Troop Glider and Tug (oz7477)

About this Plan

Troop Glider and Tug. Control line plan showing two complete aircraft: a profile C-46 Commando tug (44in span), along with a full-fuse Waco CG-15 glider (36in span).

Quote: "A most unusual scale CL project, the once-common Curtiss C-46 Commando twin-19-powered profile model for towing a true-scale replica of the infamous CG-15 glider. Troop Glider and Tug, by Frank Scott.

SOME CALLED THEM 'Whisper Ships' and others knew them as 'America's Answer to the Kamikaze.' The troop-carrying glider provided a unique chapter in military aviation.

Widely used by both sides in WWII, the troop glider filled a void in transport design. Through their hinged noses they could easily load large, bulky items such as jeeps and small bulldozers, which conventional cargo airplanes, regardless of size or power, simply could not carry. The glider also could be landed in small, unprepared areas and, because of its much lower cost, could be expendable.

Built by the thousands by furniture and piano factories, as well as by more traditional aircraft sources, these almost helpless craft served well thrbughout the war. Their exploits in Normandy and Burma are still remembered. However, the gliders now have been totally replaced by assault transports, improved parachuting techniques, and helicopters. The troop glider is gone and few will mourn its passing.

To fly a replica of these gliders on control lines, no unusual skills are involved, and the price of an engine is saved. Instead of pulling a free flight glider behind a control line ship (as has been attempted before, with disastrous results), this glider is built as a normal control line model which is simply towed by another plane. This duplicates full-size practice in that each plane has its own controls and its own pilot.

The CG-15 can be pulled by either a 35-powered, single-engined model or a lightly-loaded twin with a pair of 19's (such as the C-46 Commando, also presented here). Directions for the glider construction are given first and in greater detail, since it is the more unusual of the two airplanes.

Construction. The CG-15 was chosen for modeling instead of its better-known predecessor, the CG-4a, because the CG-15 with its shorter wing and less complicated landing gear seems more suited for control line flying. Since I have a large factory drawing of this machine, scale fans may be interested to know that this model is essentially scale, even to the point of using a scale airfoil section.

Construction is not at all complicated. Although the model has no pounding engine trying to shake it apart, use as much care in its building as if it did, for it weighs as much and has much the same flight loads as the airplane pulling it. Begin by gluing the doublers and uprights to the fuselage sides. While they dry, bend the landing gear and attach it to the landing gear mount..."

Frank Scott's Troop Glider and Tug from AAM magazine issue 05-71.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction