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Airspeed Horsa

1942 WORLD WAR 2

History

Airspeed AS and other aircraft. The 51 "Horsa" rarely had a place in WWII - a conflict full of excellent fighter and bomber types, as well as oddly outlandish designs. The Horsa is a simple glider designed to carry people and machines beyond battle lines, often landing behind enemy lines. Seeing the success of the German Airborne Forces early in the war, the British followed suit and established their own Airborne Task Force. In doing so, they realized that their lightly armed infantry needed special hardware.

Horsa deftly proved successful, sending dozens of troops, light artillery or light vehicles to the war, eventually producing 3,500 to 5,000 by the end of the war (sources vary). Americans also took hundreds of Hosa shares, while other countries have very limited numbers.

Early development of British military gliders was limited. The X.26.40 specification was eventually drafted for a larger airframe capable of carrying 25 infantrymen while being towed by a "host" aircraft. The charges fell on Airspeed, which - in just 11 months - returned with AS. 51 "Horse".

At Fairey Aircraft's Great West Airfield, the prototype was evaluated with an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber as the mainstay, and five other aircraft were commissioned for loading tests. In February 1941, authorities ordered 400 gliders, and the first flight was recorded on September 12 of the same year.

Production samples should be delivered next summer.

The structure of the aircraft is mainly made of wood, requiring the facilities of a British furniture factory, the plan of the aircraft is specially designed for the established business practice of furniture manufacturing. The glider was eventually assembled off-site by Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel as most furniture manufacturers lacked the space needed to complete the aircraft.

Glider production fell to Harris Loebs and Austin Motors.

The original Horsa Mk I received a left wing door that doubles as a loading dock. It is pulled by a Y-cable assembly that runs from the host aircraft to a point on the Horsa's wing. By design, the Horsa is essentially an unpowered aircraft, as the configuration chosen was a conventional, central fuselage and forward-set cockpit, monoplane wings mounted high, traditional single-fin stabilizers and a low setting the horizontal plane.

The cockpit glass is thick and visibility is excellent. The two crew members sit side by side with a dual control scheme that allows each member to fly the aircraft. On the base between the two positions is a simplified dashboard, as well as a low console. Also, the cockpit is kept simple without unnecessary clutter. Aft of the cockpit is the cargo compartment with an exposed frame and benches along the side walls for up to 25 infantrymen.

The aircraft was towed by a disposable tricycle landing gear during takeoff and landed using a combination of nose wheels and ventral skids. Strong handling qualities make them cheap pilots, and the "quick dive" capability gives pilots some accuracy.

Dimensions include a length of 67 feet, a wingspan of 88 feet, and a height of 19.5 feet. The reported kerb weight is 8,370 pounds and the fully loaded weight is over 15,500 pounds. The Horsa's performance figures are limited due to its towing presence.

Top speed hits 150 mph, with coasting speeds approaching 100 mph or less.

In practice, the Hosa is primarily powered by the carrier aircraft. The glider is attached to a sturdy cable that connects the two planes from takeoff to flight. From there, glider pilots try to keep their aircraft in line with the host until approaching the landing zone.

After landing, the glider crew flew the aircraft as best they couldsometimes under clear, unremarkable skies, sometimes under direct enemy fire.

Preparation for AS. 51 officially began in 1942, with more than 2,300 units delivered before the target delivery month.

During testing, the gliders initially showed structural deficiencies as they were trying to transport more than just people, and these deficiencies were corrected as quickly as possible, adding a much-needed ability to transport light artillery systems and even 4x4 vehicles. Initially, these types were used in North Africa and the Norwegian campaign in November 1942, with mixed results. Regardless, the aircraft remained in British inventory and was used in key operations such as Operation Husky, Invasion of Normandy, and Operation Market Garden. Market Garden alone deployed more than 1,200 gliders in General Montgomery's famous multi-pronged attack that would end the war by Christmas 1944.

The British military used AS. 51 through its Glider Pilot Regiment of the Army Air Corps and the 670th Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Four main names were ultimately associated with the Horsa heritage, including the first Mk I models. as. The 58 Mk II is an improvement with a collapsible nose for easy loading and unloading, and the leash is now attached to the nosebones of both wheels. as. The 52 was a proposed form of "bomber" that provided ordnance, but was never promoted.

The same goes for AS. The 53 fell to the side of the road, originally intended as an advanced Mk I.