A replica of a Horsa Glider arrived at Oosterbeek and can be admired in front of the Airborne Museum during this year's Airborne Commemorations (Saturday 7 until Thursday 26 September): The transport was not without trouble and the glider arrived much delayed: https://www.gelderlander.nl/dossier...-vertraging-in-nachtelijk-transport~abd501c6/ The Glider is build up in a special hangar across the road from the Airborne Museum: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=410552716485642
Though not an OMG-man, I could not resist the temptation. Yesterday I visited the Horsa at Oosterbeek. Below and in the next posts some images of this British build replica which will get a permanent spot at the Overloon War Museum in Holland after the end of the Arnhem Airborne Commemorations. Unfortunately, due to time pressure caused by the late arrival of the glider as a result of transport difficulties, one of the wings was not attached to the plane as had been planned. The organization resorted to plan-B ... the wing is now laying next to the glider (forgot to take a photograph). There simply was not enough time. Still, even with wings missing it's an impressive sight and one also realizes how extremely vulnerable these gliders were, with a flimsy fuselage made up of triplex and linen.
Airborne Bulldozer These small Airborne Bulldozers were also used by Recce Troops of the DD-tank battalions in the Rhine Crossing to create exits on the opposite river bank. They were carried across the river in MK IV's LVTs (Buffaloos); see: RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew')
Thanks for the photos Stolpi, keep them coming! Sadly I won't be in Arnhem/Oosterbeek this year, but certainly will go and see the Horsa at Overloon. Great excuse (if needed) to go there and also visit some 8RB-related places in the area.
Great stuff, Pieter. I look forward to seeing it in Oosterbeek next week and again in Overloon next year when it will hopefully be alongside the Dakota they are restoring.
It was such a great effort to build that replica that I feel embarrassed to note all the things they got wrong.
For starters; The canopy glazing bars are far too prominent and not all were external. (this is the one of my observations I hope will be corrected, as its the only one that make this replica look 'wrong' when viewed at a distance). There is too much interior green paint used in the cabin; it should only come up to seat rail height and remain bare unpainted wood above (The Shawbury build team originally used green wood preservative! and it made the interior look more like a shed than those original Horsa that ended their lives as sheds). The undercarriage does not have the geometry (or slots) to permit jettison (there is very little original metalwork used on the replica). The Landing skid shock absorber 'rubber' segments are undersized. The pilot's control wheels have been constructed flat with no 'dish' to the spokes (don't sit in the replica and apply full aileron input - you'll trap your fingers between the wheel and the column). Again, these are all personal gripes and despite them I still have a great deal of admiration for the team that built the replica, it was a huge task, they have produced the most complete (and accurate!) Mk 1 Horsa out there. My problem is that I have spent far too much time sorting, identifying and cataloguing the Horsa remains held by the Army Flying Museum, Middle Wallop.
I have always believed the small strip lying in front of photo below (part of my collection) to be part of the glazing bars of a Horsa (see also second more detail photos). It is an aluminium and indeed quite flat piece of strip, of about one inch wide. It is part of a collection of Horsa parts (and other items) that was found in the area in the 1970s. In the same photo there also is a burst pressure tank (I assume burst after the Horsa's were set on fire by the Germans), a hook for tying down Jeeps or other large equipment, a brake shoe and some sort of grip, which I suppose was fixed in the interior. If anyone could tell me if my assumptions are correct...
Is there anything more on the original LH291 that landed at Arnhem? Why did they choose to name the replica after that particular Horsa? Regards ...
When I visited Shawbury to view this Horsa during construction I was told that the number was chosen because it was the number of the glider in which Frank Hargreaves of the South Staffordshire regiment flew to Arnhem. After the war Frank, who lived in Croydon, became a member of the local aircraft modelling club and they constructed and flew extremely realistic model Horsa Gliders of about 6-7 feet wingspan. Apparently they provided those at Shawbury with numerous drawings and plans which were of great help in their project. Sadly Frank experienced serious problems with his eyesight in later life and had to give up his hobby but I was lucky to witness a demonstration of these model gliders being flown when the Staffordshire Regiment Museum was reopened in the late 1990s and very realistic they were. I can't remember his name but the RAF Squadron Leader at Shawbury was the son/grandson of a member of 9 Field Coy RE and had led an expedition to Norway to recover pieces of the gliders that had crashed there on Operation Freshman which were on display in the hangar
Good images page on the Clark. Flick through the galleries for many of shots of trailers, attachments etc. etc. Syltech - Custom Machining & Renovation of Clark Airborne Equipment - Photo Gallery Page 1
Your assumptions are correct on all counts. What you call a grip looks like the tie down loop that was fitted to the bottom of the fuselage frames providing an anchor point for your tension hook.
nice post stolpi!!! do you know the details of the events happening this week ?? myself and three others will be arriving in arnhem/ oosterbeek on 20/9 around midday. we know that the para drop at ginkel is on saturday and the cemetery service on the sunday but would love to cram as much of the other events in as possible , we leave on monday back to the uk many thanx andy!!!!
