Zastrow.cuirassier
PlanetFigure Supporter
For your figure of german paratrooper, BRONCO is planning a German invasion Glider DFS-230 B-1
It's a plastic kit called operation Eiche
A German glider trooper next to a DFS 230 C-1 glider damaged during landing, Gran Sasso, Italy, 12 Sep 1943
Mission Planning and Preparation
Soon after the invasion of Sicily by Allied forces in 1943, the Italian government had deposed Hitler’s Axis partner leader, Benito Mussolini. As the Allies advanced, it became clear that there would be only so much that Hitler’s armies could do to protect the country. As a response to the failing Italian position in the war, the fascist government replaced Mussolini on July 25 with Marshal Pietro Badoglio. Mussolini was taken to a mountaintop prison, a former ski resort called the Campo Imperatore Hotel. There, under the control of an armed guard of Italian Army carabinieri, he would wait, uncertain of his future.
The makeshift prison where Mussolini was held, on a mountaintop without a reasonable line of approach that would impede a field of fire from the defenders. Photo Credit: Toni Schneiders, Nazi Propaganda photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 101I-567-1503A-05
As the noose tightened around Mussolini, his one time ally, the Germans, decided to rescue Il Duce (as he was called) and bring him to the safety of German-held territory. For the mission, a group of paratroop commandos from 2. Fallschirmjägerdivision, FJR.7, 502nd SS Jäger Battalion were selected and placed under the leadership of Major Otto-Harald Mors. Meanwhile, Mussolini’s movements were tracked carefully by two other Germans assigned to the project personally by Hitler — Otto Skorzeny and Ernst Kaltenbrunner. German intelligence soon decoded an Italian message that confirmed Mussolini’s whereabouts in what amounted to a cryptographic coup of the first order. To ensure that the maximum knowledge of the situation was on hand during the mission, Otto Skorzeny joined with the Fallschirmjäger commandos to fly on the mission. The on-the-ground commander for the mission would be Lieutenant Count Otto von Berlepsch.
The Operation
After their release from their tow planes, all nine of the DFS 230 gliders circled silently to perfect landings in the mountains nearby. The paratroop commandos quickly formed up, then descended and worked their up to the high alpine meadow atop the Gran Sasso massif, in the Apennines. Even though the approach to the hotel was exposed with little cover, the Italian guards were taken by surprise with the arrival of the small commando force. They quickly began to move into defensive positions. The Germans, however, had planned well — along on the mission was an Italian general, Ferdinando Soleti, who had come over to the Nazi side.
Mussolini exits the hotel prison accompanied by German paratroop commanders and the Italian General Ferdinando Soleti. Photo Credit: Bruno von Kayser, Nazi Photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 183-J15420)
As the carabinieri formed up, General Soleti stepped forward and assumed the authority of a general. He commanded them with an order to not fight. The carabinieri were confused, but could recognize the authority in Soleti’s voice. Further, they recognized that they were outclassed by the approaching commandos. Wisely, Tthey laid down their weapons and not a shot was fired. It was a lucky thing, since most, if not all, otherwise would have been killed, given the superiority of the commando team.
Benito Mussolini walks from the Hotel in the company of Otto Skorzeny and the Italian General. Photo Credit: Toni Schneiders, Nazi Propaganda photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 101I-567-1593A-07)
Entering the former ski resort, the commandos quickly located Mussolini. Meanwhile, Otto Skorzeny neutralized the Italian radio and radio operator, ensuring that no reinforcements could be called. He was so fast that the radio operator had no chance to even transmit word of the rescue. The entire operation had been carried off without a single failure and, even after success, the Italian government and military still had no idea of what had taken place. Skorzeny approach Mussolini and, using his familiar title, told him “Duce, the Führer has sent me to set you free.”
Mussolini boards the aircraft to fly him out to Vienna, high in the alpine meadow. Photo Credit: Toni Schneiders, Nazi Propaganda photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 101I-567-1503C-04)
As the commandos escorted Mussolini out of the Campo Imperatore Hotel compound, a Luftwaffe pilot named Captain Walter Gerlach circled and touched down nearby in the alpine meadow with a Fieseler Fi 156C-3/Trop Storch, a light, high-winged liaison plane. Quickly, Mussolini and Skorzeny boarded. The pilot turned to attempt a take off, however, he was overloaded, on a grass field and at a somewhat elevated altitude. This proved a lethal mix. The Fieseler Storch nearly crashed trying to get off the mountaintop. Somehow, Gerlach was able to save it. Climbing out slowly, he proceeded to Vienna. Meanwhile, the Fallschirmjäger commando unit made its escape on foot. Once in Vienna, Mussolini was feted at the Hotel Imperial — happy to be free again.
