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Chairborne Ranger
Pic 1 - Operation Mercury, German airborne assault on Crete, 20 May 41. Ju-52 going down... this battle not only caused a lot of Fallshirmjaeger casualties, but beat hell out of the Luftwaffe transport capability. Also showed the prime disadvantage of airborne ops - the lack of heavy weapons and armour.
Pic 2 - Much later - 1950s onwards. C-130 or something similar, 4-engine and a rear ramp. Probably an exercise or demonstration... don't think that class of aircraft was ever used for a combat drop. Could be wrong, though.
Pic 3 - Aircraft appear to be C-119 Flying Boxcar, possibly C-82 Flying Packet (predecessor design); not sure if anyone copied those. Wikipedia does show French airdrop at Dien Bien Phu, (1954) and Indian drop during Bangladesh War (1971). I'm sure there were other combat drops in that era. The US did a number of airborne assaults in Korea, but I don't recall what aircraft were used.
Pic 4 - Appear to be German Fallshirjaeger (paratroops). Distinctive helmet and jumpsuits, even with the blurriness of the image. Can't tell what weapon the soldier second from the left is carrying - that could date it a little better. Might be postwar, after the re-establishment of the German Army.
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