WW2 glider picked up in tow... cool little video!

the words written with chalk on the nose of the glider are "The Last Honey Bucket"

While the wings were wood framed, the fuselage was made of welded steel tubing and both the wings and fuselage were fabric-covered. "Strong but light-weight honeycombed plywood made up the load-bearing floor, which could carry 4,060 lbs."

The CG-4A flight testing began in May 1942, and eventually just over 13,900 were built. Besides Waco, sixteen other companies were contracted to manufacture the gliders including Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation of Kansas City, Robertson Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis, Cessna Aircraft Company of Wichita, and the Ford Motor Company in Kingsford, Michigan (Ford built the most while tiny WACO themselves came in second). One sub-contractor for parts was the Steinway piano company.

The CG-4A was made up of over 70,000 parts and had an empty weight of 620 lbs., was 48 feet long with an 83.6 foot wingspan. Once built each glider would be taken apart, packed into five huge crates apiece, then shipped to its destination where it required several days’ work to reassemble them.

Thanks Steve!



https://www.warhistoryonline.com/whotube-2/glider-pickup-at-eindhoven-2.html

http://www.viewsofthepast.com/topics/fr-aviation.htm