Because the plan to attack the Netherlands was eliminated, the Third Reich saved one armored division and one airborne division that were to be used in the Netherlands in the original "Yellow Plan" plan.
The saved armored divisions were assigned to Army Group A in Rundstadt to break through the Ardennes Forest. The saved airborne divisions were assigned to Army Group B in Bock to occupy the Belgian territory.
The fortress and some bridges.
In fact, the Third Reich now has three paratrooper divisions. However, the other two newly-built airborne divisions have not yet formed combat effectiveness. Therefore, in the "Scythe Harvest Plan", only the 1st Airborne Division was temporarily used, and no
The 2nd and 3rd Parachute Divisions, which are still undergoing training, are included.
Of course, this can also be regarded as leaving two paratrooper divisions as reserves for the German army for future emergencies.
And now, the last paratrooper battalion of the 1st Parachute Division, which has not participated in the battle, has also ushered in their first combat mission - to seize three bridges on the canals in Belgium.
"Get ready to board!" Following the battalion commander's command, groups of German paratroopers carried parachute bags and tactical vests, and hung grenades, bayonets and ammunition pouches. Under their tactical vests, there were also compressed biscuits and
Filled water bottles to improve the survivability of paratroopers.
These are the standard equipment of the current Third Reich paratroopers, and they are all ideal arrangements proposed by Reinhardt based on his own impressions.
In terms of weapons, paratroopers cannot be equipped with heavy weapons such as artillery. The weight of such cannons limits the possibility of airdrops. However, their firepower is not as weak as ordinary infantry.
As "elite infantry", under Reinhard's personal supervision, the paratroopers were the first to be equipped with new weapons and equipment and to receive sufficient individual weapons.
In every infantry squad of the paratroopers, the G43 semi-automatic rifle with a ten-round detachable magazine is used as the basic equipment. Although this is an ugly version using stamped parts, it fully meets the standards in terms of firepower and ease of use.
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To enhance firepower, each paratrooper squad is also equipped with two MP40 submachine guns that also use stamping technology. This improved version of the MP submachine gun with increased bomb delivery will provide paratroopers with powerful melee capabilities, allowing them to attack at close range.
From a distance, suppress firepower against an equal number of enemy troops.
Finally, the universal machine gun mg42, nicknamed "Reinhardt's chainsaw" because of its firing sound like the sound of tearing linen, was also issued to each paratrooper squad at the standard of one gun per squad. Of course,
Depending on the specific mission situation, some paratrooper squads will choose to be equipped with an additional MP40 submachine gun instead of an mg42 general machine gun.
As an experimental new unit, each ten-man squad of the parachute division has not forgotten to arrange a soldier with the best marksmanship to use a G43 semi-automatic rifle equipped with a 3x scope to become a "precision shooter" who serves as the backbone of firepower.
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The role of precision shooters has been mentioned before. This is a new tactical arm specially established for special combat operations such as street fighting. From the perspective of the combat functions of paratroopers, the tactical arm of precision shooters is necessary.
Also, this generation of German paratroopers learned from the Japanese army's experience in using grenade launchers and assigned each platoon two 40mm grenade launchers. With this quasi-artillery, the paratroopers can fight at the platoon level and above.
Launch grenades, and even use the grenade launcher to launch dangerous incendiary bombs such as white phosphorus bombs part-time, giving you powerful firepower.
Although the weight of the grenade launcher is not large, due to the lack of aluminum ore resources, the eggshells of the grenades are made of steel alloy instead of lightweight aluminum alloy. It is not easy for the soldiers of the grenade team to carry large quantities. One-time performance
The amount of artillery shells carried was also reduced.
However, this is already a firepower intensity that infantry in the past never had, and it is enough to make paratroopers proud.
Now, the paratroopers equipped with various equipment are lining up in an orderly manner, boarding the JU-52 transport aircraft assigned to each of their teams. Although it has been slightly improved, the current JU-52 transport aircraft can
Only one paratrooper squad and three large packages of supplementary supplies they needed were transported.
Of course, if you want to squeeze it even further, it is not a bad idea to carry 15 fully armed soldiers on a JU-52 transport plane. This was already done when the expeditionary volunteer battalion was transported back to Norway in Finland.
The experiment was conducted. None of the JU-52 transport planes carrying 15 Norwegian soldiers broke down.
However, for the sake of safety, Reinhardt did not allow the JU-52 transport aircraft to use its maximum capacity. In order to transport five more soldiers, it would increase the probability of danger. Instead, Reinhardt used the extra capacity.
, a glider with a wooden structure was towed behind the JU-52 to transport 6 lightly armed soldiers armed only with Mauser M1932 pistols.
This is not a simple addition and subtraction of 10+6 being greater than 15. It seems that compared to the ju-52 transporting 15 soldiers at its maximum capacity, it transports one more soldier. However, this is achieved with the help of a wooden glider.
Compared with directly letting the JU-52 transport 15 people, the burden on the transport aircraft is much lighter.
The wooden glider transports 6 lightly armed soldiers, although it is only equipped with a Mauser M1932 combat pistol. However, this pistol can be connected to the gun case and used as a small submachine gun, and its firepower is not inferior in any way.
Because wooden gliders have restrictions on transportation weight, they cannot carry heavy weapons. Ammunition including grenades and other ammunition are placed on the ju-52 transport aircraft. However, this does not sacrifice the firepower of the six people on the glider.
Although they only have combat pistols, and even hand grenades and ammunition bags are placed on the ju-52 transport aircraft, they only need to use the initial 20-round long magazine to maintain a certain amount of self-defense firepower. As long as they quickly receive the ju-52
The additional supplies on the transport plane and their firepower can immediately reach the ideal level.
As a recruit who joined Stuart when he first formed the paratroopers, Adrian is now the squad leader of a paratrooper squad. He uses an MP40 submachine gun and is a member of the JU-52 transport aircraft.
Behind him, the six soldiers using combat pistols will also be temporarily under his command during the initial combat stage.
Through the window of the fuselage, Adrian could clearly see another transport plane flying side by side on the right. On weekdays, flight training has been carried out countless times in such clear weather, but this time it was different.
Actual combat!
Adrian didn't know how the people in the transport plane on the opposite side were feeling now, but he knew that he and his soldiers were in an extremely excited state.
Amidst the noisy noise of the plane, the soldiers in Adrian's class were chatting loudly. It's not that they like to chat, or they have to chat at this time. It's because they, like Adrian, also
I am extremely excited and am releasing my excitement through chatting.