of landing operations carried out with their use, especially with regard to injuries received during landing, as a result of which the number of fighters capable of taking part in hostilities after landing was reduced.

German landing containers

German container for landing equipment

During airborne operations, almost all weapons and supplies were dropped in containers. Prior to Operation Mercury, there were three sizes of containers, with the smaller ones used to transport heavier military supplies, such as, say, ammunition, and the larger ones for larger, but lighter ones. After Crete, these containers were standardized - length 4.6 m, diameter 0.4 m and cargo weight 118 kg. To protect the contents of the container, it had a corrugated iron bottom, which collapsed on impact and acted as a shock absorber. In addition, the loads were laid with rubber or felt, and the containers themselves were supported in a predetermined position by suspension or placed inside other containers.

Dug out of the ground landing containers

A platoon of 43 people needed 14 containers. If there was no need to open the container immediately, it could be carried by the handles (four in all) or rolled on a trolley with rubber wheels included with each container. One version was a bomb-shaped container, used for light cargo that was difficult to damage. They were dropped from aircraft like conventional bombs and, although equipped with a drag parachute, did not have a shock absorber system.

German landing equipment container found in the river by black diggers

The air force at that time was an integral part of the army. The coming to power of the Nazis, and further militaristic plans. demanded a restructuring of the troops. To ensure greater efficiency, so dynamically developing, they singled out a separate branch of the armed forces. On the different stages development included

• seven air fleets
• air defense(radar, searchlight and anti-aircraft batteries), the largest part of the Air Force over a million people
• airborne units Fliegerdivision
• air field divisions of the Luftwaffen Feld Division (they suffered the biggest losses, some formations were completely destroyed)

It is believed that Germany was the inventor of the parachute and glider units in. Actually it is not. Back in 1931, the USSR became the owner airborne troops.
Taking as a basis the unit (Fallschirmjager) of the parachute rifle battalion, on its own initiative, it formed the 7th airborne division (Fliegerdivision) from it in 1936. According to its organization and purpose, the former first in the world structure of the Airborne Forces.

Ground forces of the German Luftwaffe paratroopers

Almost all serious participants in the Second World War also had their own airborne units in the armed forces.
Germany, unlike other participants in the Second World War, the airborne units were subordinate to the command of the Air Force. In other countries participating in the war, the paratrooper units were subordinate to the ground forces. What later happened in Germany as well. Air field divisions, not to be confused with them with paratroopers, were recruited from among volunteers serving in the Luftwaffe. After the defeat at Stalingrad, they were nevertheless reassigned to the Wehrmacht.

The paratroopers performed well during the invasion of Norway in 1940, Belgium and Holland. The most famous and successful operation, against the fortress of Eben-Emael. It was captured in the early morning by glider pilots (the landing was carried out from gliders) with little or no resistance from the Belgian army.
Pay attention to the difference, the SS paratroopers and the Brandenburg 800 unit were awarded the second.

Luftwaffe paratrooper badge on the left, Wehrmacht paratrooper qualification badge on the right

On the crest of the success of the use of paratroopers in 1940-1941. the allies of Germany, taking as a model the ground forces of the Luftwaffe, their elite component of the paratroopers. Created their own airborne units.
German paratroopers wore boots with high rubber soles and special zip-up overalls. In 1942 there was a change in the small arms of the parachute troops. The main personal weapon was the powerful FG-42 automatic assault rifle.

Well-armed paratroopers

Initially, landing operations were on a small scale. As the number increased, for the first time in world practice, in combat conditions, mass landing was carried out during the capture of Crete in May 1941. From that day on, mass landings were put to rest. The landing operation ended with the loss of 4,000 paratroopers and more than 2,000 wounded. Also during the landing operation, 220 aircraft were lost.
Hitler bluntly declared, "the day of the paratroopers is over." Once the elite troops, they began to be used as light infantry. Therefore, there were no landings in operations for Malta and Cyprus.

elite ground unit of the Luftwaffe presumably Italy

Another elite ground unit of the Luftwaffe is the Hermann Göring Panzer Division.
In 1933 it was established as a police unit. At the request of Hermann Goering, she was transferred in 1935 to the Luftwaffe. Gradually enlarging, by the beginning of the military campaign on the Eastern Front, it has a brigade staff.
After the defeat in Tunisia in 1943, the brigade was transformed into the Hermann Goering Panzer Division. Transferred to Poland in 1944, it rose in October of that year to a tank corps.

Luftwaffe paratroopers calculation Mg 34 the beginning of the war

The division "Hermann Göring" and the airborne units of the Fliegerdivision constituted the elite of the Luftwaffe.
As planned by Goering, when he decided to create his own army, in the likeness of the "SS". Having recruited volunteers serving in other structures of the Luftwaffe, they formed air field divisions.

12 air field division Russia 1943

Received a complete antipode to the elite. Poorly armed, poorly organized and had weak commanders. And unsuccessfully introduced in time, into the arena of hostilities. We fell under the blow of our armies, forming a cauldron around Stalingrad. Where almost all were destroyed, some within a few days. Other formations of air field divisions experienced powerful pressure from our armies trying to cut off the Rzhev ledge, and also completely lost their combat effectiveness. As a result, the biggest losses in the Luftwaffe, and sent to fight the partisans.
Later we will analyze each division of the military air force Germany in more detail.

