Once again I have ocme to my best source out there for info.

I was wondering how many men were in a airborne stick (plane load of troopers). I always thought it was 18 or 19. A company fits into its alotted 10 planes in 8 sticks of 18 and two of 17 (excludes the pathfinders). But in David Webster's book he said there werre 20 when he jumped his HQ in Normandy and 21 when he jumped with Easy in Holland. Lt. Meehan's plane had 17 men on its when it crashed in Normandy but other planes on the site had 19 and 18 men in them when they crahsed. Anyone know the right numbers?

Matt

The manufacturer set the number at 28 personnel. You put jump equipment on these guys and sling some bundles underneath and she probably drops to 21. If there are more or less than that one it could be because of the distance involved-- more fuel less bodies, the cross load configuration of the unit involved (there are only so many guys available), etc. I think they only brought the C-46 on for the jump across the Rhine. If so, they had two jump doors vice the one for the C-47. I do not believe this affected your allowable cargo load. I'd stick with 18 as a normal load and 21 as a max. I am kinda new, but it seems we have a resident airborne expert who routinely come up to set us all straight. I try to get my shot in before I get pounded.

Well, now I'm confused. In Band of Brothers, when they sound off for equipment check, the count starts with "Ten O.K.!"

Hmmmm......

Barry

That's Hollywood. Ideally, the cross loading should have had the aircraft manned by people from the same company but different platoons. So, you might have had the aircraft (chalk) loaded with guys from 1st platoon and half from the 2nd platoon. Probably given the mass of troops to be dropped they put folks on aircraft without regrad to cross loading. I would still guess that your average load was 18 paratroopers. The standard commands for a C-47 would have been:
stand-up (unhook your seat belt and stand)
hook-up (attach your static line hook on the overhead cable)
check equipment (make sure everything is still buttoned and will not come loose, check the fellow in front of you)
sound off for equipment check (from the last person in the line say your number "18" then smack the guy on the rear to your front, the number one man tells the jumpmaster "all okay")
stand in the door. (the number one guy rotates into the door position then goes on the jumpmaster tap and command "GO" given when the green jump light goes on)

If you can even hear yourself think inside a noisy, bouncing around aircraft in total darkness, you are better Soldier than I. So, if you heard the number "10" it is quite conceivable that the other 8 numbers were drowned out by the aircraft noise, the wind coming through the plane when the doors open and the controlled panic (some people do not sound -off) that runs through people jumping at night. It's a pretty cool experience.
My 2 cents

Thanks Cavalry,

I realized yesterday that my perfect numbers were off because I was using a bad source that had a n overstrength company as the 1945 version (this was probably the TOE for the 17th or what ever unit was being formed in the states).

Yeah Barry sorry to tell you this but try not to follow BoB as a gospel. If you want to know everything wrong with it go to triggertime.com and scroll to the bottom and clikc the Band of Brothers label.

Matt

Another Question,

Was the jumpmaster the number 19 man or man number one in a stick of 18?

I don't think my numbers for planes per company was right either. On 6juin1944.com the flight formations for Mission ALbany (101st) shows 45 planes per serial so thats eleven planes per company plus an extra for HQ COmpany since it had about 18 tho 29 more men than the regular. DOes that seem right?

Matt

I will go out on a limb here and say the Jumpmaster was one of the 18. I can only base that on how we do it in a tactical unit today. Regardless, you need to go into a C-47. It is small by any comparison with say a C-130 or C-141. Try to get into a C-47 with over 100 pounds of gear on you...ain't no way they squeezed 29 paratroopers in that bird unless they were Vietnamese. You are applying precision mathematics to a tactical scenario. They may have ferried them over in different lifts. If that is correct, then the aircraft went in a circle over Normandy, dropped their load and then returned for another. I'd have to research the time on the target. Did everyone get there in one lift?
DJ

thanks and I meant 18 to 20 not 29

Matt

Let us know about the drop times. I know they had a large number of transports, but did they get all three divisions (6th British, 82nd and 101st) over Normandy at or near the same time?
DJ

Here is the link for the Parachute Tables

http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropus/en_page.php?page=para

TO get to the british times click the back to the assualt button in the top left and then the british airborne symbol in the right next to Caen. In the the list on the right click on Parachute Tables.

This thread might get long because Ii will probably have numerous questions.

Looks like the stories back to the planning and editing phase. (Darn setbacks)

Matt

Matt-- that site is a great find. I am milking it for everything it contains.
thanks
DJ

Matt-- I am intrigued by your original question. I am using a stubby pencil math here and came up with the follwoing numbers based on the info at the site your noted.

82nd Airborne drop 6420 trooper in 378 aircraft. I come up with an average of 16.7 (17) Soldiers per aircraft

101st Airborne drops 6928 paratroopers in 443 aircraft. This would be an average of 15.6 (16) guys per aircraft.

When you combine the number you get 13,348 paratroopers out of 821 planes or an average load of 16.2 (16) individuals per a/c.

What do you think?
DJ

I am posting this question on Mark Bando's website but thanks for all the help. More questions will come in the future.

Matt

What web site is that one?

I put the site earlier but it was wrong. Here is the real thing:

http://www.101airborneww2.com/

scroll to the bottom for the forumn. So far I havnt got any definate answers since Mark Bando is out of town.

Matt

Dj the latest response is:




Matt