GLIDER STUFF

I have been informed that some could not  find the CG4A picture in my blog. Others had no trouble. I am copying  pictures I googled with an accompanying text and hope it is visible and of interest. There are several pictures and text from various sources in this blog plus a link to Wikipedia on Operation Varsity. The pictures may/or may not  come through. Let me know..



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The 15-place CG-4A glider's wingspan was 83.6 feet and its overall length was 48 feet. In the CG-4A, the floor was made of honeycombed plywood, a construction technique that provided strength with minimal weight. The load-bearing capacity of the floor enabled the CG-4A to carry 4,060 pounds, which was 620 more pounds than the glider's own empty weig The entire nose section (including the pilot's compartment) of the CG-4A swung upward creating a 70 x 60 inch opening into its cargo compartment. This made it possible to quickly load and unload the glider. Types of cargo were fighting men, a jeep with radio equipment and driver, radio and operator plus one other soldier; two soldiers and a jeep trailer loaded with combat supplies; a 75mm pack howitzer with 25 rounds of ammunition and two artillerymen; a small bulldozer and its operator.
The CG-4A could be towed at a maximum safe speed of 150 miles per hour with a gross weight load of 7,500 pounds. It was often towed at a slower speed of 110 to 130 m.p.h. The gliders were usually towed behind a C-47 tow plane on a 300 foot nylon rope. 1" in diameter.
Communication between the early gliders and their tugs was a telephone wire wrapped around the tow-rope. These lines often shorted out while being dragged along concrete runways during take-offs. Two-way radios eventually replaced this system.
The instrument panel contained an air speed indicator, an altimeter, a rate of climb indicator, and a bank and turn indicator. All of these instruments had originally been manufactured for use in powered airplanes where engine vibrations would keep the indicator needles from sticking. The glider pilots flying their vibrationless aircraft frequently tapped all indicators to be sure they were giving correct readings.
The outside appearance of the CG-4A gave an illusion of simple construction. The final production models actually contained just over 70,000 parts.
A total of 13,909 CG-4As were manufactured by 16 companies during World War II - more than the number of B-17, B-25 or B-26 bombers; P-38, P-39 or P40 fighters, or any of the C-46, C-47 or C-54 transport airplanes manufactured during that same time period. 

Rhine crossing

Main article: Operation Varsity

The last major operation involving gliders was the crossing of the Rhine in 1945. To avoid the long delay in relieving the airborne troops which had been a major cause of the failure of Operation Market Garden, the landings were made close to the German front line defences. The landings took place in daylight once again, and heavy German anti-aircraft fire took heavy toll of the vulnerable gliders. Most Allied casualties were incurred by the glider pilots<sup>(Wikipedia)

Picture below is on a training exercise</sup>