 The mission involved Halifax bombers towing Horsa gliders 3 @,@ 200 miles ( 5 @,@ 100 km ) from England to Tunisia . The Horsas were needed to complement the smaller American Waco gliders , which did not have the capacity required for the planned operations . During the mission two German Condor patrol aircraft located and shot down a Halifax @-@ and @-@ Horsa combination . Altogether five Horsas and three Halifaxes were lost , but 27 Horsas arrived in Tunisia in time to participate in the invasion of Sicily . 
