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Description
Built in competition to the Me-321 and 323 "Giant" heavy transport, the Veeblefitzer Ve-302 B transport glider, and the following Ve-302 C powered version, proved to be superior to the Messerschmidt design.
Constructed mostly with wood and welded steel tubes, and skinned with doped fabric, the "Atlas" was much simpler, and sturdier, than the Me-321/323.
The glider and powered versions, with the large tail surfaces, were much more controllable in flight than the "Giant", with regard to directional stability.
Being smaller, and lighter, than the "Giant", the "Atlas", as it was titled, could carry a weight-load equal to the 321/323.
The "Giant" required 8 motors to perform, while the "Atlas" was successful with 6.
Defensive armament, for the glider version, was 4 x 7.9mm mg's positioned top mid fuselage and nose, with two mounted in the cockpit. And for the powered version it was 2 x 20mm cannon, positioned top mid fuselage, and one mounted in the nose, in covered turrets. 1 x 7.9mm mg was mounted at rear of the cockpit canopy. If necessary, the passenger windows could be quickly detached and soldiers could aim their weapons and fire at any attacking enemy aircraft(!).
The cargo bay could carry loads as large as a Tiger tank, with room for support troops. But the heaviest loads required a long runway for take off, and a level, large space, for landing. It was no guarantee that the aircraft could survive the landing without serious structural damage, but being able to deploy heavy armor with troops, behind enemy lines, was worth the risk.
Lighter armor and loads were more common, and the "Atlas" could soldier-on repeatedly with a minimum of maintenance.
The forward exit hatch was a simple affair. The nose and cockpit section were hinged, so that it tilted up and back, allowing loads to be quickly deployed. Cockpit control cables were designed to decouple automatically for a quick unloading, and would then reconnect when the nose section was lowered back into flight position.
A skilled crew could land, unload, and leave under 5 minutes(!).
The glider version could be towed aloft by a He-111 Z. The tow cable had two connections which were mated to two hard points, placed on the lower fuselage, just ahead of the fixed landing gear. The hard points also acted as anti-tipping devices, to keep the machine from nosing over when landing.
Take off was assisted with 9 solid fuel rocket motors, placed in the tail, stacked in a metal box shelter.

Description
Built in competition to the Me-321 and 323 "Giant" heavy transport, the Veeblefitzer Ve-302 B transport glider, and the following Ve-302 C powered version, proved to be superior to the Messerschmidt design.
Constructed mostly with wood and welded steel tubes, and skinned with doped fabric, the "Atlas" was much simpler, and sturdier, than the Me-321/323.
The glider and powered versions, with the large tail surfaces, were much more controllable in flight than the "Giant", with regard to directional stability.
Being smaller, and lighter, than the "Giant", the "Atlas", as it was titled, could carry a weight-load equal to the 321/323.
The "Giant" required 8 motors to perform, while the "Atlas" was successful with 6.
Defensive armament, for the glider version, was 4 x 7.9mm mg's positioned top mid fuselage and nose, with two mounted in the cockpit. And for the powered version it was 2 x 20mm cannon, positioned top mid fuselage, and one mounted in the nose, in covered turrets. 1 x 7.9mm mg was mounted at rear of the cockpit canopy. If necessary, the passenger windows could be quickly detached and soldiers could aim their weapons and fire at any attacking enemy aircraft(!).
The cargo bay could carry loads as large as a Tiger tank, with room for support troops. But the heaviest loads required a long runway for take off, and a level, large space, for landing. It was no guarantee that the aircraft could survive the landing without serious structural damage, but being able to deploy heavy armor with troops, behind enemy lines, was worth the risk.
Lighter armor and loads were more common, and the "Atlas" could soldier-on repeatedly with a minimum of maintenance.
The forward exit hatch was a simple affair. The nose and cockpit section were hinged, so that it tilted up and back, allowing loads to be quickly deployed. Cockpit control cables were designed to decouple automatically for a quick unloading, and would then reconnect when the nose section was lowered back into flight position.
A skilled crew could land, unload, and leave under 5 minutes(!).
The glider version could be towed aloft by a He-111 Z. The tow cable had two connections which were mated to two hard points, placed on the lower fuselage, just ahead of the fixed landing gear. The hard points also acted as anti-tipping devices, to keep the machine from nosing over when landing.
Take off was assisted with 9 solid fuel rocket motors, placed in the tail, stacked in a metal box shelter.