Some picture from the Normandy site posted bu Verries. I was thinking these may be of interest to Commando or any other Airborne nuts ! Looking at the pictures I'm not so sure they are dated June 44 due to them appearing to be preparing for a jump. I was under the impression by this time in the war they were already in a Infantry role due to the loss of air superiority to the Allies. 1. Any ideas what the aircraft is in the rear with the black and white striped fuselage? 2. Another clue to it not being Normandy- The hills in the background. Italy perhaps? Pre Crete? 3. I thought this one was unusual due to them jumping from a Heinkel He 111. I thought they just jumped from Junkers Ju 52's?
Hi, The Heinkel may be a He 111 H-20/R1: Which I believe could carry 16 paratroopers and two 800kg supply pallets, and was fitted with a jump hatch . An small piece of related information(the full story cand be found at http://www.war-experience.org/collections/land/axis/frettlohr/article.pdf ) .....The basic training consisted of six jumps to acquire Paratrooper Wings. The first two jumps were from an old Dornier, the next two from a Heinkel Bomber 111, through the bomb hole. The final two jumps were then from a Junkers 52. On the Heinkel, you jumped out through the bomb hole. It was like a little opening. You had to go down a couple of steps and you jumped through there like a bomb... the Junkers 52 were a three engined workhorse of the German Air Force. They were a very, very slow flying machine. Regards Verrieres
One which took my interest - from James Lucas's book on the Fj's. A 75mm PAK gun near Carentan , the use of the flakglas (10x80) is a little irregular but effective. The man in the Kubel scans the skies , not a Luftwaffe aircraft to be seen , the boot was now firmly on the other foot.
well, concievably it could be a practise jump on June 1st, '44, or at least some day prior to 6th? thinking about it, maybe not! Brittany? 2.FJD were there (not all of them) Sorry, was just flicking through my copy of 'Green Devils' by Jean Yves Nasse, which I haven't seen for a while
Cheers all, what about the aircraft with the Black and White stripes? Location? Looks to hilly to be Normandy region of France. Cheers Andy
Is it infact an aircraft? Could it be a tent? Cheers all, what about the aircraft with the Black and White stripes? Location? Looks to hilly to be Normandy region of France. Cheers Andy
Interesting theory....Looking at it again now you mentioned a tent I wonder if its one of those little timber 'control' type buildings out near the runways of airfields. Cheers Andy
Hooray, its official! I am now an Airborne NUT! BUT I must not get side tracked into Axis Airborne Forces, there's no room! Regards Andy (aka ABE Airborne Nut)
Drew - The German paratroops were only used as Infantry after they took such a beating at Crete in '41 - Hitler apparently went berserk at their losses and condemned them to an Infantry role from then onwards - pity that as they were a pain in the rear as they fought far too well as Infantry in the Sicilian and Italian campaign - their exploits at Ortona - Cassino and the Gothic Line made them the best we had to deal with -we thought they should have been jumping - breaking -ankles - legs etc..... Cheers
I have come to this rather late but was enjoying the photos. These are almost certainly practise jumps - the JU52 was normally used but also HE111. One Fallschirmjager veteran told me he made all his day-light jumps from a JU52 but his night jumps from a HE111. Im not sure why this was and the photo of the HE111 is certainly not before a night jump. Regards, Jonathan S
The German paratroops were only used as Infantry after they took such a beating at Crete in '41 first part of the sentence is plain right. but id rather say, in this case, the beating was taken by commonwealth and greece home guard. allthough it was the last time a german Fallschirmjäger unit "jumped" into battle, due to the devastating losses on german side. but still an heroic act, the action in battle itself.
due to the devastating losses on german side. but still an heroic act, the action in battle itself. Hello and welcome to the forum. Isn't what you put the same thing as a beating? I'm not one for calling a spade a shovel I'm not waving the British flag either-I think the Paras got a beating at Arnhem too for one reason or another. Regards Andy
Back to topic of the thread. In 1942, number of jump schools had been set up in France at Chateaudun, Dreux, Lyon, Orange and Toyes. Four German parachute divisions were formed in France: 2nd in February 1943, 3rd in Reims in late 1943, 5th also in Reims and 6th in Amiens. So probably they were photographed while on jump training.
They got a lot younger in 1944 though! This one from the 5th F/Div captured on the road to Marigny was only 17 years of age. Rob
Another clue to it not being Normandy- The hills in the background. Italy perhaps? Pre Crete? hills, though it could be clouds.....if these are hills/ mountains then its definitly not normandy
Interesting theory....Looking at it again now you mentioned a tent I wonder if its one of those little timber 'control' type buildings out near the runways of airfields. Cheers Andy Or possibly the back end of a vehicle ? i dont think its a plane as you cant see the rest of the tail . phil
The item in the original post is the back end of what the Germans called Der 'windesal' it was used to train the Fallschirmjager to get on his feet as quickly as possible to avoid being dragged by his parachute. Also why it is true that the Fallschirmjager didn't carry out any large scale operations after Crete, it is not true that they didn't carry out any at all: July 1943 - The bulk of the 1st Fallschirmjager division were dropped into the Catania sector of Sicily. Sept 1943 - 4th Battalion of the Storm Regt. were parachuted in to take out the HQ of the Italian Army in Monto Rotondo. Sept 1943 - The Para Training Battalion made the Glider landing to release Mussolini. Sept 1943 - The 2nd battalion made a parachute drop to capture the island of Elba. Nov 1943 - 1st Battalion of 2nd Fallschirmjager Regt. was parachuted in during the operation to capture the island of Leros. Nov 1943 - The 2nd Fallschirmjager division was airlanded in Kirovgrad. May 1944 - SS Fallschirmjager Abt. 500 made a glider and parachute drop at Drvar during the operation to capture Marshall Tito. Dec 1944 - A battle group under Col. von der Heydte dropped during the Ardennes offensive. Whilst these were not all large scale landing it does show that the Germans had not given up using Fallschirmjager units in their intended role.
