Battle of Crete 1941. Cretan operation

According to our colleagues, at the beginning of March, the second aircraft of the de Havilland Dash 8-400 was expected to be transported for the Aurora aircraft from Canada... Not so, long ago the Aurora received its first new aircraft, which also landed in Omsk - C-GSXC - now
RA-67254... And so, the day before, March 3, on the website flightaware.com we saw that the C-GSXA board set off from Canadian Goose Bay and already on the same day landed at Keflavik Airport (Iceland). The route again looked similar - then Norway, then Moscow - Omsk, then through Ulan-Ude to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk... On March 5, the flight departure from Moscow to Omsk was shown by flight radar. It’s a sin to miss the Aurora that doesn’t fly to Omsk, and even on this type of aircraft, which also never happens in Omsk... And then there’s the Canadian factory registration... Having announced the event in our group on VKontakte / https://vk.com/spottingomsk/, I moved towards the fence, where I was glad to see driver_gazelle And alexey_raptor . It's a pity that the rest of the Omsk spotters missed this event...

We had to wait no more than five to seven minutes to arrive at the point; on air, the Canadian crew received the go-ahead to land and we saw the silhouette of the plane

C-GSXA - Aurora - De Havilland Canada DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 /2005/. From 1992 to the present, the Bombardier DHC-8 has been produced by the Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace, which in 1992 bought out De Havilland Canada from the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing. Modification 400 was put into operation in 2000. This is a 70-78-seat, one-class passenger aircraft. The cruising speed is 140 km/h higher than previous versions and is 667 km/h. The practical ceiling is 7600 m for standard options; for aircraft equipped with drop-down passenger oxygen masks, the ceiling is 8200 m. Crew - 2 people. Fuel capacity - 6526 l. Maximum flight range - 2522 km (practical - 2048 km).

Touch. The plane is almost 11 years old. Previously flew for Air Nippon Network, Eznis Airways, Skyservice Business Aviation. Serial number 4106

It’s unusual to see the Aurora in Omsk... So far I’ve had the opportunity to shoot and see it in Tolmachevo, and then in the form of an A319, but there it’s a regular flight Far East. Dash 8 has recently been operated by the new Kazakh company Kazak Air, but to remove this type I was lucky to have a plane in the summer in Pulkovo, where it is operated by Air Boltik. There are also seemingly similar sides of the Yakutia, but I have never seen them

Almost in the same color with Gazprom

"Dashka" and Tu-104

In the parking lot. A SAB car is taxiing on board. Long distance from the fence, but there is no haze yet, thank God

After 45 minutes we returned to the point. By that time the board had been refueled and he had already requested permission to taxi...

Taxiing along the Delta taxiway. The plane needs 1402 m to take off, but the runway in Omsk is more than enough.

He turned on the lights on the wings and asked for the go-ahead to take off (we decided that it was the crew who winked at us and greeted us when they saw us on the hill). The aircraft has two PWC PW150A engines with a maximum power of 5071 hp. (3783 kW) (cruising power 4850 hp (3618 kW)). What I would like to note is that the plane itself is very playful, the sound of the engines (unlike the An-24/26 that is familiar to our ears) is very quiet (however, the aircraft are not so loud), more like the hum of a fan. The thing is that since 1996 the plane has been designated Q - series from English word“quiet”, thanks to the installed Active Noise and Vibration Suppression (ANVS) system, designed to reduce noise levels in the aircraft cabin and reduce vibration to the level of turbojet airliners. To date, more than 1,100 Bombardier DHC-8 aircraft of all modifications have been built.

Original taken from kartam47 in the Cretan operation. Successful use of airborne assault! (photo story)

Battle of Crete (in German plans- Operation Mercury) - strategic

landing operation Germany during the Second World War. Battle of Crete

German paratroopers near the Junkers Ju.52 transport aircraft before the start of Operation Mercury (German landing operation to capture Crete).

The operation was aimed at destroying the British garrison on the island of Crete to establish strategic control over the Mediterranean basin. Is a direct continuation of the Greek campaign of the Italo-Germans armed forces, aimed at driving Britain out of the Mediterranean.
Ended with the occupation of Crete, Germany gained control of communications in the eastern Mediterranean.

