Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant ("Giant"), used to try and keep Rommel’s Africa Korps supplied in Tunisia, a “hemorrhage” that ended up being about as disastrous to Germany as Stalingrad in lost men, supplies and equipment. The Me 323 was “the largest land-based transport aircraft to fly during the war. A total of 213 were made.”-WIki. (although I’ve found the figure of 198 made, too.)
(Above: Me 323 being shot down by a B-26.)
Use ng six French Gnome-Rhône 14N 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,164 hp…
with a gross weight of 29,500 kg (65,036 lb), it WAS a giant!
And a 130 troops or 10,000–12,000 kg (22,000–26,500 lb) payload…
- Length: 28.2 m (92 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 55.2 m (181 ft 1 in)
- Height: 10.15 m (33 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 300 m2 (3,200 sq ft)
A max speed of 285 km/h (177 mph,), cruise speed of 218 km/h (135 mph,)…and a wingspan of 55.2 m (181 ft 1 in).
A ferry range of 1,100 km (680 mi,
A service ceiling of 4,000 m (13,000 ft)…
And armed with five 7.92 or usually 13mm machine guns…or occasionally more or less guns…(or an 88mm FLAK gun!)
(Above: ME 323 being shot down by an RAF B-26 Marauder in the Northwest Coastal Air Force near Cap Corse, Corsica.)
On 22 April 1943, a formation of 27 fully loaded Me 323s was being escorted by Bf 109s of JG 27 across the Sicilian Straits when they were intercepted by seven squadrons of Spitfires and P-40s Kittyhawks. Of the 27 Me 323 transports, 16 or 17 were shot down. Three or four P-40s were shot down by the escorts.
They actually saw extensive use, esp. on the Eastern Front, and were considered to ne quite valuan=ble to the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht, both.
A Me 323 being refueled in North Africa. A thirsty giant.
PAKs waiting to be loaded…the Me 323 remained underpowered by the Rhone engines and a proposal to install six BMW 801 radial air-cooled engines of 1,677 hp, with an improvement of aprox. 500 hp each 3000 hp increase total would have been the right move, but didn't materialize, as the BMW factories were already taxed supplying 801 engines to the Fw 190s and Ju 88s, and both were deemed far more essential to the war effort.
Source: Pete Feigal (Quora)
