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The Waco CG-4A was a military glider used by the United States during World War II for transporting troops and cargo behind enemy lines. It played a crucial role in airborne operations, including the D-Day invasion and other major campaigns where surprise and rapid deployment were critical.
Description
The Waco CG-4A was a high-wing, fabric-covered, wooden-framed glider designed to be towed behind a powered aircraft. It had a crew of two: a pilot and co-pilot positioned in a tandem configuration. The glider featured a boxy fuselage to maximize cargo space and had large, fixed landing gear for landing on rough terrain. It was unpowered and relied on the towing aircraft for takeoff and initial altitude.
Specifications
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Operational History
The Waco CG-4A glider was instrumental in Allied airborne operations during World War II. It was used to transport troops, light vehicles, and supplies into enemy territory silently and with minimal detection. The gliders were towed into the air by powered aircraft, such as the C-47 Skytrain, and released near their landing zones.
One of the most significant operations involving the CG-4A was Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Hundreds of gliders were used to transport troops and supplies to secure key objectives behind enemy lines. The CG-4A continued to be used throughout the war in other major operations, including Operation Market Garden and the Rhine crossings.
After World War II, the CG-4A was gradually phased out of military service as powered transport aircraft and helicopters became more capable of fulfilling airborne insertion roles. Nevertheless, the Waco CG-4A remains a symbol of the ingenuity and daring of airborne troops during World War II, playing a critical role in Allied victories in Europe and the Pacific.
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Historical Artifacts: We are looking for photos, documents and other types of artifacts including uniforms, medals, insignia, gear, manuals, and training material. We accept electronic/scans or originals of pictures and paper records. A General Order could be an award document that contains information on many servicemen. Special Orders may contain transfers or other information. Flight records, accident reports, maintenance logs, after action reports, pilot encounter reports, diaries and biorgraphies; all of these types of documents help us support or mission: preserving your history! Contact us today for instructions on sending us this material. Contact Today
Are you an AAC, AAF or USAF Veteran, family member, historian or WW2 enthusiast? We Need YOU! Contact us today to see how you can help the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, a Texas Not-For-Profit Corporation. We need your help! We are looking for volunteers that can help us with the following tasks. Typing and Transcriptionists: One of our big projects is extracting data from the thousands of documents we have and putting this data into a database where we can display the information on a website such as this one. We also need assistance with retyping unit history documents.
