The Colditz Glider: The Most Daring WWII Escape Plan That Never Flew

Discover the extraordinary story of the Colditz Castle glider - one of WWII's most ingenious escape attempts that never got its chance to fly.

In this video, we explore how Allied prisoners at Oflag IV-C, Nazi Germany's "escape-proof" POW camp, secretly constructed a fully functioning glider in the castle attic. Using bed slats, floorboards, and whatever materials they could scavenge, these resourceful prisoners planned to launch two men to freedom from the castle roof - right under their captors' noses.

Learn how British officers led by Bill Goldfinch and Jack Best meticulously designed, tested, and built their escape aircraft while evading German guards. We'll reveal the clever techniques they used to hide their work, the ingenious pulley system designed to launch the glider, and why this incredible escape plan never got its chance to soar before Allied forces liberated the castle in April 1945.

✅ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction to Colditz Castle
03:42 - The "Escape-Proof" Prison Challenge
07:15 - The Glider Masterminds
12:30 - Building in Secret: Materials & Methods
18:45 - The Launch Plan Revealed
24:10 - Why It Never Flew
28:35 - The Legacy of the Colditz Glider

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