German Junkers Ju.52 transport aircraft tow DFS 230 gliders during the first day of Operation Mercury (the German landing operation to capture Crete). The photograph shows the flight of the Western Landing Group (code name "Comet"). Its goal was to capture the Maleme airfield and approaches to it.

Second wave German paratroopers group "Mars" from the 7th Airborne Division parachute east of the city Rethymnon during Operation Mercury (German amphibious operation to capture Crete). The task of the Mars Group (Central Group), under the command of General Sussmann, was to capture the cities of Chania and Rethymno.

Operation Mercury went down in history as the first major operation airborne troops. Despite heavy losses, the German paratroopers were able to complete the tasks assigned to them and ensure the landing of the main forces of the German troops.

German transport aircraft Junkers Yu.52 (Ju.52) are dropping troops on Crete.

Pilots of the 7th Squadron of the 2nd Luftwaffe Training Squadron (7.(F)/LG 2) confer after a flight during Operation Mercury. The photo was taken at a Greek airfield after the return of 7.(F)/LG 2 from a flight to cover the landing on Crete.

Pilot of the German fighter Messerschmitt Bf.110C-5 from the 7th squadron of the 2nd training squadron (7.(F)/LG 2) after a combat flight. The photo was taken at a Greek airfield after the return of 7.(F)/LG 2 from a flight to cover the landing on Crete.

The successes of the German airborne units forced the top leadership of the other countries participating in the war (in particular, Great Britain) to reconsider their attitude towards this type of troops.

A group of German paratroopers walks down the street of a Greek village in Crete.

Main weapons German paratrooper There was a Mauser 98k carbine. About a quarter of the landing paratroopers were armed with an MP-38 or MP-40 submachine gun instead of a carbine. Each squad had at its disposal an MG-34 light machine gun. German technical and military specialists tried to compensate for the lack of heavier weapons with a new product - the 75-mm LG 40 recoilless rifle. Weighing 130 kg, it was 10 times lighter than the German 75-mm field gun with only a third shorter firing range.

Weapons and ammunition were dumped in containers. The Germans used parachutes different colors, to designate containers with various cargoes: personal weapons, heavy weapons, ammunition. LG 40 recoilless rifles were dropped on special bundles of 3 parachutes.

A group of German paratroopers in Crete. Posing in front of the lens.

German paratroopers and Junkers Ju-52 transport planes flying above them in the area of ​​height No. 107 on Crete. Hill No. 107 in the area of ​​the Maleme airfield was one of the most important strongholds of the Allies, for which there were fierce battles. On May 21, the height was captured by the Germans.

Unlike paratroopers from most other countries, German paratroopers jumped without carbines and machine guns (paratroopers armed with the MP-38/40 left the plane with weapons, since their compactness made it possible to attach them under the parachute suspension system), which were dropped separately - in containers.

Three German paratroopers remove weapons from a container after landing on Crete.

German paratroopers carry containers (Fallschirmjäger Abwurfbehälter) with equipment along the road in Crete.

For ease of transportation on the ground, these containers were equipped with special wheels and handles (partially visible in the photo).

The design of the German army parachute was very reliable, but did not allow control of the direction of flight, and paratroopers often landed far from their weapons.
At these moments, they could only rely on personal weapons - pistols and hand grenades, which were used to stuff the voluminous pockets of landing overalls. Many paratroopers were killed while trying to get to containers with weapons.

Graves of German paratroopers in Crete.

Italian Marines with an 8mm Breda M37 machine gun after landing in Sitia on Crete.

Commander of the Orion battle group (FJR-1 and II./FJR-2 from the 7. Fliegerdivision) Oberst parachute troops Luftwaffe Bruno Oswald Bräuer (1893-1947, left) during the fighting in Crete.

German paratroopers escort British prisoners along a city street in Crete.

German paratroopers search captured British soldiers in Crete.

German paratroopers pass by British soldiers killed in Crete.

A column of British prisoners escorted by German paratroopers on Crete.

