I was just taking a look at AFV Club future releases and one of them, AF35202, is a 17lb'er apparently crewed by Airborne, judging from their Dennison smocks, on the box art. Isn't a 17lb'er a bit big for glider transport, considering it needs a prime mover also too big for the glider?

IIRC there were at least some 17lbers at Arnhem, they would have arrived in Hamilcars, as did their prime movers.

Is the Hamilcar a big glider? Because I thought the jeep was the biggest vehicle they could glider transport, and even then only after trimming it down a bit to fit. What vehicle for towing the 17lb'er would fit a Hamilcar?

Look here for the story:

http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-17-pounder-anti-tank-guns-at.html

Having been to Arnhem, I was told that a number of 17pdrs were flown in, along with 4 25pdr guns. The 25pdrs gave the Tigers a bit of a shock.




On D-Day the British dropped Tetrarch tanks using Hamilcar gliders.

The Hamilcar was capable of carrying light tanks (Tetrarch and Locust), carriers, the 17 Pdr and the limber vehicle which was a stripped down Morris truck. I hasten to add not all at once!

'Hope this helps.

Hamicars are quite a bit larger than Horsa's or WACOs. A Hamicar will easily take 17 pdr and will take a Tetrarch or M22 Locust, which they brought over the Rhine during that assault.

The WACO was the smallest of the three and would only just take a Jeep. The Horsa cuold easily take the Jeep's mass, although it was a bit of a tight fit, plus a couple more crew besides.

The WACO load was ~4100 lb
Horsa ~7500 lb
Hamicar ~ 15000 lb