Christopher Mc Donnell wrote:
I am sure we all do a lot of reading about gliding and also store away
lots of info from other sources.
So for a bit of fun I thought I would start a trivia list that we
could all add to.
Wikepedia if you wish.
Chris McDonnell
1. The first two men to set foot on French soil on D Day (though they
landed on their heads through a barbed wire fence (as ordered)) were
glider pilots.
Hmm - I don't think he was ordered to go through the fence.
From what I have read, Sgt Bill Wallwork (the first pilot of the lead
glider in the three glider 'coup de main' attack on what became know as
Pegasus Bridge (over the Orne canal on the eastern flank of the landing
beaches) was asked by his CO "How close can you put the glider to that
gunpit?" His reply was that he'd break the wire with the glider's nose.
This he did - although he was going a trifle faster than planned when he
hit the gunpit, virtually destroying the nose of the Horsa glider and
tossing is number to pilot and himself out into the gunpit. Fortunately
the sentries on duty in the gunpit had apparently fled across the bridge.
You can read all about this in the marvellous book "Pegasus Bridge" (see
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671671561/103-5768013-8687001?v=glance&n=283155)
If you are ever in northern France, it is worth visiting this site. I
looked at field the Horsas landed in and contemplated their "opposed,
night, outflield landing" (in a glider with an approach speed of 55+kts)
- it is not something I would like to try myself.
--
Robert Hart [EMAIL PROTECTED]
+61 (0)438 385 533 http://www.hart.wattle.id.au
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