A paratrooper of the 3rd battalion of the 7th German division near the bodies of the executed residents of the village of Kondomari on Crete.

German paratroopers on vacation in an olive grove on Crete.

German paratroopers in a captured British Morris-Commercial CS8 in Crete.

German paratroopers on a motorcycle near the crashed German military transport aircraft Junkers Ju-52 (Ju-52, board number 1Z+BA) at Malemes airfield on the island of Crete.

WITH Aerial view of Maleme airfield on Crete, captured by German troops during Operation Mercury. The photo was taken from a German transport aircraft Junkers Ju-52 (Ju.52). On the ground you can see broken and intact German Yu-52 transport aircraft and Ju-87 dive bombers (Ju.87).

German paratroopers are fighting in the city of Chania (Χανιά, Chania) on the island of Crete.

German paratroopers on vacation during a break between battles in Crete.

German paratroopers in battle with Allied units on Crete.

A British military tent camp captured by German troops near the city of Chania on Crete

Prisoners British soldiers under the escort of German paratroopers in Crete.

A German truck passes a column of British prisoners of war on Crete.

German soldiers in captured British trucks in Crete.

The commander of the 5th German Mountain Division, Major General Julius Ringel, awards iron crosses soldiers and officers from among their subordinates who distinguished themselves during the operation to capture Crete.

View of the bombing of ships off the coast of Crete.

The British Navy lost in the Battle of Crete (solely from air action): three cruisers, six destroyers, 10 auxiliary ships and more than 10 transports and merchant ships. Three battleships, an aircraft carrier, six cruisers, and 7 destroyers were also damaged.

The losses of the allied Greek fleet are not specified.

The British Air Force lost 46 aircraft.

The Luftwaffe lost 147 aircraft shot down and 73 in accidents (mostly transport ones).

The British Army lost most of military personnel stationed on the island

The Greek army practically ceased to exist after the operation.

After the end of Operation Mercury, General Student was called to the “carpet” to the Fuhrer, Hitler, having learned about the losses, was furious, screams and reproaches against Student were heard from the huge office of the Reich Chancellery, as a result, Hitler forbade future large-scale landing operations with participation of the Airborne Forces, perhaps the Germans were right to act in this way, since the subsequent experience of the Second World War as a whole showed that large-scale operations of airborne troops were too costly and risky, such as, for example, airborne operations carried out by the Red Army in 1943. on the Dnieper and our allies in 1944. in Holland, which great success did not result, but the losses in people and equipment were quite significant.

The battle on Crete (in German plans - Operation Mercury) - strategic

German landing operation during World War II. Battle of Crete

German paratroopers near the Junkers Ju.52 transport aircraft before the start of Operation Mercury (German landing operation to capture Crete).

The operation was aimed at destroying the British garrison on the island of Crete to establish strategic control over the Mediterranean basin. It is a direct continuation of the Greek campaign of the Italo-German armed forces, aimed at ousting Great Britain from the Mediterranean Sea.
Ended with the occupation of Crete, Germany gained control of communications in the eastern Mediterranean.

German Junkers Ju.52 transport aircraft tow DFS 230 gliders during the first day of Operation Mercury (the German landing operation to capture Crete). The photograph shows the flight of the Western Landing Group (code name "Comet"). Its goal was to capture the Maleme airfield and approaches to it.

The second wave of German paratroopers from the Mars Group from the 7th Airborne Division parachute east of the city of Rethymno during Operation Mercury (the German airborne operation to capture Crete). The task of the Mars Group (Central Group), under the command of General Sussmann, was to capture the cities of Chania and Rethymnon.

Operation Mercury went down in history as the first major airborne operation. Despite heavy losses, the German paratroopers were able to complete the tasks assigned to them and ensure the landing of the main forces of the German troops.

German transport aircraft Junkers Yu.52 (Ju.52) are dropping troops on Crete.

Pilots of the 7th Squadron of the 2nd Luftwaffe Training Squadron (7.(F)/LG 2) confer after a flight during Operation Mercury. The photo was taken at a Greek airfield after the return of 7.(F)/LG 2 from a flight to cover the landing on Crete.

Pilot of the German fighter Messerschmitt Bf.110C-5 from the 7th squadron of the 2nd training squadron (7.(F)/LG 2) after a combat flight. The photo was taken at a Greek airfield after the return of 7.(F)/LG 2 from a flight to cover the landing on Crete.

The successes of the German airborne units forced the top leadership of the other countries participating in the war (in particular, Great Britain) to reconsider their attitude towards this type of troops.

A group of German paratroopers walks down the street of a Greek village in Crete.

The main weapon of the German paratrooper was the Mauser 98k carbine. About a quarter of the landing paratroopers were armed with an MP-38 or MP-40 submachine gun instead of a carbine. Each squad had at its disposal an MG-34 light machine gun. German technical and military specialists tried to compensate for the lack of heavier weapons with a new product - the 75-mm LG 40 recoilless rifle. Weighing 130 kg, it was 10 times lighter than the German 75-mm field gun with only a third shorter firing range.

Weapons and ammunition were dumped in containers. The Germans used parachutes of different colors to mark containers with various cargo: sidearms, heavy weapons, ammunition. LG 40 recoilless rifles were dropped on special bundles of 3 parachutes.

A group of German paratroopers in Crete. Posing in front of the lens.

German paratroopers and Junkers Ju-52 transport planes flying above them in the area of ​​height No. 107 on Crete. Hill No. 107 in the area of ​​the Maleme airfield was one of the most important strongholds of the Allies, for which there were fierce battles. On May 21, the height was captured by the Germans.

Unlike paratroopers from most other countries, German paratroopers jumped without carbines and machine guns (paratroopers armed with the MP-38/40 left the plane with weapons, since their compactness made it possible to attach them under the parachute suspension system), which were dropped separately - in containers.

Three German paratroopers remove weapons from a container after landing on Crete.

German paratroopers carry containers (Fallschirmjäger Abwurfbehälter) with equipment along the road in Crete.

For ease of transportation on the ground, these containers were equipped with special wheels and handles (partially visible in the photo).

The design of the German army parachute was very reliable, but did not allow control of the direction of flight, and paratroopers often landed far from their weapons.
At these moments, they could only rely on personal weapons - pistols and hand grenades, which they stuffed into the voluminous pockets of their landing overalls. Many paratroopers were killed while trying to get to containers with weapons.

Graves of German paratroopers in Crete.

Italian Marines with an 8mm Breda M37 machine gun after landing in Sitia on Crete.

The commander of the battle group "Orion" (FJR-1 and II./FJR-2 from the 7. Fliegerdivision) Oberst of the Luftwaffe parachute troops Bruno Bräuer (1893-1947, left) during the battles in Crete.

German paratroopers escort British prisoners along a city street in Crete.

German paratroopers search captured British soldiers in Crete.

German paratroopers pass by British soldiers killed in Crete.

A column of British prisoners escorted by German paratroopers on Crete.

A paratrooper of the 3rd battalion of the 7th German division near the bodies of the executed residents of the village of Kondomari on Crete.

German paratroopers on vacation in an olive grove on Crete.

German paratroopers in a captured British Morris-Commercial CS8 in Crete.

German paratroopers on a motorcycle near the crashed German military transport aircraft Junkers Ju-52 (Ju-52, board number 1Z+BA) at Malemes airfield on the island of Crete.

WITH An aerial view of Maleme airfield on Crete, captured by German troops during Operation Mercury. The photo was taken from a German transport aircraft Junkers Ju-52 (Ju.52). On the ground you can see broken and intact German Ju-52 transport aircraft and Ju-87 dive bombers (Ju.87).

German paratroopers are fighting in the city of Chania (Χανιά, Chania) on the island of Crete.

German paratroopers on vacation during a break between battles in Crete.

German paratroopers in battle with Allied units on Crete.

A British military tent camp captured by German troops near the city of Chania on Crete

Captured British soldiers escorted by German paratroopers on Crete.

A German truck passes a column of British prisoners of war on Crete.

German soldiers in captured British trucks in Crete.

The commander of the 5th German Mountain Division, Major General Julius Ringel, awards Iron Crosses to soldiers and officers from among his subordinates who distinguished themselves during the operation to capture Crete.

