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WWII Era Gliders

WWII Era Gliders
Published November 4, 2022

Note:  These aircraft were offered for exchange as part of NMUSAF Solicitation 22-003 (Closed).

WWII Era Gliders, owned by the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) and determined excess to collection needs.  Gliders are not airworthy or suitable for flight purposes.  Data plates and legacy maintenance records are not available for the aircraft.

1942 Schweizer TG-3A, Serial Number 42-52988 and Serial Number N6513, Glider Projects.  The TG-3A is a two-place, dual-control glider manufactured for the U.S. Army Air Forces by the Schweizer Aircraft Co. during World War II.  In 1942 the USAAF evaluated a prototype derived from the Schweizer SGS 2-12 high-performance sailplane. After testing three XTG-3s, the AAF ordered 110 TG-3As from Schweizer (50 more were ordered from Air Glider but only one was built).  Student glider pilots normally received about six hours dual instruction in the TG-3As before being trained in the large CG-4A cargo glider.  The TG-3As wings are made of spruce and mahogany plywood covered with fabric. It is equipped with spoilers (used to increase descent rate) as well as ailerons.  The fuselage is constructed of welded chrome-molybdenum steel tubing which is also fabric covered.  The landing gear is a single unsprung wheel with a disc brake. In addition, there are skids on the nose, tail and wing tips.

1943 Pratt-Read TG-32, BUNO 31523, Glider Project.  The TG-32 is a two-place, side-by-side, dual-control glider originally manufactured by Pratt-Read for the US Navy as the LNE-1 for Marine Corps glider assault training during World War II.  The USAAF acquired 73 from the Navy for flight training.  All were dispositioned out of the USAAF inventory without active use at the end of World War II.  A civilian owner purchased this airframe and it may be one of three Pratt-Read gliders used in a joint venture of four federal agencies to study severe flying weather for a late 1940's venture called the Thunderstorm Project.  This airframe is associated with high-altitude research as well as a record-setting 1950's flight for gliders.

Click on the below links for Proposal Information Materials:

NMUSAF Solicitation 22-003 Proposal Information
Attachment 1_NMUSAFS 22-003 Proposal Form
Attachment 2 DLA Form 1822 (EUC)
Attachment 3_EUC Instructions
Attachment 4_Escrow Arrangement Information

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