Waco NZR CG-4A

10/31/2023. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The US Army development of troop-carrying gliders began in 1941, with experimental contracts for a series of prototypes to meet two separate specifications. The first requirement was for an eight to nine seat transport, and contracts were placed for single prototypes of the Frankfort Model TCC-41 as the XCG-1 (s/n 41-29615); the Waco NYQ-3 as XCG-3 (41-29617); the St. Louis XCG-5 (41-29619) and the Bowlus XCG-7 (41-29621).

Waco XCG-4 (41-29618) (Van Swindelle Collection)

The second type was to be a larger, fifteen-seat glider, and the same four companies each received contracts for a single prototype: Frankfort TCC-21 as XCG-2 (41-29616); Waco XCG-4 (41-29618); St. Louis XCG-6 (41-29620) and the Bowlus XCG-8 (41-29622).

Of the eight prototypes ordered, all but the XCG-1, XCG-2 and XCG-6 were completed and test-flown but no further development of the St. Louis or Bowlus designs occurred, only the two Waco types reaching quantity production. The CG-3A, which was used principally for training, while the CG-4 became the first and most-widely used US troop glider of WW II. The CG-4as were towed into the war-theaters by C-46s and C-47s. In British military service it was named Hadrian.

After trials with the XCG-4 in 1942, a second prototype was ordered (42-53534) and plans were made for large scale production in which, eventually, sixteen US companies received orders for the CG-4A and delivered a total of 13,906 examples.

42-47392 to 42-47441 (50)

42-57517 to 42-42-57526 (10)

Cessna Aircraft

42-61101 to 42-61460 (360)

42-61821 to 42-62210 (390)

Commonwealth Aircraft

42-53132 to 42-53281 (150)
42-74313 to 42-74612 (300)

43-42829 to 43-43328 (500)
45-14543 to 45-15062 (520)

Ford Motor

42-77015 to 42-78014 (1,000)
43-39579 to 43-40778 (1,200)
45-5976 to 45-6700 (725)

45-15143 to 45-16239 (1097)
45-16242 to 45-16263 (22)
45-16266 to 45-16272 (7)

45-16274 to 45-16409 (136)
45-16412 to 45-16414 (3)

General Aircraft

42-45647 to 42-45721 (75)
42-73596 to 42-73749 (154)

43-19674 to 43-19957 (284)
43-40779 to 43-41278 (500)

45-17243 to 45-17341 (99)

Gibson Refrigerator

42-46552 to 42-46611 (60)
42-46619 to 42-46631 (13)
42-52853 to 42-52881 (29)

42-55785 to 42-55844 (60)
42-68306 to 42-68335 (30)
42-73750 to 42-74112 (363)

43-41279 to 43-41778 (500)
45-27936 to 45-27948 (13)
45-27962 to 45-27971 (10)

Gliders & Aircraft

42-43784 to 42-43843 (60)
42-57527 to 42-57618 (92)

42-79426 to 42-79545 (120)
43-36809 to 43-37008 (200)

45-13233 to 45-13387 (155)

Laister-Kaufman Aircraft

42-43649 to 42-43678 (30)
42-73516 to 42-73595 (80)

43-42129 to 43-42228 (100)
45-17143 to 45-17242 (100)

National Aircraft

42-52852

Northwestern Aeronautical

42-43754 to 42-43783 (30)
42-56643 to 42-56696 (54)
43-27254 to 43-27469 (216)

43-36609 to 43-36708 (100)
43-42229 to 43-42728 (500)
45-5661 to 45-5975 (315)

45-13683 to 45-13949 (267)
45-14094 to 45-14121 (28)

Pratt & Read

42-52777 to 42-52851 (75)
42-56108 to 42-56607 (500)

43-41779 to 43-42128 (350)
45-26436 to 45-26466 (31)

Ridgefield

42-46917 to 42-46936 (20)

42-58074 to 42-58109 (36)

43-36709 to 43-36808 (100)

Robertson Aircraft

42-43628 to 42-43647 (20)

42-78795 to 42-78844 (50)

43-42729 to 43-42828 (100)

Timm Aircraft

42-46322 to 42-46551 (230)

42-62609 to 42-62812 (204)

Waco Aircraft

42-78923 to 42-79422 (600)

43-37009 to 43-37508 (400)

45-5201 to 45-5275 (75)

Ward Furniture

42-46612 to 42-46618

(42-46323) (Jack Fisher Collection)

Lt.Col. D.J. Hegland (D.J. Hegland Collection) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .