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Infix "S" coded CG-4 based at South Plains
AAF, TX . USAAF
Photo courtesty of the Silent Wings Museum |
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Army Air Field
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Code Letter Source
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Dalhart, TX
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Ft. Sumner, NM
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Laurinburg-Maxton, NC
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Sedalia AAF, MO
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South Plains, TX
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South Plains
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Stuttgart, AR
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ST
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STuttgart
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Victorville, CA
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Glider Production
Notes
Waco
CG-3A:100 constructed Waco CG-4: 14,000 constructed (by 16 firms) Waco CG-13: 252 constructed Waco CG-15: 429 consructed
Historical Notes of Interest - The average price paid by the U.S. Gov't was about $ 25,000 for each CG-4 and were sold
surplus after the war for $ 75.00 each. Post-war purchases of brand new CG-4's (still in their
original wooden shipping boxes) was not uncommon. An example purchase would be that a group of neighbors would pool $75 to purchase a CG-4...not because they wanted
the glider, but because they wanted shipping box. Upon receipt the glider was
extracted and hauled off to the city dump and the box was cut up
into sub-sections and then distributed among the buyer group. The sub-sections were then used for a
variety of applications (e.g. a child's playhouse, tool shed, ham radio shack, chicken
coop, etc.). Other uses included house trailers,
hunting / fishing cabins and a reported motel.
- The Ford Motor Co. produced 4200 CG-4's at their plant in Kingsford,
Michigan which represented 30% of the total glider production. As a result of this higher volume Ford could enjoy
an economy of scale to become the least cost producer of the CG-4 as their unit cost to the U.S. Government
was $15,000 vs. $ 25,000 from the other fifteen producers. This former aircraft factory site is now utilized by Kingsford
Products Co. for the manufacture of BBQ charcoal briquettes.
- The greatest operational use was that of Operation Market Garden in 1944 when 1,600 CG-4's were towed
into combat...by a simliar number of C-47's .
- Operationally only 4% of the CG-4's landings resulted
in an undamaged aircraft.
- The RAF received approx 1000 CG-4's which were based in India in preparation for use in the invasion of
Japan.
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"ST" coded CG-4 based at Stuttgart AAF, AR Photo courtesy from the Collection of S. Smisek
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"S" coded CG-4's based at South
Plains AAF, TX Oops!...
USAAF
Photo courtesy of Silent Wings Museum |
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