Kurt_Steiner
January 16th, 2005, 05:07 PM
I have sometimes wondered, would it had been worthwile.
In eastern front night-fighter opposition was very low, and nights were long during the winters. Germans were many times forced to man the front with outposts in circle defence, as there weren't ever enough men to man an continuous HKL. Reinforcing those outposts was troublesome if they were attacked, because long distances and lack of roads, liming the usefullness of fast motorized troops, even if they were available (and also were vulnerable to attack).
Soviet themselves used effectively the light bombers Po-2 and R-5 to harass Germans, and Germans responded by similar night harassment units.
But would an concept more than harassment been worthwile ??
You know the concept - an AC-47. In eastern front it would had ofcourse been Ju-52 armed maybe with 6-10 7.92mm machineguns. Slow speed is not an concern. Reliabilily, ruggedness, short field perfomance, slow approach speed, payload capacity and endurance is there plenty. Also in outpost defence an Ju-52 could have been used for air-supply of ammunition, medical supplies, etc...
Lack of night vision would had hampered them, but on the other hand, on defence of outpost under attack the enemy could be seen easily, and everywhere in eastern front there was open fires to warm up troops during 7-8 months of year - which would had been very attractive targets for gunship. Also protection of trains and large road convoys in areas of partisan activity comes to my mind.
Ofcourse there would never had been enough of them - but i think a hundred or so in service at given time would had been very usefull.
Thoughts ??
In eastern front night-fighter opposition was very low, and nights were long during the winters. Germans were many times forced to man the front with outposts in circle defence, as there weren't ever enough men to man an continuous HKL. Reinforcing those outposts was troublesome if they were attacked, because long distances and lack of roads, liming the usefullness of fast motorized troops, even if they were available (and also were vulnerable to attack).
Soviet themselves used effectively the light bombers Po-2 and R-5 to harass Germans, and Germans responded by similar night harassment units.
But would an concept more than harassment been worthwile ??
You know the concept - an AC-47. In eastern front it would had ofcourse been Ju-52 armed maybe with 6-10 7.92mm machineguns. Slow speed is not an concern. Reliabilily, ruggedness, short field perfomance, slow approach speed, payload capacity and endurance is there plenty. Also in outpost defence an Ju-52 could have been used for air-supply of ammunition, medical supplies, etc...
Lack of night vision would had hampered them, but on the other hand, on defence of outpost under attack the enemy could be seen easily, and everywhere in eastern front there was open fires to warm up troops during 7-8 months of year - which would had been very attractive targets for gunship. Also protection of trains and large road convoys in areas of partisan activity comes to my mind.
Ofcourse there would never had been enough of them - but i think a hundred or so in service at given time would had been very usefull.
Thoughts ??