Scale of Model:
Global 39 Scale = 1.43" (36.5mm) Wingspan
Rules on how to use this piece in HBG's Global War Game.
The GO-242 was a German Glider capable of carrying 20 fully armed infantrymen. 1,528 were built during the war. The general delivery vehicle for the GO-242 was He-111 or Ju-52 however even the small JU-87D tactical bombers were fitted to tow this glider.
Purchase: Gliders must be placed at a factory when produced
Movement: Gliders move with their base unit, which must be either a strategic bomber (unless stated otherwise) or an air transport. Such an aircraft has its range reduced by 2 when towing a glider. A glider can otherwise move “1” in non-combat movement. A glider remains in the zone it attacks and does not return with the towing unit.
Transporting Units: A glider can transport 1 infantry in combat movement. That infantry need not be an airborne but may not be a mechanized infantry.
Attack: Gliders must be delivered to their destination and have no combat move of their own. Upon reaching their destination they and their towing aircraft are subject to AA fire. After AA fire, Gliders land in the zone and units from them can participate in the attack. Units attacking from a glider may not retreat. Gliders are destroyed if the territory is not captured by the attacking units.
Restrictions: Gliders may never be launched from a carrier.
| Unit | Attack | Defense | Move | Cost |
| GO-242 | NA | NA | As base unit | 2 |
| Glider: The GO-242 Glider may deliver 1 infantry unit. Light Glider: The GO-42 may be towed by a tactical bomber Availability: 1941 (Turn 4) |
The Gotha Go 242 was a transport glider used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. It was an upgrade over the DFS 230 in both cargo/troop capacity and flight characteristics. Though it saw limited action, it appeared in multiple variants.
Development
The Go 242 was designed by Albert Kalkert in response to a Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) requirement for a heavy transport glider to replace the DFS 230 then in service. The requirement was for a glider capable of carrying 20 fully laden troops or the equivalent cargo.
The aircraft was a high-wing monoplane with a simple square-section fuselage ending in clamshell doors used to load cargo. The empennage was mounted on twin booms linked by a tailplane. The fuselage was formed of steel tubing covered with doped fabric. The flight characteristics of the design were better than those of the DFS 230.
Cargo versions of the glider featured a hinged rear fuselage loading ramp that could accommodate a small vehicle such as a Kübelwagen or loads of similar size and weight.
The glider was tested with rockets for overloaded take offs, a rack of four 48 kg (106 lb) Rheinmetall 109-502 rockets mounted on the rear of the cargo compartment. A second rocket called the "R Device" was also used with the glider - it was a liquid-fuel Heinkelrocket engine R I-203 (HWK 109-500A) which was mounted beneath the wing on either side of the body and was ejected after takeoff, parachuting down to be recycled.
Two prototypes flew in 1941 and the type quickly entered production. A total of 1,528 were built, 133 of which were converted to the Go 244, with two 500 kW (700 hp) Gnome-Rhone engines fitted to forward extensions of the tail booms.
Operational history
In service, Go 242s were towed into the air by Heinkel He 111s or Junkers Ju 52s, and were occasionally fitted with RATO equipment. Most saw service in the Mediterranean, North Africa and Aegean. Ju 87D-2s had strengthened rear fuselage and combined tailwheel and hook for towing the Go 242.
A few gliders, the Go 242 C-1 variant, were constructed with a flying boat-style hull allowing water landings. It was proposed that some carry a small catamaran assault boat with a 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) explosive charge suspended between its hulls. The proposed mission profile was for the pilot to land near an enemy ship and transfer to the assault boat, setting off at high speed for the enemy ship and locking the controls before bailing out
Variants
- Go 242 A-1 - initial cargo-carrying version
- Go 242 A-2 - initial troop-carrying version
- Go 242 B-1 - cargo version with jettisonable landing gear
- Go 242 B-2 - B-1 with improved landing gear
- Go 242 B-3 - troop-carrying version of B-1 with double rear doors
- Go 242 B-4 - troop-carrying version with doors of B-3 and landing gear of B-2
- Go 242 B-5 - training version with dual controls
- Go 242 C-1 - maritime assault version with flying boat-style hull. Never used operationally
Specifications (Go 242B-3)
Data from
General characteristics
- Crew: one or two pilots
- Capacity: Up to 23 troops
- Length: 51 ft 10 in (15.81 m)
- Wingspan: 80 ft 5 in (24.50 m)
- Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.40 m)
- Wing area: 693 ft² (64.4 m²)
- Empty weight: 7,055 lb (3,200 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 15,653 lb (7,100 kg)
Performance
Armament
4 × 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 15 machine guns
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