Waco CG-13

Wright Field Glider Branch realized a need for a glider larger than the CG-4A and requested designs. The response by several companies produced designs for five larger gliders. One of these designs was the XCG-13 by Waco Aircraft Company of Troy, Ohio.

The XCG-13 contract was for a 30-place design with an {{convert|8000|lb|kg|abbr=on|-2}} useful load capacity to fly {{convert|174|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} at an altitude of {{convert|12000|ft|m|-2}} altitude. Flight testing of the prototype was performed at Clinton County Army Air Field and the type was approved on 10 March 1943. Testing found that a tricycle landing gear should be used, and that a hydraulic system be incorporated to open the top-hinged nose opening. These features were incorporated into the second XCG-13.

Ford Motor Company at Kingsford, Michigan and Northwestern Aeronautical at St. Paul, Minnesota built YCG-13 models [https://books.google.com/books?id=0SkDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Popular+Science+The+lads+who+fly+Britain%27s+1944&pg=PA66 "Largest Glider."] Popular Science, March 1944, p. 66, bottom of page. and were given contracts to build the production CG-13A. WACO was not given a production contract. Northwestern Aeronautical built 49 production articles. Ford built 48 as 30 place and 37 as 42 place by adding a bench down the center of the cargo section. Between the two companies, 268 contracted articles were canceled in favor of producing more CG-4A gliders.

The CG-13A glider maximum useful load was {{convert|10200|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. The {{convert|79|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} stall speed was 19 mph higher than specified. One CG-13A was flown in combat in the Aparri Mission in the Philippines. The CG-13A gliders were not flown in combat in Europe but were used as transports in England and France.

File:Waco CG-13A 3-view line drawing.png

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=The Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II,Mondey 1996, p. 235 Fighting Gliders of World War II{{cite book |last1=Mrazek |first1=James E. |title=Fighting Gliders of World War II |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=London |isbn=978-0-312-28927-0 |edition=1st |date=1 January 1977 |url=https://archive.org/details/fightinggliderso00mraz |pages=124–127}}

|prime units?=imp

|crew=2 pilots

|capacity=1x M2A1 105mm howitzer, 1x ½-ton 4 x 4 truck, ammunition, and gun crew; or 1x 1-ton 6 x 6 truck; 30 or 40 troops, equipped.

|length ft=54

|length in=4

|length note=

|span ft=85

|span in=8

|span note=

|height ft=20

|height in=3

|height note=

|wing area sqft=873

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=8.41

|airfoil=NACA 43012{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}

|empty weight lb=8700

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb=18900

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|more general=

|stall speed mph=79

|stall speed note=Flaps down

::::{{cvt|83|mph|kn km/h|0}} Flaps up

• Towing speed: {{cvt|135|mph|kn km/h|0}}

|never exceed speed mph=195

|never exceed speed note=

::::{{cvt|150|mph|kn km/h|0}} with flaps down

|glide ratio=

|sink rate ftmin=

|sink rate note=

|lift to drag=

|wing loading lb/sqft=21.65

|wing loading note=

|more performance=

}}

{{aircontent|

|related=

• Waco CG-4
• Waco CG-15

|similar aircraft=

• Airspeed Horsa
• DFS 230
• General Aircraft Hamilcar
• General Aircraft Hotspur
• Gotha Go 242
• Schweizer cargo glider designs
• Slingsby Hengist

|lists=

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of World War II military gliders

|see also=}}

;{{UK}}

• Royal Air Force
• Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment - two CG-13As for trials in 1945.

;{{USA}}

• United States Army Air Forces

{{Reflist}}

• Mondey, David, The Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor, 1996. I185152 706 0.SBN
• Silent Ones WWII Invasion Glider Test and Experiment Clinton County Army Air Field Wilmington Ohio

• [https://books.google.com/books?id=PN8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=popular+science+antitank+1941&pg=PA39 Army Glider Can Carry A Fully Loaded Truck] August 1944 article on CG-4A

{{WACO}}

{{US glider aircraft}}

{{Authority control}}

Waco CG-13

Category:1940s United States military gliders

CG-13

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1943

Category:High-wing aircraft

Category:Glider aircraft

Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear