Recently came upon a cutaway drawing of a Horsa glider and noticed that there is a “Gunners Position” in the rear belly or “tunnel”. A hatch with a pad for the “gunner” to lay upon.Was this ever actually used in combat or was that just wishful thinking on some one’s part? I do not recall ever hearing of its use.
The very nice cutaway drawing was over at Flight’s web site.
By: Aeronut - 22nd May 2007 at 07:46
A Horsa report that I have has a drawing of a Bren gun mounted in the roof escape hatch aft of the wing as well as the belly position, mind you it also has the troop seats replaced by fuel tanks!
The belly gun position was used, but not for its original intended use by the Horsas that went to the Orne bridges. The hatch was where the braking parachutes were deployed from.
To see this hatch in the flesh you should try and get along to see the Horsa replica being built at RAF Shawbury by the Assault Glider Trust.
By: CSheppardholedi - 21st May 2007 at 21:44
Here is the link to that cutaway
By: G-ASEA - 21st May 2007 at 21:33
I have met members of the Glider Pilot Regiment, who have looked out of the gunners hatch in flight. But i have never known of anybody using it to shoot from it. I met these men at Haddenham (RAF Thame) during vintage glider rallies, when we use to take our kirby kite 1 their. The kite flew with army there in 1941.
Dave
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May 21, 2007 at 9:16 pm