In April-May 1940, German paratroopers landed on airfields in Norway, captured the Belgian fort Eben-Emael and the bridges over the Albert Canal. All these were tactical victories, although they ensured the success of the Wehrmacht at the operational level. But in preparation for the May 1940 campaign, the German command also developed a larger airborne operation. Its goal was to ensure the fastest possible capture of Holland - a country with rich military traditions, strong fortifications, modern weapons and 240,000 army.

Paratroopers ahead of tanks

Holland did not have such powerful fortifications as the Belgians, but its heart was protected by a network of rivers and canals, as well as by the Zuider Zee. The Dutch army did not plan to defend the entire country, hoping to take cover behind these barriers - according to tradition, the Dutch relied more on water than on land.

To get to The Hague (one of the main targets of the offensive), the formations of the right-flank German 18th Army of Army Group B needed to overcome the lower reaches of the Meuse, Waal and Rhine. To capture the bridges in Moerdijk (across the Meuse), Dordrecht (across the Waal) and Rotterdam (across the Lower Rhine), the German command decided to use the forces of the 22nd Airborne Division (22. Infanterie-Division (Luftlande)). Finally, the planned airborne landing in The Hague itself offered a chance to capture the Dutch military leadership and government, decapitating the enemy army and forcing the Dutch to stop fighting.

General scheme of the German offensive in Holland
Source: waroverholland.nl

At Moerdijk, Dordrecht and Rotterdam, the paratroopers were to hold the bridges until the 9th Panzer Division, moving between Eindhoven and Boxtel, approached from the south. In the event of the success of the paratroopers, a free road to The Hague was opened for the German army. The entire 22nd Airborne Division (16th, 47th and 65th Infantry Regiments) with a total strength of up to 9500 people was intended for the operation. In addition, the main part of the 7th aviation division- 1st and 2nd parachute regiments (about 3000 people). The paratroopers were ordered to land at key points along the highway from Moerdijk to The Hague, as well as at airfields around the city itself.

Only the 47th and 65th regiments were equipped with parachutes, which were supposed to be thrown out first to capture runways, bridges and key points of enemy defense. Reinforcements were delivered to them by landing method - on transport aircraft, which were supposed to land on captured airfields or suitable areas of the terrain. The main transport vehicle was the low-speed Ju.52 - only 430 of these aircraft were allocated for the operation, at a time they could take about 5500 people. Thus, the transfer of landing troops required at least three flights. In addition, over a thousand bombers and fighters were involved in the battles against the Dutch, including the twin-engine Me.110, capable of staying in the air for a long time and supporting the landing force, attacking ground targets. Unlike the landings in the areas of Eben-Emael and the Albert Canal, landing gliders were not supposed to be used.

Landing at Moerdijk

The Germans had no problems with the bridges in the village of Moerdijk - on the morning of May 10 they were captured by the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment under the command of Captain Prager (numbering - about 600 people). By this time, Prager was already terminally ill - he was diagnosed with rectal cancer, and he literally ran away from the hospital when he learned that he did not have long to live. Prager was promoted to major on June 19, 1940, and died on December 3.

Major Prager with the Iron Cross
Source: Chris Ailsby. Hitler's Sky Warriors

At 5:40 Berlin time, Prager's paratroopers landed on both banks of the Hollandsche Diep River (as the mouth of the Meuse was called), which was about a kilometer wide here. To avoid scattering during landing, the paratroopers jumped from a very low height (about 200 m). Almost without a fight, they captured both parallel bridges - the old railway and highway bridges, built in 1936.

The bridges were defended by a Dutch infantry battalion of about 350 men, with two 57 mm infantry cannons and twelve heavy machine guns. In the event of a German attack, it was supposed to be replaced by the 6th border battalion (750 people), so the infantrymen were not ready for defense and, under German bombardment, did not even have time to take the trenches on the south side of the bridge.

Bridges at Moerdijk. German aerial photography, north down. Canopies of descending parachutes are visible from both ends of the bridge.
Source: waroverholland.nl

However, the Dutch were not going to defend the bridge - when the enemy attacked, it was supposed to blow it up, so the concrete fortifications were only on the northern side of the river and kept it under fire. In Moerdijk there was a three-gun 75-mm battery - however, one of the guns turned out to be faulty. To prevent a premature explosion, the fuses from the charges were removed, so the Germans got the bridges intact. In the battles for the bridges and the village, the Dutch lost 38 people killed, the Germans lost 24 paratroopers, and about 50 more were wounded. Of the 500 Dutch soldiers defending the Moerdijk area, 350 were taken prisoner.

Pillbox at the bridge in Moerdijk, armed with a 47 mm anti-tank gun and a machine gun. He resisted for six whole hours
Source: waroverholland.nl

At about 17:00, the bridges captured by the Germans tried to bomb three light Dutch Fokker T.V bombers (according to other sources - C.V) under the cover of six Fokker D.XXI fighters. The attempt failed - the Dutch aircraft were driven off by Messerschmitt Bf.110 fighters from the 1st group of the 1st squadron of heavy fighters. During a short-term battle, one bomber was hit and made an emergency landing, both pilots escaped.

