Waco CG-3

CG-3A
300px
Role	Military glider
Manufacturer	Commonwealth Aircraft, Inc.
Designer	Waco Aircraft Company
First flight	Early February 1942
Primary user	USA
Number built	100
Unit cost	approx $24,000

The Waco CG-3A was a US 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.

Role in World War II

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.
• CG-3A : Production 9-seat glider. 100 built by Commonwealth Aircraft.

Specifications (CG-3A)

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

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 (193 km/h; 104 kn) (under tow)
• Cruise speed: 100 mph (87 kn; 161 km/h)
• Minimum control speed: 38 mph (33 kn; 61 km/h)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Airspeed Horsa
• DFS 230
• General Aircraft Hotspur
• 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

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Antonov A-7
• DFS 230
• Gribovski G-11
• Kokusai Ku-8