Mystery aircraft: Help needed

[Andreas Parsch]

Hi,

a friend and I are unable to identify the WW2-era aircraft on this photo (no
caption or context available):

http://www.designation-systems.net/mystery.jpg

We think that the aircraft (obviously a glider) is connected to the U.S.
Navy's GLOMB ("Glider Bomb") program for remotely controlled gliders used
as surface-attack missiles. Several types of gliders were used in this
program, some (heavily??) modified from existing types, others
newly-designed. Unfortunately, the information on GLOMB in out sources is
incomplete and partially inconsistent, and we couldn't come up with a
really plausible ID for the aircraft.

So, any input would be much appreciated. Perhaps someone has that same photo
_with_ a caption ;-).

Thanks in advance!

Andreas

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >, Andreas Parsch >
wrote:

> http://www.designation-systems.net/mystery.jpg


No glider bomb there! The a/c pictured is a training glider, used to
train glider pilots. Several types of training gliders were improvised
from light planes, where the engine was removed and a seat/controls
substituted.

The plane pictured is not a Cub or Aeronca or T-craft -- maybe a
Commonwealth?

[Dale]

In article >, Andreas Parsch >
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> a friend and I are unable to identify the WW2-era aircraft on this photo (no
> caption or context available):
>
> http://www.designation-systems.net/mystery.jpg
>
> We think that the aircraft (obviously a glider) is connected to the U.S.
> Navy's GLOMB ("Glider Bomb") program for remotely controlled gliders used
> as surface-attack missiles. Several types of gliders were used in this
> program, some (heavily??) modified from existing types, others
> newly-designed. Unfortunately, the information on GLOMB in out sources is
> incomplete and partially inconsistent, and we couldn't come up with a
> really plausible ID for the aircraft.


Possibly an LNT-2. I Google search for Glomb turned up this one little
tidbit...couldn't find a photo.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[Kevin Brooks]

"Andreas Parsch" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> a friend and I are unable to identify the WW2-era aircraft on this photo
(no
> caption or context available):
>
> http://www.designation-systems.net/mystery.jpg
>
> We think that the aircraft (obviously a glider) is connected to the U.S.
> Navy's GLOMB ("Glider Bomb") program for remotely controlled gliders used
> as surface-attack missiles. Several types of gliders were used in this
> program, some (heavily??) modified from existing types, others
> newly-designed. Unfortunately, the information on GLOMB in out sources is
> incomplete and partially inconsistent, and we couldn't come up with a
> really plausible ID for the aircraft.

Andreas, the thing appears to resemble the Taylorcraft XTG-5 training
glider, albeit with a tricycle undercarriage. See:
http://www.ww2gp.org/training.htm. The Navy/Marine Corps had a similar
aircraft (the LNR-1, also LNT-1), which is referenced at
http://www.aero-web.org/specs/taylorcr/xlnt-1.htm, but no picture was
available. Note that Taylorcraft did manufacture the LBT-1 GLOMB
(http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP21.PDF). Forgive me if you already
knew all of this...

Brooks


>
> So, any input would be much appreciated. Perhaps someone has that same
photo
> _with_ a caption ;-).
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Andreas
>

[Andreas Parsch]

Orval Fairbairn wrote:

>
> No glider bomb there! The a/c pictured is a training glider, used to
> train glider pilots. Several types of training gliders were improvised
> from light planes, where the engine was removed and a seat/controls
> substituted.


That's entirely correct, but doesn't necessarily contradict the Glomb
idea. The USN used several of these gliders in modified form for the
Glomb test program. Documented types are the XLNT-1 (Taylorcraft
TG-6), XLNP-1 (Piper TG-8), XLNR-1 (Aeronca TG-5) and XLRW-1 (Waco
CG-4A). I don't know much details about the extent of the airframe
modifications, but the XLNT-1 (and probably others as well) was
modified with a tricycle gear.


>
> The plane pictured is not a Cub or Aeronca or T-craft --


Indeed, and that's exactly the problem ;-). Although the aircraft
_superficially_ looks like, say, an XLNT-1/TG-6 modified with a
tricycle landing gear, it isn't (unless major parts of the rest of the
airframe were rebuilt as well).


> maybe a Commonwealth?
>


I don't think any Commonwealth aircraft were used by the USAAF and/or
USN. Do you think of a specific type?

Andreas

[Andreas Parsch]

Kevin Brooks wrote:

>
> Andreas, the thing appears to resemble the Taylorcraft XTG-5 training
> glider, albeit with a tricycle undercarriage.


"appears to resemble" is exactly the problem here ;-) (see also my
other reply on this thread), because at a closer look, it differs in
all essential details. Most notably the tailplane and wing strut
arrangement, which would most likely remain essentially unmodified in
a landing gear modification.

See:
> http://www.ww2gp.org/training.htm. The Navy/Marine Corps had a similar
> aircraft (the LNR-1, also LNT-1), which is referenced at
> http://www.aero-web.org/specs/taylorcr/xlnt-1.htm, but no picture was
> available. Note that Taylorcraft did manufacture the LBT-1 GLOMB
> (http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP21.PDF). Forgive me if you already
> knew all of this...


I did, but no problem at all - if the a/c isn't immediately
identified, it show at least that I was not completely blind :-).

Andreas

[John Keeney]

"Andreas Parsch" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> a friend and I are unable to identify the WW2-era aircraft on this photo
(no
> caption or context available):
>
> http://www.designation-systems.net/mystery.jpg
>
> We think that the aircraft (obviously a glider) is connected to the U.S.
> Navy's GLOMB ("Glider Bomb") program for remotely controlled gliders used
> as surface-attack missiles. Several types of gliders were used in this
> program, some (heavily??) modified from existing types, others
> newly-designed. Unfortunately, the information on GLOMB in out sources is
> incomplete and partially inconsistent, and we couldn't come up with a
> really plausible ID for the aircraft.

Doesn't look like that one would be a contender for the job: appears to
be a two-three man trainer, not near enough pay load to make it worth
while I would think; remote control gear would probably account for
a quarter to half that thing's pay load.

As to IDing it, I don't know.
General appearance reminds me of a Taylorcraft or Aeronca.
The armed forces bought up a bunch of gliders owned by individuals
-even to include home mades- and you could spend a long time
tracking down a minor variation of a home build.

The Navy glider program was generally tacked on to the Army's
so look there too.

> So, any input would be much appreciated. Perhaps someone has that same
photo
> _with_ a caption ;-).
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Andreas
>

[robert arndt]

"Kevin Brooks" > wrote in message >...
> "Andreas Parsch" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi,
> >
> > a friend and I are unable to identify the WW2-era aircraft on this photo
> (no
> > caption or context available):
> >
> > http://www.designation-systems.net/mystery.jpg


Similar to a TG-6A training glider:

http://www.pointvista.com/WW2GliderPilots/TG6caption.jpg

Rob