The next was a raid by four Fokker C.X light bombers, under the cover of which the 6th Border Battalion, which had finally approached here from the south, went on the attack. The border guards managed to get closer to 500 m to the bridge, but then they were driven back (while the Germans lost one non-commissioned officer killed). Finally, at 18:30, fire was opened on the bridge coastal batteries, located at Huksvaard, 8 km to the west - one 125-mm and three 75-mm. Due to poor adjustment of the shooting, it was not possible to cause significant damage to the bridge, but several civilians died from the shells. As a result, the Dutch stopped firing, deciding to prepare an attack for the next morning ...

Bridge at Moerdijk, seen from German positions on May 10, 1940
Source: waroverholland.nl

Dordrecht: death of the 3rd company

Simultaneously with the landing in Moerdijk, on the highway between Moerdijk and Dordrecht, the main forces of the 1st Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment under the command of Hauptmann Erich Walter were thrown out - the 2nd and 4th companies, a medical company, a communications platoon and regimental headquarters. Here was the commander of the regiment, Colonel Bruno Breuer. The task of this group was to intercept the highway to Dordrecht and organize command post divisions to coordinate the actions of all landed forces. The 1st company of the 1st battalion was in Norway at that time, so only 400 of its fighters landed south of Dordrecht (another 200 people were regimental and divisional units).

The area between Moerdijk and Dordrecht and parachute landing sites along the highway
Source: waroverholland.nl

The landing on the highway was generally successful, although the paratroopers were scattered over a wide area and took a long time to assemble. But in Dordrecht itself, where the 3rd company of the 1st battalion was thrown out, the Germans began to fail. According to intelligence, the garrison of the city was about 500 people, but in reality it turned out to be three times as large. The 1st Battalion of the Dutch 28th Infantry Regiment was stationed here, reinforced with two more companies, as well as a number of other units belonging to various military structures. Of the artillery, the Dutch had only two 47-mm anti-tank guns. The commandant of the garrison was Lieutenant Colonel Josef Mussert, who was the older brother of the Dutch Nazi leader Anton Mussert, so many officers did not trust their commander.

Bridges over the Oude Maas (Old Maas) between Dordrecht and Zwijndrecht
Source: waroverholland.nl

The Dordrecht sector was subordinate to the commander of the "Fortress Holland", General Jan van Andel - this created problems in interaction with neighboring sectors that had a different subordination. The fact is that the territory south of Dordrecht was part of the Kiel sector, and all the artillery located on it was also subordinate to it: three batteries of 125-mm guns from the 14th artillery regiment and two batteries of new 75-mm field guns from the 17th artillery regiment (the latter were placed very close to the bridges).

The bridges were directly covered by four pillboxes - two artillery (with a machine gun and a 50-mm anti-tank gun each) and two machine guns; The bridge guard consisted of 275 people.

Bridges in Dordrecht, German aerial photography
Source: waroverholland.nl

The 3rd company was to land on both banks of the Oude Maas. Its 3rd platoon (36 people), thrown out on the northern side of the river, managed to suppress the resistance of the guards on its bank, take both bridges and the position of anti-aircraft machine guns that covered them. However, the main part of the 3rd company landed too far from the target, and most importantly - next to the Dutch barracks, one and a half kilometers east of the bridges. A heavy battle broke out here, the Dutch pulled up fresh forces. As a result, the 3rd company was defeated, its commander died. The Germans lost 14 people killed, 25 paratroopers were missing, and about 80 more were captured. Only ten paratroopers managed to break through to the north and join the 3rd platoon, which continued to fight desperately on the bridges.

Successes of Count von Blucher

In the meantime, the main body of the 1st Battalion finally came together. Losses during the landing turned out to be small - only the mortar platoon of the 4th company disappeared (later it turned out that it had been thrown out by mistake in the Eipenburg area). Moreover, the dispersal of paratroopers over a large area turned out to be an unexpected and anecdotal success. Part of the paratroopers, to their great surprise, landed on the positions of the Dutch artillery near the village of Tweede Tol. The guns were not guarded by anyone - the artillerymen slept peacefully in their barracks. Until 10 a.m., the Dutch unsuccessfully tried to recapture their guns, suffering serious losses in the process. The Germans were able to use some of the 75-mm guns in subsequent battles.

Plan of Dordrecht
Source: waroverholland.nl

By 10 o'clock in the morning, Colonel Breuer gathered his forces on the highway and launched an attack on Dordrecht. Finding that the main Dutch forces were concentrated in the park near the Amstelwijk estate (near the highway south of the city), Breuer sent forward a small group under the command of Lieutenant Count Wolfgang von Blücher. Blucher's group went around the estate from the rear and unexpectedly attacked it, shooting and throwing grenades. Panic arose among the Dutch - taking advantage of it, the Germans attacked the estate from the south along the highway. The demoralized Dutch garrison was defeated, losing 25 fighters killed (another 75 people, including the battalion commander, were captured). The Germans lost 5 people killed and captured several bunkers covering the approaches to Dordrecht from the south.