German military gliders
The Germans were the first to use gliders in warfare, most famously during the assault of the Eben Emael fortress on May 10, 1940 in which 41 DFS 230 gliders carrying 10 soldiers each were launched behind Junkers Ju 52s. Ten gliders landed on the grassed roof of the fortress. Only twenty minutes after landing the force had neutralized the fortress at a cost of six dead and twenty wounded.[1] Hitler was anxious to gain maximum publicity and so several foreign attachés were given guided tours of the fortress. Consequently the British, American and Japanese became quickly aware of the methods that had been used. By mid-1940 both Japan and Britain had active glider programs.
Development then began of even larger gliders such as the Gotha Go 242 (23 trooper) and Messerschmitt Me 321 (130 trooper) to transport heavy armaments in anticipation of Operation Sea Lionand Operation Barbarossa.
Gliders were also used by Germany in Greece in 1941. On April 26, 1941 the troops from six DFS 230 gliders captured the bridge over the Corinth Canal accompanied by 40 plane-loads of German paratroopers. (Fortuitously, the British were able to demolish the bridge a few hours later.) Next, General Student then convinced Hitler that Crete could be captured using only airborne troops.Consequently on May 20, 1941 500 German transport aircraft carrying paratroopers and 74 DFS 230 gliders took off from the Greek mainland. During the capture of the island 5,140 German airborne troops were either killed or wounded out of the 13,000 sent. Among the 350 German planes destroyed in the operation, half had been Ju52s, which seriously depleted the force needed for the invasion of the Soviet Union shortly after. As a result Hitler vowed never to use his airborne force in such large numbers again.
The kit is in plastic, including 4 DML figures.
For those interesting in a "big" diorama, it's a great model, BRONCO make accurate and well detailled kits.
The DML figures are not for me as good as resin one's, but with a little work !!!
Hope i'll get more informations when the kit will be available.
It's a plastic kit called operation Eiche
A German glider trooper next to a DFS 230 C-1 glider damaged during landing, Gran Sasso, Italy, 12 Sep 1943
Mission Planning and Preparation
Soon after the invasion of Sicily by Allied forces in 1943, the Italian government had deposed Hitler’s Axis partner leader, Benito Mussolini. As the Allies advanced, it became clear that there would be only so much that Hitler’s armies could do to protect the country. As a response to the failing Italian position in the war, the fascist government replaced Mussolini on July 25 with Marshal Pietro Badoglio. Mussolini was taken to a mountaintop prison, a former ski resort called the Campo Imperatore Hotel. There, under the control of an armed guard of Italian Army carabinieri, he would wait, uncertain of his future.
The makeshift prison where Mussolini was held, on a mountaintop without a reasonable line of approach that would impede a field of fire from the defenders. Photo Credit: Toni Schneiders, Nazi Propaganda photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 101I-567-1503A-05
As the noose tightened around Mussolini, his one time ally, the Germans, decided to rescue Il Duce (as he was called) and bring him to the safety of German-held territory. For the mission, a group of paratroop commandos from 2. Fallschirmjägerdivision, FJR.7, 502nd SS Jäger Battalion were selected and placed under the leadership of Major Otto-Harald Mors. Meanwhile, Mussolini’s movements were tracked carefully by two other Germans assigned to the project personally by Hitler — Otto Skorzeny and Ernst Kaltenbrunner. German intelligence soon decoded an Italian message that confirmed Mussolini’s whereabouts in what amounted to a cryptographic coup of the first order. To ensure that the maximum knowledge of the situation was on hand during the mission, Otto Skorzeny joined with the Fallschirmjäger commandos to fly on the mission. The on-the-ground commander for the mission would be Lieutenant Count Otto von Berlepsch.
The Operation
After their release from their tow planes, all nine of the DFS 230 gliders circled silently to perfect landings in the mountains nearby. The paratroop commandos quickly formed up, then descended and worked their up to the high alpine meadow atop the Gran Sasso massif, in the Apennines. Even though the approach to the hotel was exposed with little cover, the Italian guards were taken by surprise with the arrival of the small commando force. They quickly began to move into defensive positions. The Germans, however, had planned well — along on the mission was an Italian general, Ferdinando Soleti, who had come over to the Nazi side.
