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TG-4G #
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Photo:
Robert Deering 10/18/2012 National Museum of the USAF Wright-Paterson AFB (FFO) Dayton, Ohio |
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Laister-Kauffmann
built the TG-4A in response to an urgent
U.S. Army Air Forces requirement for a
glider to train assault glider pilots. The
TG-4A was a military version of the
Laister-Kauffmann Model LK-10 Yankee Doodle
two-seat soaring glider. Laister-Kauffmann
delivered the first prototype XTG-4 in late
December 1941; the company delivered the
first production aircraft in July 1942 and
completed the last of 150 TG-4As in June
1943. The fuselage of the TG-4A is made of fabric-covered welded steel tubing while the tail is made of fabric-covered wood. The internal wing structure is wood with the forward one-third of the leading edge covered by plywood and the remainder covered with fabric. The TG-4A, like other early USAAF training gliders, was not an ideal trainer because its flying qualities were very different from cargo gliders. While the TG-4A could soar (and even gain altitude under the right conditions), cargo gliders could only descend with a small margin for error, especially when fully loaded. Student glider pilots normally received about six hours dual instruction in a soaring trainer before flying the larger and heavier CG-4A cargo glider. TECHNICAL NOTES: Crew: Two (instructor pilot and student) Weight: 875 lbs. loaded Glide ratio: 22 to 1
Source:
National Museum of the United States Air
Force |