The next fortified point of the Dutch, located in a school near the highway, surrendered after shelling from mortars - about a hundred Dutch sappers were captured, the Germans lost four people killed. Around noon, the paratroopers finally reached the bridge, desperately defended by the remnants of the 3rd company.

Scheme of battles in Dordrecht on May 10, 1940
Source: waroverholland.nl

Now the bridges at Moerdijk and Dordrecht were firmly held by the Germans, but there was no communication between them - in the afternoon a strong Dutch detachment from the Keel sector (two companies of the 2nd battalion of the 28th infantry regiment and a company from the 1st battalion of the 34th regiment, reinforced with machine guns) crossed from a neighboring island and occupied the Amstelwijk left by the Germans. Now the main forces of the paratroopers were concentrated at three points - the bridges in Moerdijk, the bridges in Dordrecht and the village of Tweede Tol between them. Now the main task of the Germans was to hold their positions under the attacks of a many times superior enemy.

On the night of May 10-11, the commander of the airborne corps, Lieutenant-General Kurt Student, ordered that part of the reserves intended for dropping in the Rotterdam area be redirected to Dordrecht. In particular, one of the companies of the 16th Infantry Regiment, a platoon anti-tank guns, a battery of 75-mm howitzers and half of a sapper company.

Landing at Rotterdam

The landing in the area of ​​Rotterdam was not so successful. The first group to land here was Oberleutnant Herman-Albert Schrader - 120 people from the 11th and 12th companies of the 16th Infantry Regiment and the 22nd Engineer Battalion, deployed on twelve He.59 seaplanes. Their task was to occupy four bridges across the Nieuwe Maas, connecting the southern and northern parts of the city, as well as the island of Noordereiland located in the middle of the river.

Almost simultaneously, the 3rd battalion of the 1st parachute regiment (9th, 11th and 12th companies) under the command of Major Schultz and the 2nd battalion of the 2nd parachute regiment (without the 6th company) were thrown onto the Waalhaven airfield . 650 people of the first wave were to occupy the airfield and prepare it within 45 minutes to receive aircraft from the second wave of landing. The second wave landed at 5:30 Berlin time, it included the main part of the 16th regiment, part of the 2nd battalion of the 2nd parachute regiment, two battalions of the 72nd infantry regiment of the 46th division, as well as divisional units of the 22nd 1st Division, including two companies of anti-tank guns, a battery of six light anti-aircraft guns and three batteries of 75-mm mountain guns. In addition, one platoon of the 11th company was thrown out in the area of ​​​​the stadium and was supposed to go to the aid of the paratroopers who occupied the bridges. Air cover for the landing and subsequent patrols over the airfield were carried out by Meserschmitt Bf.110 heavy fighters of the operational group of Major General Richard Putzier from the 2nd Air Fleet.

Before landing, the airfield was attacked by He.111 bombers, led by the commander of the KG 4 bomber squadron, Colonel Martin Fiebig. Their task was to suppress fire resistance, but at the same time keep the runway and airfield facilities intact, so the attack was carried out with light 50-kg bombs. The large Waalhaven airfield was used mainly as a civilian before the war, so its air defense was relatively weak - 12 heavy anti-aircraft machine guns, two 20-mm machine guns and seven 75-mm anti-aircraft guns, the ammunition of which made it possible to fire at a distance of at least 1000 m On the other hand, there was a squadron of heavy Fokker G.1 fighters (analogues of the German Bf.110) at the airfield.

Having landed from seaplanes, the paratroopers captured the bridges, but they did not succeed in occupying a bridgehead on the northern coast. True, the Dutch failed to knock the enemy down from their positions, despite the artillery support of the Z-5 gunboat and the TM-51 destroyer.

Battle for Waalhaven

German planes attacked the Waalhaven airfield around 4:00 am. Three Fokker G.1s were disabled by the first bombs, one more was out of order, but eight machines still managed to take off. They inflicted enormous damage on the Germans, shooting down at least eight bombers, three fighters and two Junkers transports. The Dutch lost only two aircraft in this battle - one was shot down and fell into the river, the other was damaged and made an emergency landing in the field. However, during the battle, the Dutch fighters used up all the fuel, were forced to land anywhere and eventually crashed or fell into the hands of the Germans. Only one fighter survived, which reached the airfield De Kooy in Den Helder in the north of Holland.

Willemsburg bridge in the center of Rotterdam, captured by German paratroopers on the morning of May 10, 1940
Source: waroverholland.nl

The landing of paratroopers began at about 4:45. The airfield was defended by the 3rd Dutch Jaeger Battalion - 750 people with twelve heavy machine guns and two Cardin-Lloyd wedges. It also offered strong resistance to the German paratroopers, inflicting heavy losses on them. The situation was saved by Bf.110 heavy fighters covering the landing - they stormed the positions anti-aircraft artillery and forced her to cease fire. After that, the paratroopers made a desperate throw and took up the positions of the Dutch anti-aircraft gunners. The decisive factor was the capture of the Dutch major, the commander of the air base - under the muzzles of German pistols, he gave his soldiers the order to surrender, and most of the units carried it out. Part of the Dutch withdrew to Rotterdam.

