Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt Me 321
The Messerschmitt Me 321 Gigant was a massive German transport glider developed during World War II. Conceived in 1939 by the Messerschmitt design team, it first flew in June 1941 as a response to the Luftwaffe’s need for a heavy‑lift aircraft capable of moving tanks, artillery and troops for rapid offensive operations. With a wingspan of 55 m and a length of 23 m, the Me 321 could carry up to 23 t of cargo, equivalent to a Panzer IV tank and its crew, or 130 fully equipped soldiers. Because it lacked an engine, it relied on a powerful tractor‑propeller tow by a He 111 or the specially built “Münchhausen” rocket‑assisted winch system, and later versions incorporated a pair of BMW 801 radial engines, becoming the powered Me 323. Its wooden construction and simple structure allowed rapid production, but the glider’s size made it vulnerable to enemy fighters and difficult to handle on the ground. Though only a few were used operationally—most notably on the Eastern Front and in the Mediterranean—the Me 321 demonstrated the feasibility of ultra‑large air‑lift platforms and directly influenced post‑war heavy transport designs such as the C‑130 and An‑124. Its legacy endures as a bold experiment in strategic air mobility.