View of the bombing of ships off the coast of Crete.

The British Navy lost in the Battle of Crete (solely from air action): three cruisers, six destroyers, 10 auxiliary ships and more than 10 transports and merchant ships. Three battleships, an aircraft carrier, six cruisers, and 7 destroyers were also damaged.

The losses of the allied Greek fleet are not specified.

The British Air Force lost 46 aircraft.

The Luftwaffe lost 147 aircraft shot down and 73 in accidents (mostly transport ones).

The British Army lost most of the troops stationed on the island

The Greek army practically ceased to exist after the operation.

After the end of Operation Mercury, General Student was called to the “carpet” to the Fuhrer, Hitler, having learned about the losses, was furious, screams and reproaches against Student were heard from the huge office of the Reich Chancellery, as a result, Hitler forbade future large-scale landing operations with participation of the Airborne Forces, perhaps the Germans were right to act in this way, since the subsequent experience of the Second World War as a whole showed that large-scale operations of the airborne troops were too costly and risky, such as, for example, the Airborne Forces operations carried out by the Red Army in 1943 . on the Dnieper and our allies in 1944. in Holland, which did not lead to great successes, but the losses in people and equipment were quite significant.

(code name "Mercury")

actions Nazi troops on the capture of Fr. Crete May 20 - June 1, during the 2nd World War 1939-45. When planning the capture of Crete, the fascist German command pursued the following goals: to deprive English troops one of the important strongholds in the Mediterranean and create a base to assist the Afrika Korps of General E. Rommel in the attack on Egypt. The capture of Crete was planned to be carried out through the landing of massive air and amphibious assaults with extensive air support. Carrying out C.v. O. assigned to the 4th air fleet(8th and 9th Aviation Corps) under the command of Colonel General A. Lehr. The 7th Parachute and 5th Mountain Rifle Divisions and a regiment of the 6th Mountain Rifle Division were used as landing forces. Convoying and supporting amphibious assault forces was entrusted to part of the forces Italian fleet. The forces of the Nazi troops amounted to 35 thousand people, 430 bombers, 180 fighters, about 600 transport aircraft and 100 gliders. The Anglo-Greek troops in Crete after the evacuation of the English expeditionary force from Greece numbered 42.5 thousand people (including 27.5 thousand British, Australian and New Zealand troops) under the command of General Freyberg. The distance from German airfields in Greece to Crete was 120-240 km, while from British bases in Malta and Egypt - 700-1000 km, which excluded the possibility of fighter cover and determined the complete dominance of German aviation in the air. On the morning of May 20, after air preparation, parachute troops were dropped in the areas of Maleme, Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion, which managed to block the Heraklion-Rethymnon highway and prevent the transfer of British reinforcements to the northwestern part of Crete. The British command was unable to bring reserves into battle in a timely manner and missed the opportunity to destroy the landing forces. On May 21, the Germans landed additional airborne troops and captured Maleme, after which mountain rifle units began to arrive on transport planes. A German naval convoy with heavy weapons and artillery was destroyed by the British fleet. May 22-23 German aviation attacked the English ships and inflicted heavy losses on them, after which the English fleet left for Alexandria. On May 27, Nazi troops occupied Chania. Under the pressure of the Nazi troops who went on the offensive, the British great difficulties retreated through the mountains to south coast to Sfakya Bay and on May 29-30 were evacuated by sea. On the night of May 29, the garrison of Heraklion was evacuated by sea. On May 31, the garrison of Rethymno capitulated. The British lost about 15 thousand people, sunk - 1 heavy and 3 light cruisers, 7 destroyers, damaged - 3 battleships, 1 aircraft carrier, 6 cruisers and 7 destroyers; Greek troops lost 14 thousand people killed and captured. German troops lost about 17 thousand people (according to German data, 6.6 thousand people) and 200 aircraft. Major success in K. century. O. was achieved by fascist German troops largely due to the passive actions of the British command, poor interaction between troops and weak support from aviation and navy.

I. M. Glagolev.

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"Cretan Airborne Operation 1941" in books

Yelninsk operation 1941