Operation market Garden

[Moglwi]

I have had a thought about 1st Airbornes dropsite. I seem to rember that the Airbornes prefered drop zone was not allowed as the RAF was worryed about Flack from Deelen Airfeild. What if rather than doing a para drop where they did. They used the Glider force to capture it ao that they could land the Troops? What do you all think Glider force lands at airfield 2
hours before dawn captures airfeild and Radios back to UK 1st Airborne flys in forms up and pushes on Arnhem then?

 

[Larrikin]

I have had a thought about 1st Airbornes dropsite. I seem to rember that the Airbornes prefered drop zone was not allowed as the RAF was worryed about Flack from Deelen Airfeild. What if rather than doing a para drop where they did. They used the Glider force to capture it ao that they could land the Troops? What do you all think Glider force lands at airfield 2
hours before dawn captures airfeild and Radios back to UK 1st Airborne flys in forms up and pushes on Arnhem then?

The glider force gets massacred by the AA at Deelen. Look at what happened to the Luftwaffe going into Maleme, which had a whole to 40mm Bofors for defence. They were avoiding Deelen like the plague because it was beaten up by intruders and fighter-bombers on a regular basis, and so was heavily defended. It was a key night fighter base for the defence of the Ruhr.

 

[wemayberry]

Another overlooked reason for avoiding Flak during Market-Garden was the limited number of availible transport aircraft. The plan was stretching the limits of availible aircraft as it was and there was a reluctance to risk having too many damaged in combat. Also to reduced potential losses from accidents, the drops were limited to daylight and roughly one per day despite the need to push as many troops & supplies as possible to the bridgeheads.

 

[Moglwi]

Would the AAA have been effective if the glider force had gone in in the dark? The Glider force seems to have been capable of this sort of flying?

 

[Larrikin]

Would the AAA have been effective if the glider force had gone in in the dark? The Glider force seems to have been capable of this sort of flying?

It operated against night intruders on a regular basis, and there was a lot of light AA around German bases because Mosquitos and Beaufighters had a nasty habit of sneaking into the landing queues and shooting up both returning night fighters and their fields.

 

[gtrof]

A problem with the night landings was the fact there was no moon IIRC? So that's one of the reasons the assault was made during the day. Anyway though let's assume for whatever reason the majority of the 1st Airborne takes the bridge and surrounding area. They still need to go up against the II SS Panzer Corps and XXX Corps will still have its logistic and advance problems.