Mussolini exits the hotel prison accompanied by German paratroop commanders and the Italian General Ferdinando Soleti. Photo Credit: Bruno von Kayser, Nazi Photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 183-J15420)
As the carabinieri formed up, General Soleti stepped forward and assumed the authority of a general. He commanded them with an order to not fight. The carabinieri were confused, but could recognize the authority in Soleti’s voice. Further, they recognized that they were outclassed by the approaching commandos. Wisely, Tthey laid down their weapons and not a shot was fired. It was a lucky thing, since most, if not all, otherwise would have been killed, given the superiority of the commando team.
Benito Mussolini walks from the Hotel in the company of Otto Skorzeny and the Italian General. Photo Credit: Toni Schneiders, Nazi Propaganda photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 101I-567-1593A-07)
Entering the former ski resort, the commandos quickly located Mussolini. Meanwhile, Otto Skorzeny neutralized the Italian radio and radio operator, ensuring that no reinforcements could be called. He was so fast that the radio operator had no chance to even transmit word of the rescue. The entire operation had been carried off without a single failure and, even after success, the Italian government and military still had no idea of what had taken place. Skorzeny approach Mussolini and, using his familiar title, told him “Duce, the Führer has sent me to set you free.”
Mussolini boards the aircraft to fly him out to Vienna, high in the alpine meadow. Photo Credit: Toni Schneiders, Nazi Propaganda photographer, from the German Federal Archives (Bild 101I-567-1503C-04)
As the commandos escorted Mussolini out of the Campo Imperatore Hotel compound, a Luftwaffe pilot named Captain Walter Gerlach circled and touched down nearby in the alpine meadow with a Fieseler Fi 156C-3/Trop Storch, a light, high-winged liaison plane. Quickly, Mussolini and Skorzeny boarded. The pilot turned to attempt a take off, however, he was overloaded, on a grass field and at a somewhat elevated altitude. This proved a lethal mix. The Fieseler Storch nearly crashed trying to get off the mountaintop. Somehow, Gerlach was able to save it. Climbing out slowly, he proceeded to Vienna. Meanwhile, the Fallschirmjäger commando unit made its escape on foot. Once in Vienna, Mussolini was feted at the Hotel Imperial — happy to be free again.
German military gliders
The Germans were the first to use gliders in warfare, most famously during the assault of the Eben Emael fortress on May 10, 1940 in which 41 DFS 230 gliders carrying 10 soldiers each were launched behind Junkers Ju 52s. Ten gliders landed on the grassed roof of the fortress. Only twenty minutes after landing the force had neutralized the fortress at a cost of six dead and twenty wounded.[1] Hitler was anxious to gain maximum publicity and so several foreign attachés were given guided tours of the fortress. Consequently the British, American and Japanese became quickly aware of the methods that had been used. By mid-1940 both Japan and Britain had active glider programs.
Development then began of even larger gliders such as the Gotha Go 242 (23 trooper) and Messerschmitt Me 321 (130 trooper) to transport heavy armaments in anticipation of Operation Sea Lionand Operation Barbarossa.
Gliders were also used by Germany in Greece in 1941. On April 26, 1941 the troops from six DFS 230 gliders captured the bridge over the Corinth Canal accompanied by 40 plane-loads of German paratroopers. (Fortuitously, the British were able to demolish the bridge a few hours later.) Next, General Student then convinced Hitler that Crete could be captured using only airborne troops.Consequently on May 20, 1941 500 German transport aircraft carrying paratroopers and 74 DFS 230 gliders took off from the Greek mainland. During the capture of the island 5,140 German airborne troops were either killed or wounded out of the 13,000 sent. Among the 350 German planes destroyed in the operation, half had been Ju52s, which seriously depleted the force needed for the invasion of the Soviet Union shortly after. As a result Hitler vowed never to use his airborne force in such large numbers again.
The kit is in plastic, including 4 DML figures.
For those interesting in a "big" diorama, it's a great model, BRONCO make accurate and well detailled kits.
The DML figures are not for me as good as resin one's, but with a little work !!!
Hope i'll get more informations when the kit will be available.
