Messerschmitt 323 Gigant

This flying monstrosity was developed from the Me 321 assault glider of 1941. When it became pretty obvious that no invasion of Britain was to take place, captured French Gnome-Rhone engines were added to make the glider into a transport. Four were found to be inadequate so six radials were used. The first production 323, the D.1, was delivered in September 1942. Notable features include the construction of wooden wings with a metal tube frame covered with fabric. Two flight engineer's positions were located in the leading edge of the wings, between the first pairs of inboard engines. Later versions had defensive turrets buried within the wings. The gider version's skids were replaced with a sturdy fixed 10-wheeled undercart for easier handling. It could carry 130 troops or a complete 88mm. AAA gun in a two level cargo area with huge clamshell doors in the nose. Fully loaded it weighed nearly 100,000 pounds! The 200 or so built served on the Russian and Mediterranian fronts. With a cruising speed of 155 mph, the transports were horribly vulnerable to fighter attack and this was diven home on a ghastly day in 1943 when sixteen 323's of number five transport group flew south across the Mediterranean bound for Tunis. Loaded with fuel for Rommel's Afrika Korps the formation neared the African coast when it came under attack by British Spitfires. Despite infantry blazing away with light arms from the 323's, only two Gigants escaped the massacre. Also from the Mediterranean there is also a strange tale of a 323 that was LOOPED by its daring crew.