On This Day: Lxx Years Agone The Berlin Airlift Began
Or every bit the Germans called it: Die Luftbrücke (air bridge).
On June v we noted the outset USA bird to cross the French coast (the British gliders were an hr earlier) on D-Day, a C-47, had been re-built together with flown for the outset fourth dimension inwards years:
These were the planes initially pressed into service to provide a urban marrow of 2 i thou 1000 souls. See June 24's "Seventy Years Ago Today The Soviets Blockaded West Berlin together with Began Their Attempt to Starve the City Into Submission" if interested
On June 26, 1948, 32 C-47s lifted off for Berlin hauling lxxx tons of cargo, including milk, flour, together with medicine.
This was a lamentable fraction of the absolute minimum 5000 tons per solar daytime required; the piddling planes, although fine for delivering 28 parachutists, could solely haul 3 tons (3.5 if overloaded) of cargo.
Here's the story every bit nosotros pose it together inwards 2008:
Ag Stocks together with The Berlin Airlift (AG; MOS; MON; POT)
We're coming upward on the 60th anniversary of the Soviet blockade that June.
During the summertime the 2 i thou 1000 people that the Brits together with Americans were trying to feed could learn yesteryear alongside 2 tons of coal per solar daytime (over the course of teaching of the airlift 80% of the weight hauled was coal) only every bit the blockade went on, it was apparent that the Sov's. intended to starve the urban marrow together with it became imperative that an efficient method of delivering coal hold upward found.
During wintertime the absolute minimum requirement was 3100 tons of coal per day. The piddling C-47's could haul some 3 tons per flight. The outset calendar week of the airlift, deliveries averaged ninety tons per day. The 2nd week, 1000 tons/day.
It was decided to experiment alongside a low-speed, low-level drib of coal onto an empty field, the stance beingness that if it worked, B-29 Superfortress' alongside a 105 mph stall speed together with 22-25 ton capacity would solve the problem.
On the appointed solar daytime the senior commanders went to the field, the bird came over, depression together with slow, dropped the coal, packed 100 pounds to a bag, the bags landed, exploded open, the coal was pulverized together with a non bad dark cloud of coal dust covered everyone watching.
One of the Generals, I forget if it was LeMay, Tunner or Smith, said "Doesn't work" together with that was that.
When I saw the ag stocks opened upward this morning time I thought
"Doesn't work".
The logistics geniuses figured out what needed to hold upward done, took 300 of the 400 10-ton capacity C-54's inwards the USA fleet, developed flying rules together with thence efficient that the Germans called it "die Luftbrücke" (Air Bridge) together with on Easter Dominicus 1949 inwards a motion to trounce the Soviet's spirit, they decided to demo off alongside the "Easter Parade".
In the 1440 minutes of that day, they flew 1398 flights into Berlin delivering 12,940 tons of coal.
The Soviets gave upward the blockade the side yesteryear side month, 2 i thou 1000 people didn't starve or hold upward forced to alive nether Moscow masters together with thousands of kids remembered the candy bars the pilots would necktie to handkerchief parachutes together with drib every bit they came into Tempelhof.
39 British together with 31 American airmen were killed inwards crashes during the airlift:
The Sov's were stopped. Unfortunately, 65 years later the blockade began nosotros had to post:
How Hipsters Ruined Berlin
Sacking Berlin
How hipsters, expats, yummies, together with smartphones ruined a city
On June v we noted the outset USA bird to cross the French coast (the British gliders were an hr earlier) on D-Day, a C-47, had been re-built together with flown for the outset fourth dimension inwards years:
That’s All, Brother
These were the planes initially pressed into service to provide a urban marrow of 2 i thou 1000 souls. See June 24's "Seventy Years Ago Today The Soviets Blockaded West Berlin together with Began Their Attempt to Starve the City Into Submission" if interested
On June 26, 1948, 32 C-47s lifted off for Berlin hauling lxxx tons of cargo, including milk, flour, together with medicine.
This was a lamentable fraction of the absolute minimum 5000 tons per solar daytime required; the piddling planes, although fine for delivering 28 parachutists, could solely haul 3 tons (3.5 if overloaded) of cargo.
Here's the story every bit nosotros pose it together inwards 2008:
Ag Stocks together with The Berlin Airlift (AG; MOS; MON; POT)
We're coming upward on the 60th anniversary of the Soviet blockade that June.
During the summertime the 2 i thou 1000 people that the Brits together with Americans were trying to feed could learn yesteryear alongside 2 tons of coal per solar daytime (over the course of teaching of the airlift 80% of the weight hauled was coal) only every bit the blockade went on, it was apparent that the Sov's. intended to starve the urban marrow together with it became imperative that an efficient method of delivering coal hold upward found.
During wintertime the absolute minimum requirement was 3100 tons of coal per day. The piddling C-47's could haul some 3 tons per flight. The outset calendar week of the airlift, deliveries averaged ninety tons per day. The 2nd week, 1000 tons/day.
It was decided to experiment alongside a low-speed, low-level drib of coal onto an empty field, the stance beingness that if it worked, B-29 Superfortress' alongside a 105 mph stall speed together with 22-25 ton capacity would solve the problem.
On the appointed solar daytime the senior commanders went to the field, the bird came over, depression together with slow, dropped the coal, packed 100 pounds to a bag, the bags landed, exploded open, the coal was pulverized together with a non bad dark cloud of coal dust covered everyone watching.
One of the Generals, I forget if it was LeMay, Tunner or Smith, said "Doesn't work" together with that was that.
When I saw the ag stocks opened upward this morning time I thought
"Doesn't work".
The logistics geniuses figured out what needed to hold upward done, took 300 of the 400 10-ton capacity C-54's inwards the USA fleet, developed flying rules together with thence efficient that the Germans called it "die Luftbrücke" (Air Bridge) together with on Easter Dominicus 1949 inwards a motion to trounce the Soviet's spirit, they decided to demo off alongside the "Easter Parade".
In the 1440 minutes of that day, they flew 1398 flights into Berlin delivering 12,940 tons of coal.
The Soviets gave upward the blockade the side yesteryear side month, 2 i thou 1000 people didn't starve or hold upward forced to alive nether Moscow masters together with thousands of kids remembered the candy bars the pilots would necktie to handkerchief parachutes together with drib every bit they came into Tempelhof.
39 British together with 31 American airmen were killed inwards crashes during the airlift:
Berlin Airlift Monument inwards Berlin-Tempelhof alongside inscription
"Sie gaben ihr Leben für expire Freiheit Berlins im Dienste der Luftbrücke 1948/49"
"They lost their lives for the liberty of Berlin inwards service for the Berlin Airlift 1948/49"
The Sov's were stopped. Unfortunately, 65 years later the blockade began nosotros had to post:
How Hipsters Ruined Berlin
Sacking Berlin
How hipsters, expats, yummies, together with smartphones ruined a city
It’s piece of cake to verbalise almost lost Golden Ages inwards Berlin. Everyone has their ain romanticized era: louche Weimar Berlin before the Nazis, Iggy together with Bowie’s seventies Berlin before the Wall fell, or mayhap the squatter’s Berlin of the practiced sometime nineties. So when people start complaining that something has changed inwards the city, it’s tempting to dismiss it every bit insider one-upmanship, the sometime game of “I was hither when.” And withal something has felt dissimilar inwards recent years....
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