ME-321 & ME-323

[JR]

In what squadrons would these planes have been in? Any books written about these planes?

[Ron Klages]

JR,

Me 321s were found only in Grossraumlastenseglergruppe Me 321 initially which was formed in June 1941. The organization was to be three Staffeln each with 6 Me 321s and three towpalne Staffeln each with 12 Bf 110Cs.
Almost immediately thius was revised to be four Sonderstaffeln (Grossraumlastensegler). Each was to have 5 Me 321s gliders and 15 Bf 110C tow planes. These were designed and located as follows:

Staffel (GS) 1 in the area of Luftflotte 1 in the northern eastern front
Staffel (GS)22 in the area of Luftflotte 2 in the central eastern front
Staffel (GS) 4 in the area of Luftflotte 4 in the southern eastern front
Staffel (GS) 2 in the area of Luftflotte 2 in the central eastern front

Staffel (GS) 1 participated in the assault on the islands of Muhu, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa west of Estonia in the Gulf of Riga in September 1941.

Staffel (GS)22 and Staffel (GS) 4 flew only a few logistical support missions during October on the eastern front before the weather changed making landing these beasts on wet dirt runways impossible.

In December 1941 the units were disbanded.

In total 200 Me 321s ere accepted by the Luftwaffe with 186 being accepted by December 1941 and the remainder in the first months of 1941. They remained in service and were used now and then for logistical support missions until being pulled from front line service in early 1942. Some were also used for supply missions to the Kuban bridgehead operating out oif Bagerovo in the Crimeia.After that most were transferred to Istres in France during the summer of 1943

Me 323s

198 were accepted by the Luftwaffe and were used by KG zbV 323 which was renamed TG 5. From the period of 23 February to 28 March 1943 the Me 323s flew 160 missions into Tunis and Bizerta ferrying suppliues and troops to the North African front.
On 12 April 1943 3 were shot down north of Tunis into the med and in late April a flight of 16 attempted to fly fuel to North Africa and on this mission 14 were shot down with only 19 of the 140 crewmen being saved.
Later the Me 323s were used to supply the Crimeia and all up and down the eastern front.
The program was terminated in October 1944.

Hope this data helps.

Best regards

Ron Klages

source of this data is Warplanes of the Third Reich by William Green.

[Shadow]

Hope this data helps.

It most certainly does !! Thanks Ron !!

Glad to see you're back amongst us Feldgrauians.

[Troy Tempest]

You know it was the great Hanna Reitsch that complained after test flying a 321, that it needed a co-pilot, as the controls were too heavy for one pilot. Her views were politely dismissed as 'she was only a small woman' and a strong man would have no problems flying it. Amazingly and completely co-incidently, from the 100th aircraft, the co-pilots station was introduced!

Troy
20.29 - fri, sydney