Although not without difficulties, the airfield was eventually occupied. Immediately, transport vehicles with soldiers of the 3rd battalion of the 16th airborne regiment began to land here. On May 11, at about 9 o'clock in the morning, Lieutenant General Student arrived at Waalhaven to directly lead the troops. Toward evening, the 7th artillery battery of the 22nd division was airlifted here, in just a day about a thousand people were delivered to the airfield by landing method.

The arrived reinforcements Student immediately sent to the bridges across the Rhine - two of them were already controlled by German paratroopers, two more were under their fire. However, the Germans failed to move further north - moreover, parts of the Dutch marines knocked out paratroopers from several high-rise buildings on the northern bank of the river.

Meanwhile, the enemy went on the counterattack. Dutch artillery began shelling Waalhaven, supported by the gunboat Moritz van Nassau from the sea, and fresh infantry units sent here tried to drive the German paratroopers out of the airfield. Moreover, already an hour and a half after the start of the German landing, five Fokker C.X biplanes tried to bomb the airfield. Two of them were damaged by Bf.110 fighters and made an emergency landing, but the dropped bombs fell on a group of German transport aircraft and damaged several of them. Around noon, the raid was repeated - now the airfield was attacked by three twin-engine Fokker T.Vs from the 1st Squadron of the 1st Dutch Aviation Regiment. Having already been bombed, they were intercepted by Bf.109 Messerschmitts, which shot down two of the three vehicles.

German paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment in Waalhaven, May 10, 1940
Source: I. M. Baxter, R. Volstad. Fallschirmjuger. German Paratroopers from Glory to Defeat 1939–1945

In the afternoon, British planes were sent against Waalhaven - permission for their use was given by the British War Cabinet after desperate requests from the Dutch government. The first to attack the airfield were six heavy Blenheim IVF fighters from the 600th squadron, but they did not achieve any results (five aircraft were lost). The commander of the only returned Blenheim, Sergeant Mitchell, reported that twelve twin-engine Messerschmitts were covering the airfield. A little later, Waalhaven was attacked by eight Blenheim bomber modifications from the 15th squadron: they destroyed eight transport aircraft on the ground and suffered no losses - due to a lack of fuel, the German fighters had to return to their base.

Already on the night of May 10-11, Waalhaven was bombed by 36 Wellington bombers from the British Bomber Command. They dropped 58 tons of bombs on the airfield: some of them fell on the airfield, causing fires there, others hit residential areas outside it (killing at least two Dutch soldiers and an undetermined number of civilians). Other results of this raid are unknown, but it is obvious that at night, acting on point targets, it was hardly possible to achieve great success. For the whole day on May 10, the Germans lost up to thirty aircraft (fourteen of them Ju.52 at the airfield), 20 paratroopers and about the same number of pilots died. Dutch aviation losses amounted to 11 heavy fighters, 2 medium and 2 light bombers; 58 soldiers died, about 600 more were captured. The British lost six twin-engine Blenheims.

By the end of the first day of the operation, the German paratroopers held positions on the left bank of Rotterdam and bridges over the Nieuwe Maas, but their position remained extremely unreliable. The Dutch troops in the city and its environs totaled up to 7,000 people and were preparing for a counterattack ...

Literature:

1. D. M. Projector. War in Europe, 1939–1941 M.: Military Publishing, 1963
2. A. Gove. Attention skydivers! M.: Publishing house of foreign literature, 1957
3. D. Richards, H. Saunders. British Air Force in World War II 1939–1945 M.: Military Publishing, 1963
4. B. Quarry, M. Chappel. German paratroopers, 1939-1945. M.: AST, Astrel, 2003
5. A. Stepanov. Pyrrhic victory for the Luftwaffe in the West // History of Aviation, 2000, No. 3
6. Y. Pakhmurin. MLD goes to war. Naval aviation of Holland on the defense of the metropolis // Naval war. People, ships, events, 2008, No. 2
7. Simon Dunstan. Fort Eben Emael. The key to Hitler's victory in the West. Osprey Publishing, 2005 (Fortress 030)
8. Chris McNab. Fallschirmjager. Nemecti vysadkari. Prague: Svojtla & Co, 2003
9. I. M. Baxter, R. Volstad. Fallschirmjuger. German Paratroopers from Glory to Defeat 1939–1945. Concord Publishing, 2001 (Concord 6505)
10. Chris Ailsby. Hitler's Sky Warriors. German Paratroopers in Action 1939–1945. London: Brown Partworks Ltd, 2000

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

Armament

The armament of the German parachute troops differs little from the armament of the infantry of the Wehrmacht. Paratroopers used everything standard views lung small arms, machine guns, mortars, grenade launchers and flamethrowers adopted by the German army. Starting from 1942, with the transition to the use of parachute units in ground operations, field, medium, anti-tank, anti-aircraft, self-propelled and assault artillery began to be used. Due to lack of space, we will not dwell in detail on the types of weapons that were widely used in other German troops.

Aviation General Student (right) with paratrooper officers, probably during exercises in northwestern Europe (captain of a lieutenant in the center with a white ribbon of an intermediary on maneuvers). 1944 (544/585/31).

