The DFS 230 was a German assault glider used in World War II, designed to carry a pilot and nine fully equipped soldiers. Constructed of wood, steel, and canvas, it was most famously towed by the Ju 52/3m aircraft.
Its most notable operation was the successful airborne assault on Fort Eben-Emael in Belgium on May 10, 1940.
Later versions, like the DFS 230B-1, were improved with a braking parachute and an MG 15 machine gun for defense. To achieve extremely short landings, braking rockets were developed and installed on the DFS 230C-1 variant. This version was famously used in the successful 1943 raid to rescue Benito Mussolini from the Gran Sasso mountain hotel.
