Waco CG-3

CG-3A
General information
Type	Military glider
Manufacturer	Commonwealth Aircraft, Inc.
Designer	Waco Aircraft Company
Primary user	United States
Number built	100
History
First flight	Early February 1942

The Waco CG-3A was a United States light troop military glider of World War II.

Design and development

The CG-3A was the United States Army Air Force's first production troop-carrying glider. 300 CG-3A 9-place gliders were initially ordered, but 200 of these were cancelled. A few of the 100 built by Commonwealth Aircraft (formerly Rearwin Aircraft) were used as trainers for the improved CG-4A, but most remained in their shipping crates in storage. The production CG-3A was developed from the experimental XCG-3 which was the only one built by Waco and given Army Air Forces Serial No. 41-29617.[1]

Operational history

The CG-3A became obsolete with the development of the much improved Waco designed CG-4A 15-place glider with its alternate load of military equipment. The CG-3A did not see any combat and several were used in limited training roles.

Variants

• XCG-3 : Prototype 8-seat glider. One built 1942.[2]
• CG-3A : Production 9-seat glider. 100 built by Commonwealth Aircraft.[2]

Specifications (CG-3A)

3-view line drawing of the Waco CG-3A

Data from The Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 7 troops
• Length: 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)
• Wingspan: 73 ft 1 in (22.28 m)
• Empty weight: 2,044 lb (927 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 4,400 lb (1,996 kg)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 120 mph (190 km/h, 100 kn) (under tow)
• Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h, 87 kn)
• Minimum control speed: 38 mph (61 km/h, 33 kn)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Airspeed Horsa
• Antonov A-7
• DFS 230
• General Aircraft Hotspur
• Gribovsky G-11
• Kokusai Ku-8
• Schweizer cargo glider designs
• Slingsby Hengist
• Waco CG-4

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of World War II military gliders

References

1. Development and Procurement of Gliders for the Army Air Forces 1941–1944, AAF Historical Office, Headquarters, Army Air Forces, March 1946
2. Air Enthusiast June 1972, p. 321.
3. Mondey 1996, pp. 248–249.

• Mondey, David (1996). The Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press. ISBN 185152-706-0.
• "Transport Gliders: The Rise and Demise of a Weapon:Part Four". Air Enthusiast. Vol. 2, no. 6. June 1972. pp. 318–322.