In addition to the standard Kar 98K Mauser carbine, paratroopers used a limited number of shortened, folding or "breaking" rifles. Notable among these are the Kar 98/42 and the Brunn Gew 33/40, both in 7.92mm with five-shot magazines. In addition to the 33/40 rifle with a folding butt, there was another version - a shortened one, intended for both parachute and mountain rifle troops. The eight-shot automatic pistol Sauer 38 (H) was popular in the Luftwaffe. The most specific weapon for the paratroopers was the FG42 7.92mm automatic rifle with a magazine with a capacity of 20 rounds, a bipod and a bayonet located horizontally on the left. In contrast to the later introduced in the Wehrmacht and parts of the Luftwaffe " assault rifle» MP43 / 44 (SG43), FG42 had a high muzzle velocity and a long firing distance.

Parachute units needed light artillery pieces to accompany the first wave of landings, which could be transported by gliders and dropped by parachutes. In 1941, the Panzerbuche 41 28 mm anti-tank gun was specially developed on a light carriage with very good characteristics for a weapon of such a small caliber. This gun (in the German classification - an anti-tank gun) was designed for shells with tungsten cores, but already in 1941, tungsten stock was so scarce that the weapon was practically out of use.

Light recoilless guns were specific to parachute artillery units. Their recoil was almost completely absent, so it was possible to do without a heavy carriage and install the barrel on a light metal chassis. Even before the war, the Krupp factories developed the 75 mm LG1 gun with a range of 6500 m and the ability to hit armored targets. After Rheinmetall created a new carriage for it, the gun was put into service under the designation LG40. These guns were already used in the fighting in Crete. Used in small numbers since 1941, the 105 mm versions LG40/1 and LG40/2 differed only in the structural elements of the gun carriage. From 1942 they were replaced by the 150 mm LG42. The production of recoilless rifles in Germany continued until 1944. Then the abandonment of large-scale airborne operations made them practically useless.

Of the anti-aircraft guns, mention should be made of the 20 mm Flak38 automatic cannon, which was produced in a variant for the parachute troops, which was distinguished by a light folding gun carriage. It allowed the use of the weapon to combat both air and ground targets. The 20mm MG 151/20 was modified in a similar way. The developed light infantry gun lelG 18F did not go beyond the prototype. Of the reactive infantry weapons, it should be said about the 150-mm Do-Gerat - this rocket-propelled grenade launcher was used in limited quantities by paratroopers already in 1941. In 1944, a single-shot flamethrower "Einstossflammenwerfer 46" was developed specifically for the paratroopers. It provided the ejection of a jet of flame at a distance of up to 27 meters for 0.5 seconds.

Parachutes

In the pre-war years, the responsibility for the development of parachutes was entrusted to the technical equipment department of the Imperial Air Ministry, which was headed by Professors Hoff and Madelung. The work was carried out at four test stations in Berlin, Rechlin, Darmstadt and Stuttgart. Experiments using theodolites made it possible to establish the required parameters; in accordance with them, the Ruckenpackung Zwangauslosung (RZ1) backpack parachute was developed. When testing and entering practical use, its serious shortcomings were noted - excessive swaying during descent and failures of the automatic deployment system. In early 1940, it was replaced by the RZ16, and already in 1941, the RZ20 replaced it, which remained the main parachute of the Luftwaffe until the end of the war.

The round dome of the parachute with a diameter of 8.5 m was sewn from 28 silk wedges. The color of the dome was most often white, but sometimes (in particular, during Operation Mercury) parachutes with camouflage domes were used. The folded RZ20 canopy was packed in a cloth bag. A thin cord connected the upper point of the folded dome with the neck of the bag, and the bag itself was firmly connected to an exhaust device - a piece of powerful sling with a carabiner at the end. The folded canopy with slings was packed into a “package”, which was fastened on the back of the parachutist to two shoulder half-rings of the harness. From the corners of the "package" two slings descended to the D-rings of the waist part of the harness, which served as the main fixator of the parachute. The nine-meter cord of the exhaust device was laid under the upper corners of the "package".

The delivery of paratroopers to the drop site was carried out by vulnerable but reliable three-engine Junker Ju.52 / 3m transport aircraft, which, depending on the layout, could accommodate from 12 to 18 people. Paratroopers sat on benches placed along the fuselage. When the plane reached the drop zone, the airman (Absetzer) gave the command "Stand up", and the paratroopers lined up in one line, clutching a retractable sling in their teeth next to the hook of the carbine. At the next command, they “fastened” - they attached a hook to a thick cable fixed along the fuselage wall, along which the hook slid as the paratrooper moved to the door. Having reached the door, the parachutist stopped in the opening with his legs apart and slightly bent at the knees, his hands on the handrails on both sides of the opening. When leaving the plane, it was supposed to push off the handrails with your hands and fall forward - due to the design features of the harness to confuse the jerk when opening the parachute, the paratrooper had to "lie on his stomach." This cunning maneuver was carefully practiced by young soldiers in training. After the sling of the exhaust device was completely straightened out, due to the jerk of the falling body, the valves of the parachute package swung open and the folded canopy was pulled out. The parachute bag remained hanging overboard the aircraft at the lower end of the exhaust device, and the thin cord connecting the bag and the parachute panel extended the canopy to its full length and unhooked. The parachute canopy opened with a noticeable jerk with a stream of air, and the paratrooper began a free descent.

The design of German parachutes was very different from those adopted in other countries, in particular, British ones. because of design features The lines and packing characteristics of the RZ parachutes provided a strong pull when deployed. But they made it possible to jump from relatively low heights - a significant plus for a person who had to hang under the dome for several minutes, expecting that the enemy was about to open fire from the ground. Usually landing was carried out from a height of 110-120 m, and one of the groups of paratroopers in Crete was successfully thrown from a height of only 75 m. For full deployment of the RZ20, a height of about 40 m was required.

The RZ16 and RZ20 parachute harness was Irwin's classic chest harness with a harness. The main loops covered the chest, lower back and hips and were connected by vertical ligaments that ran from both sides of the body and crossed on the back (see color illustrations). The big drawback of the RZ series parachutes, however, was the system for attaching lines to the harness. It is even surprising that the Germans, whose military equipment, as a rule, was of very high quality, never “finished” the development of this most important technical issue. D-shaped half rings on the lumbar loop were intended for attaching parachute lines assembled in two bundles in the form of an inverted letter V. Such a mount repeated the old Italian Salvatore system (the British, for example, abandoned it) and retained its main drawback: during the descent, the paratrooper simply “hung” in the harness and could not change the volume and inclination of the dome.

This had several consequences, all of which were negative. First of all, the famous "dive" of the German paratrooper from the door of the aircraft was caused by technical necessity, and not by bravado: at the moment of opening the dome, the paratrooper's body had to be in a horizontal position, otherwise a sharp and painful jerk could bend the body in half. If the parachutist were in a vertical position, the jerk when opening the canopy would fall too low, and the paratrooper could simply turn over - too dangerous a situation, especially when dropped from a low altitude.

Secondly, after being thrown out of the plane, the paratrooper could not control the descent by adjusting the tension of the lines, and was completely dependent on the direction of the wind. Moreover, the German paratroopers did not have the opportunity to turn around when landing facing the wind - as a result, they could not at the last moment reduce the rate of descent and, accordingly, the force of impact upon landing.

Due to the low attachment of the lines to the harness, the German paratroopers descended, keeping their body tilted forward at an angle of almost 45 °. Just before landing, making swimming movements with his arms and legs, the skydiver could try to turn his face in the direction of the wind, so that immediately after landing he would not be rolled over on his back. If this was possible, it was possible to extinguish the force of the blow by making a somersault forward, but even in this case, when landing, the toes of the boots, knees and hands of the paratrooper touched the ground almost simultaneously. That is why paratroopers gave such great importance protecting the ankles, knees and wrists - something that the Americans, the British or the Russians almost never had to do. To imagine all this, the reader must forget the familiar pictures of the landing of modern paratroopers: vertical landing with precise control of the parachute was not available to the German paratroopers of the Second World War. A forward somersault landing of a man equipped with heavy ammunition and weapons on an RZ20 parachute at a rate of descent from 3.5 to 5.5 m / s, even in the absence of horizontal wind, was a risky undertaking; landing fractures were common.

One way or another, immediately after landing, the paratrooper had to get rid of the harness as soon as possible (by the way, for this, the German paratrooper needed to unfasten four buckles, while the English one only needed one). The inability to “extinguish” the parachute canopy on the ground by adjusting the length of the lines represented the last of the dangers. With a strong side wind, the inflated dome could drag the paratrooper for a long time; there are many cases when, just after landing, paratroopers were blown into the sea or smashed to death on stones.

Recall once again: all these dangers that the German paratroopers were exposed to were the result of a specific (very low) fastening of the parachute lines to the harness. This is especially surprising when you consider that the Luftwaffe pilots were supplied with parachutes with Irvine harness with a shoulder, high line attachment! It is known that in the middle of 1943 the Germans developed a triangular parachute with more successful characteristics, which made it possible to control the descent conditions to a certain extent, but this RZ36 never entered the troops.

The parachute training of the German paratroopers was carried out very carefully. During the training, young fighters were instilled with skills that were supposed to reduce the risk of injury due to imperfect equipment. Initially, the basic landing techniques were practiced in the gym. At the same time, the soldiers got acquainted with the device of parachutes, learned how to pack them (later on, paratroopers packed only the pull cord on their own). Then came the turn of imitation jumps from the fuselage mock-up and learning how to handle the harness. After comprehending the basics, they moved on to real jumps. In the course of training, it was supposed to make six training jumps, the first being made individually from a height of about 200 m, and the rest - in a group, under various flight conditions and from ever lower heights. The last jump was performed simultaneously by 36 paratroopers, who jumped from three aircraft from a height of about 120 m, and after landing immediately proceeded to perform a tactical training task on the ground. Volunteers who successfully completed the training course received the coveted parachutist badge (Fallschirmschutzenabzeichen).

