During the preparations for a possible invasion of Britain during World War II (Operation Sea Lion) it became obvious to the Luftwaffe's Transport Command that there was a need for a cargo- and troop-carrying aircraft larger than its mainstay, the Junkers Ju 52 When the plans for Operation Sea Lion were shelved in December 1940, and planning began for the invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa), it was decided that the most cost-effective solution to the need for transport aircraft was to use gliders. Accordingly, the Technical Bureau of the Luftwaffe issued a tender for rapid development of a Grossraumlastensegler ("large-capacity transport glider") to the aircraft manufacturers Junkers and Messerschmitt. The specification called for the glider to be capable of carrying either an 88 mm gun plus its tractor, or a medium tank. The codename Projekt Warschau ("Project Warsaw") was used, with Junkers being given the codename Warschau-Ost and Messerschmitt Warschau-Süd. However, the Junkers design, the Ju 322 Mammut was unsuccessful due to the company opting to use all-wood construction. Messerschmitt's design, the Me 263, consequently secured the contract for the company. The Me 263 had a framework of steel tubing provided by the Mannesmann company, with wooden spars and a covering of doped fabric. This allowed for quick construction and easy repair when needed and also saved weight. The Me 263 was redesignated the Me 321 and was nicknamed Gigant ("Giant") due to its huge size. Its nose stood over 6 m (20 ft) high, and was made up of two clamshell doors. The doors could only be opened from the inside, when ramps would be used to allow vehicles to drive in or out. Compared to the Ju 52, the Me 321 offered a load area six times larger, at around 100 m2 (1,100 sq ft), and could accommodate a gross cargo weighing up to 23 t (23 long tons). The cargo space was designed to replicate the load space of a standard German railway flatcar, allowing any cargo that could travel by rail to fit into an Me 321. Alternatively, if used as a troop transport, 120-130 fully equipped soldiers could be accommodated. The first flight of the prototype Me 321 V1 took place on 25 February 1941, towed into the air by a Ju 90. The test flights were plagued by takeoff difficulties, since the Junkers Ju 90 was not powerful enough, and as an interim measure three Bf 110 heavy fighters were used, in a so-called Troikaschlepp. This was a highly dangerous set-up and Ernst Udet asked Ernst Heinkel to come up with a better tug. Heinkel responded by creating the Heinkel He 111Z Zwilling ("Twins"), which combined two He 111 aircraft through the use of a new "center" wing section with a fifth engine added. Walter liquid-fueled RATO (Rocket assisted takeoff) units were also used to assist takeoff from rough fields. The Me 321 was less than successful on the Eastern Front for various reasons: (1)As a glider, the Me 321 lacked the ability to make a second or third approach to a crowded landing strip. (2)It was impossible to move on the ground without specialized vehicles. (3)Before the introduction of the He 111 Zwilling, the dangerous Troikaschlepp arrangement gave a one-way range of only 400 km (250 mi) which was woefully inadequate in the vast expanse of Russia. In spring 1942, the remaining Me 321s were withdrawn from service in Russia in anticipation of the planned Operation Herkules, the invasion of Malta, in which a fleet of the gliders hauled by He 111Zs were to be used. This plan was abandoned due to a lack of towing aircraft. In 1943, the Me 321s were returned to Russia to be used in a projected operation to relieve General Friedrich Paulus’ besieged army at Stalingrad, but by the time they reached the front line, no suitable airfields remained and they were sent back to Germany. Problems producing enough He111Z's led to the 6 engine Me 323...but that's another story..... Told you we have some bloody big corners in 'The Plant':-)