EQUIPMENT

 

Parachutist rifleman equipment from Goldstein, p. 48.
Parachutist rifle grenadier equipment, from Goldstein p.48.

The Airborne Divisions which would invade Normandy from the air in the early morning of D-Day were specially trained and specially equipped divisions. In addition to the regularly issued infantry rifle equipment, Airborne troops also generally carried automatic weapons and sub-machineguns. The standard issue equipment for a parachutist rifleman included the M-1 Garand rifle with 8-round clip, cartridge belt with canteen, and four hand grenades. Other items specific to the paratrooper included a parachute and pack, antiflash headgear and gloves, pocket compass, machete, .45 caliber Colt automatic pistol, flares, and a message book. The equipment for an Airborne rifle grenadier was similar to that of the rifleman except the rifle grenadier was also issued a set of binoculars and six high explosive detonation grenades. The rifle grenadier was also usually issued a 1903 Springfield rifle or a Thompson M1 submachine gun in place of the Garand rifle.

The Airborne troops of Operation Overlord were also issued special “emergency” rations for their D-Day mission. This small kit included chewing gum, bouillon cubes, Nescafe instant coffees, sugar cubes and creamers, four Hershey bars, a pack of Charms candy, pipe tobacco, and water purification tablets.

 

Special "emergency" paratrooper rations, from Goldstein p. 49.
The 75mm pack howitzer, mainstay of the airborne artillery, from MacDonald p.53.
Supplies such as artillery and ammunition are dropped in special containers along with the paratroopers, from MacDonald p.20.

Additional supplies such as artillery were either dropped in special chutes shortly after the paratroopers landed or were transported in gliders. The mainstay of the US Airborne divisions’ primary artillery support was the 75mm pack howitzer, which was specifically designed to be lightweight and carried in gliders. Although it had a rapid rate of fire, the pack howitzer was somewhat less effective at destroying targets than the 105mm howitzer which was also used to supplement Airborne artillery, but with less frequency due to its heavier weight.

 

US WACO Hadrian Glider, from MacDonald p. 48.
The Airborne Divisions of D-Day were carried into combat in one of two distinctly different ways. Paratroopers were either dropped from large transport planes or were passengers on lightweight gliders which crash landed onto open fields. The primary American glider was the WACO Hadrian. It was capable of being towed at 125 mph and carried a load of 13 fully equipped men. The British equivalent was the Airspeed Horsa glider, which could carry 29 men or a 75 mm pack howitzer. The fuselage of the Horsa could be swung open into two parts to facilitate unloading.

The chief aircraft used by the American Airborne Divisions as a jump plane was the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. The Skytrain had a specially reinforced floor to accommodate heavy loads, and as a paratroop carrier it could accommodate 28 fully armed men. The British used a variety of Bombers as paratroop carriers. The most common of these used for the D-Day drops was the Handley Page Halifax, which could carry over 30 fully armed men. 

 

The British Handley Page Halifax bomber was also used as a paratroop carrier, from MacDonald p. 27.

All transport aircraft and airborne units were equipped with VHF (Very High Frequency) radios for communication between the paratroopers and the troop carriers. This communication enabled much more precise and coordinated drops between the incoming paratroopers, and those already on the ground.

Additional equipment used by the Airborne divisions to designate drop zones were special sets of lights and radar homing equipment. Drop zone markings were a “T” formed by five lights and the Eureka radar system, which provided the carrier aircraft with a radar fix on the drop site. Glider landing zones were marked by a line of seven alternating lights as well as the Eureka radar system.

 

British paratroopers collect a supply basket droped by parachute, from MacDonald p. 21.

 

Index     Introduction     Training and Preparation       Equipment     Anti-paratrooper Defenses      US 101st     US 82nd    British 6th     Conclusion     Bibliography