The idea to carry smaller planes attached to larger aircraft has created some of the most strange and curious weapons used during the Second World War. The largest and most unusual of them was called Zveno Project. The link below shows a complete report with a fantastic collection of photos and some questions. This weapon entered service and was used in combat? It was efficient? Visit the link below and give your opinion. http://aviacaoemfloripa.blogspot.com.br/2011/01/parasitas-russos.html Best Regards!
Played a modded WW2 game with the Zveno Project. It was fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx8o-9XAyUs
The parasite dive bombers were historically used to attack installations in Rumania in the early stages of the war as per that game mod. I suspect the range of the modified I-16 was so short it was useless as a stand alone dive bomber .
Depends on how you define "without", because the landing gear of the Curtis F9C Sparrowhawk was detachable AFAIK, The fighters were never aboard Akron or Macon when the zeppelins launched, but would be flown aboard shortly thereafter at which pint the landing gear would be removed and a fuel tank would be attached. Then when the mission was over and the zeppelin was getting ready to land, then the landing gear would be reattached, and the aircraft flown off to land at a nearby airport.
