Cornelius XFG-1

[Justo Miranda]

From
AIRMODEL AM 53

 

[Stargazer]

Nice. I've always thought this one would be cool to model... Looking at it now, I'm somehow reminded of the Convair XA-44 project.

 

[redstar72]

What did the "FG" index mean? G for Glider, I think... but F? I think it is not Fighter Glider? ???

 

[Justo Miranda]

The FG in its designation stood for fuel glider and its role was as a fuel transport

 

[Justo Miranda]

Additional info

 

[redstar72]

Thank you very much Justo!

 

[Graham1973]

Here is the NACA report into tests to modify the glider to improve it's spin/recovery characteristics:

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free-spinning tunnel on a 1/78 scale model of the Cornelius XFG-1 glider, a tailless design having its wings swept forward 15º. It was previously found to possess erratic spin and recovery characteristics, and tests were made to determine modifications which would lead to normal steady spins with consistently good recoveries.

The results of the investigation indicated that modifications that did not appreciably alter the basic design did not appreciably improve the spin and recovery characteristics. In this instance it appears that the sweptforward wing is the cause of unsatisfactory spin and recovery characteristics.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20050019380_2005019366.pdf

 

[hesham]

Also see here;


http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11416.msg108542.html#msg108542

 

[Vladimir]

Hi, here is my five cents

 

[hesham]

Oh my God,great find Vladimir,

looks like his patents;

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11416.msg173447.html#msg173447

 

[Jos Heyman]

Got to read those newspaper articles today. In the meantime here is what I got in my records:
The XFG-1 was an expendable winged fuel glider with a capacity of 677 gallons. It was to be towed behind a bomber and was to be sent adrift once the fuel, transferred through a tow hose, was used. It was envisaged for use in the Pacific and the China-Burma-India areas and was known as MX-151.
Two aircraft, as well as a static test airframe, were ordered in 4 October 1943 with serials 44-28059/28060 and were built by Spartan under contract. These aircraft carried a pilot for the test flights. The first flight was on 11 October 1944 but the aircraft crashed later that year. Modifications were made to the second aircraft which was flown in August 1945. Some older references have suggested that the second aircraft was not accepted.

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks a lot Vladimir and Jos Heyman for all the wonderful "new" stuff, especially the newpaper clippings.