Containers

Unlike their opponents - the paratroopers of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition - the German paratroopers could not have heavy equipment with them when descending. The British and Americans, for example, put everything they needed in rather heavy bags, fastened with straps to the harness; these bags, hanging down, at the last moment somewhat dampened the landing speed, ending up on the ground before their owner. The German paratrooper could take with him only the lightest equipment and personal weapons. Weapon containers (Waffenhalter) were used to drop the main weapons, ammunition, food, medicines, communications equipment and everything else that might be needed on the ground and in battle. Due to the inevitable dispersion during release, the containers always ended up at a greater or lesser distance from the landing paratroopers. Their search and transportation could become a matter of life and death: in Crete, for example, due to the need to get to the containers under enemy fire, many German paratroopers died.

During Operation Mercury, at least three different sizes of containers were used. The smaller ones were used to drop the heaviest loads, such as ammunition, while the larger ones were used for bulky but relatively light ones (medicines in particular).

The shape and design of the containers remained unchanged throughout the war. However, after the operation to capture Crete, instead of the three original sizes, only one was left: 150 cm long, 40 cm high and wide. The containers were equipped with stiffeners, several canvas handles, some with a pair of small rubberized wheels and a metal T-shaped folding handle. The mass of the packed container was about 100 kg, 14 containers were supposed to be per platoon (43 fighters). On the end wall, opposite the parachute straps, there was a metal crushable shock-absorbing system in the form of a thin-walled corrugated pipe. The containers, as a rule, were placed on special frames in the cargo compartments of the Ju.52, but could also be attached under the wings of the transport Junkers or other aircraft - for example, He.111.

From the book Army of Imperial Rome. I-II centuries AD author Golyzhenkov I A

WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING Commanders Judging by the fact that the armor of the officer depicted on the altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus (second half of the 1st century BC) is similar to the one that appears on the column of Trajan (beginning of the 2nd century AD). ), "fashion" for armor of the late Hellenistic type

From book one World War 1914-1918. Cavalry of the Russian Imperial Guard the author Deryabin A I

UNIFORM, EQUIPMENT, WEAPONS OF THE GUARDS CAVALRY Service in the guards cavalry was very expensive for officers - all uniforms, equipment and horses were purchased by them at their own expense. G.A. von Tal wrote: “The uniform (…) was very expensive. Officer's mentic

author Rubtsov Sergey Mikhailovich

Protective equipment and offensive weapons Before considering the specific weapons of the army of Decebalus and his allies, it should be noted that the Dacian wars of the beginning of the 2nd century. n. e. covered the territory of both the Middle and Lower Danube, where they lived, as

From the book Legions of Rome on the Lower Danube: A Military History of the Roman-Dacian Wars (late 1st - early 2nd century AD) author Rubtsov Sergey Mikhailovich

Legionnaire's Protective Equipment and Offensive Armament During their centuries-old history, the Romans created the most advanced armament in antiquity, distinguished by durability, reliability and high fighting qualities. The legionnaire's protective equipment was quite simple

From the book Legions of Rome on the Lower Danube: A Military History of the Roman-Dacian Wars (late 1st - early 2nd century AD) author Rubtsov Sergey Mikhailovich

Protective equipment and offensive weapons of the auxiliaries At the beginning of the 2nd century. n. e. the equipment of the soldiers of the auxiliary units of the Roman army as a whole is unified. The defensive equipment of the auxiliaries in the era of Trajan, as experts believe, becomes more reliable.

author Denison George Taylor

From the book History of the Cavalry [with illustrations] author Denison George Taylor

From the book History of the Cavalry [with illustrations] author Denison George Taylor

Chapter III. Armament and equipment 1. Heavy or line cavalry It must be equipped with strong people, be planted on massive horses and brought to the highest degree tightness during movement. Her armament is a saber and two revolvers, one on herself, the other on

From the book German paratroopers 1939-1945 by Querri B

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT Armament The armament of the German parachute troops differs little from the armament of the infantry of the Wehrmacht. The paratroopers used all standard types of light small arms, machine guns, mortars, grenade launchers and flamethrowers adopted by the armed forces.

author Denison George Taylor

From the book History of the Cavalry [no illustrations] author Denison George Taylor

From the book History of the Cavalry [no illustrations] author Denison George Taylor

author Denison George Taylor

Weapons, equipment and tactics of knights Knights have always fought in armor. At first it was chain mail made of woven steel rings, or armor made of thin metal plates. They began to be used as the main means of protection, the head became

From the book History of Cavalry. author Denison George Taylor

Organization, armament and equipment of the cavalry under Louis XIV. During this period, the cavalry of European countries, with the exception of the Turkish, consisted of cuirassiers and lightly armed cavalry, who, although equipped and dressed in various ways, always actually remained

From the book History of Cavalry. author Denison George Taylor

Chapter 33. Armament and equipment Heavy or line cavalry Strong men should be recruited into such units and units, put them on strong horses and train them as hard as possible in order to achieve the utmost closeness of formation. As already mentioned, arm them

From the book Varangian Guard of Byzantium author Oleinikov Alexey Vladimirovich

4. ARMAMENT, EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORM In the complex of weapons and equipment of a warrior of the Varangian Guard, both national elements and Byzantine proper were intertwined. Emperor, military practitioner Nicephorus II Foka noted that in order to obtain the desired effect, each