General Airborne Transport XCG-16

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genera...ansport_XCG-16

The XCG-16 was a military transport/assault glider ordered by the Army Air
Force, from General Airborne Transport Co., for competition against the Waco
CG-13A at Wright Field.

Design and development

Design of the CG-16 evolved from the lifting fuselage theories of Vincent
Burnelli laid out in Patent No. 1,758,498 issued on 13 May 1930, which advocated
the use of 'lifting fuselages' providing a high proportion of the total lift. To
enter a competition at Wright Field for a new assault glider for the USAAF,
Hawley Bowlus and Albert Criz designed a Burnelli style lifting fuselage assault
glider as the Bowlus-Criz MC-1.

To prove the concept and aerodynamic qualities Bowlus designed a .5 scale
prototype which flew successfully. The flight tests of the .5 scale MC-1
maintained confidence in the full sized glider.

A contract for three MC-1 gliders, (two flyable and one for static testing), was
given to the Airborne and General aircraft company, which had been formed by
Bowlus and Criz. This company soon transformed into the General Airborne
Transport company which built the full sized MC-1 gliders with the military
designation XCG-16.

Flight tests of the full sized MC-1, (registered to the Albert Criz company on
19 July 1943 as NX21757), commenced at March Field, California on 11 September
1943, but tragedy struck on a demonstration flight with Richard Chichester du
Pont, special assistant to Gen Arnold; Col Ernest Gabel, another glider
specialist on the staff of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and C. C.
Chandler, thrice soaring champion aboard. Inadequately secured ballast came
loose when the glider flew through the Lockheed C-60 glider tug's propwash,
causing a catastrophic rearward shift in the centre of gravity. The
uncontrollable MC-1A released from tow and entered a flat spin which it didn't
recover from. Three of the crew and passengers jumped over board but only two
survived the parachute jump.

In spite of all the design problems and the MC-1 crash, a contract was approved
on 13 November 1943 for two test flight articles and one static test article of
the MC-1 glider designated as the USAAF XCG-16. Only one XCG-16, (44-76193), was
manufactured and tested, demonstrating good flying qualities, but major issues
with military equipment and procedures precluded the CG-16 from a production
contract as it did not meet military expectations as a combat glider. The
contract for all remaining work on the CG-16 was cancelled on 30 November 1944.

Role
Military transport glider

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
General Airborne Transport

First flight
11 September 1943

Number built
1x 1/2 scale MC-1, 1x MC-1, 1x XCG-16

Variants

Bowlus-Criz MC-1 1/2 scale
A flying .5 scale model of the MC-1/XCG-16. Successful flight trials proved the
aerodynamic qualities of the MC-1. After completion of CG-16 related flying the
1/2 scale MC-1 was converted to a flying wing by Don Mitchell, one of Hawley
Bowlus's friends and a colleague at Bowlus Sailplanes.

Airborne and General MC-1
The full scale civilian prototype of the CG-16, destroyed on its second flight
during a demonstration flight.

General Airborne Transport XCG-16
Three prototypes of the military XCG-16 were ordered but only one was completed
as 44-76193. Trials revealed major deficiencies in the ability of the CG-16 to
fulfill the intended mission, despite good flying qualities.

Specifications

General characteristics
Crew: Two pilots
Capacity: 42 troops or 10,050 lb (4,570 kg) of cargo
Length: 48 ft 4 in (14.72 m)
Wingspan: 91 ft 10 in (27.98 m)
Height: 18 ft 4 in (5.58 m)
Wing area: 1,139 sq ft (105.9 m2)
Aspect ratio: 7.4
Empty weight: 9,480 lb (4,310 kg)
Gross weight: 19,540 lb (8,880 kg)

Performance
Maximum speed: 220 mph (354 km/h, 190 kn)



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