Quote:
Originally Posted by Karagin
That would be when the helicopter was starting to see more use in Korea and may saw it as the answer to all airborne operations.
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I actually wrote something on the feasibility of helicopter use in WWII; let me break out the part about the advantages of even 1950s helicopters as a replacement for gliders:
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1.) You no longer need to keep a huge Transport fleet around to carry gliders – D-Day utilized around 800 x C-47s.
2.) Unlike gliders, helicopters can be reused after landing in the drop zone. They can be used for local liaison/observation/transport tasks in the drop zone.
3.) Tying into #2, unlike gliders, you simply fuel up helicopters and fly them away, as opposed to mounting a large recovery and repair operation that consumes a large amount of manpower.
4.) The short range of piston-powered helicopters (200 miles or less) is not an issue; since gliders are limited to only 1.15 to 1.5 hours in the air due to pilot fatigue (gliders were unpowered, with no power boost for the controls); which at the top tow speed of around 120 MPH for a CG-4, is 138-180 miles.
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