Paragliding in ww2

The Germans would likely have the initial edge with their experience in the field. The Allies would take time to catch up, especially when they see German successes in the field.

How it affects operations in WWII: it definitely allows for easier infiltration of paratroopers due to better accuracy and longer glide time. Crete goes better...possibly (how could it not for airborne forces). Maybe they use them in Norway to seize objectives before the ships sail up the fjords allowing the Wermacht to capture the Norwegian government. American paratroopers aren't as dispersed come DDay.
 

nbcman

Donor
They wouldn’t. For normal airborne ops, you want to get on the ground as fast as possible in a somewhat controlled area. Allowing airborne troops to glide all over the place only leads to more scatter and more injuries. Longer time in the air = more time for defending troops to shoot at you = bad idea.
 
They wouldn’t. For normal airborne ops, you want to get on the ground as fast as possible in a somewhat controlled area. Allowing airborne troops to glide all over the place only leads to more scatter and more injuries. Longer time in the air = more time for defending troops to shoot at you = bad idea.

Yes, for certain niche SF operations it's brilliant. Maybe with paragliders the Colditz Castle story plays out differently...;)
 
The advantage of parafoils and associated free fall parachuting (as opposed to static line jumping) techniques like HALO or HAHO jumping (made from 5 km or lower with bottled O2) is primarily in allowing the pathfinders to reliably infiltrate to the DZs without surrendering the element of surprise. Many of the instances in which the line regiments made their descents while under ground fire were due to the insertion of pathfinders (using the same methods as the main element) alerting defending forces to the location of the DZ.
 
Additionally, a paraglide descent from sufficient altitude allows you to amend your DZ if the original becomes suddenly contested or otherwise unviable. With the added benefit that the aircraft can fly some distance away from the DZ and potentially on different approach routes, further disguising the DZ's location.
 
WW2 materials science is not really up to producing a true Paraglider in large numbers. The coating required to provide durable low porosity cloth simply did not exist at that time. Practically from my own experience a ram air parachute with a glide ratio of maybe 3or 4 to 1 would be practical but that is all. So for the insertion of small teams yes a pracrical tool but not for mass air drops, you would have far to many mid ait collisions. Round chutes are still used for mass jumps today for very good reasons.
 
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