Tactical Assault Glider DFS 230 B-1

Plastic model kit to build a German DFS 230 B-1 cargo glider

• Scale 1:35
• Clear and photo-etched parts included
• Pilot hood can be built open or closed
• with or without chassis
• including four figures (paratroopers) from Dragon
• 6 marking options
• unbuilt / unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The DFS 230 was a cargo glider of the German Air Force during World War II. It was developed and produced by the German Gliding Research Institute (DFS) under the direction of designer Hans Jacobs. It consisted of a steel frame with fabric covering. It had a releasable chassis for takeoff and wooden skids were used for landing. Behind the pilot, 9 soldiers were seated one behind the other from a bench. Later versions also had a machine gun for self-defense and brake parachutes, the C-1 version even had brake rockets on the bow.

The first use of DFS 230 took place in Belgium in 1940 during the capture of the Eben-Emael fortress. The largest operation took place on Crete, but heavy losses were recorded, so a large-scale operation was no longer an option. These cargo gliders were also used in North Africa, on the Eastern Front, during the liberation of the dictator Mussolini (Operation Oak) and in Budapest.