WW2 US Navy Glider Designations

[Apophenia]

Since we have a USAAF TG listing, I thought that we should also cover the WWII US Navy glider designations ...

The US Navy bought six single-seat Franklin PS-2s in 1934 to test the suitability of gliders in the naval aviator training syllabus. These gliders served at NAS Pensacola until 1938 (when the training scheme was dropped) but, for some reason, no US Navy designation was ever applied.

WWII US Navy gliders were assigned the Class letter 'L' before their general Type code. The following letter combinations were used for wartime USN gliders:

LB = Glider, Bomb-carrying (or 'Glomb')
LN = Glider, Trainer
LR = Glider, Transport

The USN abandoned the 'L' Class letter designation in favour of 'G' for Glider in 1946.

US Navy manufacturer code letters for glider makers were as follows:

E = Pratt-Read (Gould Aeronautical Div, Ivoryton, CT)
G = AGA Aviation Corporation (Willow Grove, PA)
H = Snead & Company (Orange, VA)
P = Piper Aircraft Corporation
Q = Bristol Aeronautical Corporation (New Haven, CT)
R = Aeronca Aircraft Corporation
S = Schweizer Aircraft Corporation
T = Taylorcraft Aviation Corporation
W = Waco Aircraft Corporation

Most listings of USN manufacturer codes include 'R' for the American Aviation Corporation of Jamestown, NY. Some lists specifically mention a 1942 glider. I am aware that parts for the Interstate TDR-1 drone were produced at Jamestown. But does anyone know of a glider design?

Other firms mentioned as bidders for the USN amphibious transport glider project are Timm Aircraft Corporation and Aeromold (although I thought that Aeromold was a Timm process?). I presume that Timm was hoping to profit from its USAAF AG-2 assault glider work.
-- http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13082.msg129382.html#msg129382

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[Apophenia]

WW2 US Navy Glider Designations
LB = Glider, Bomb-carrying

The 'Glomb' concept involved the use of a carrier-based aircraft to tow a remote-controlled (TV/radio guidance) glider bomb. Four glider designs received LB designations, three for the 'Glomb' contest, the fourth (and last) was the McDonnell Gargoyle. The latter was in a different class, being an air-dropped, rocket-assisted, guided glide-bomb.

For more on 'Glombs' see: http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app1/lb.html

LB Series Designations

LBD-1 -- 1945 McDonnell Gargoyle glide-bomb, 1000 lb warhead, span 2.59 m
- LBD-1 redesig KSD-1 (Oct '45), KUD-1 (1946), RTV-2 (Sept '47) RTV-N-2 (1948)
-- http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app1/rtv-n-2.html
-- http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=11046.0

LBE-1 -- Pratt-Read (Gould Aeronautical Div.), low-wing design, x 4
- XLBE-1: 85290/85292
- LBE-1 : 85293/85389

LBP-1 -- Piper 1942 high-wing cantilever monoplane glider bomb, span 10 m
- XLBP-1: Three prototypes (c/n 1-c/n 3, BuAer serials 85165-85167)*
-- * NB: The 3rd XLBP-1 (c/n 3, BuAer No. 85167) was not delivered
- LBP-1: 4,000 lb bomb load, 100 ordered (incl. prototypes)**
-- ** c/n 4-c/n 100, 85168-852649) cut to 35 (Feb 1945) then cancelled

LBT-1 -- 1944 Taylorcraft 'Glomb' adapt'n of LNT-1 trainer, span 11 m
- XLBT-1: XLNT-1 'Glomb' conv. 85265 (some sources say 2 x conv.)
- LBT-1 : Planned prod'n vers., x 24 ordered (85266-85289, cancelled)

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[Apophenia]

WW2 US Navy Glider Designations
LN = Glider, Trainer

LNE-1 - Pratt-Read PR-G1, side-by-side primary trainer, span 16.61 m
- XLNE-1: 1940 prototypes, company desig. PR-G1 (Pratt-Read Gould 1)*
-- XLNE-1 serials: 1st prototype NX41802/31505, 2nd prototype 31506
-- * PR-G1/LNE-1 designed by James Gould (with Roger Griswold), x 2
- LNE-1 : Production vers. PR-G1/XLNE-1, x 100 built 31507-31585
-- TG-32: USAAF desig. for 73 LNE-1 transferred from the US Navy

XLNP-1 - Piper 'Glomb' trials a/c, 36425/36427, ex-USAAF TG-8s*
-- * USAF TG-8-PLs 43-3065, 43-3070, and 43-3075 (Joe Baugher)

XLNR-1 - Aeronca 'Glomb' trials a/c, 36422/36424, ex USAAF TG-5s*
-- * USAAF TG-5-AEs 42-57457, 42-57461, and 42-57462 (Joe Baugher)

LNS-1 - Schweizer SGS 2-8, 1942 tandem-seat trainer, span 18.84 m, x 13
- LNS-1: SGS 2-8, welded steel tube fuselage, aluminum wing structure

XLNT-1 - Taylorcraft Model G-100 tandem-seat trainer, span 18.84 m
- XLNT-1: ex-USAAF TG-6-TAs (BuAer Nos. 43-12496-43-12498), x 3

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[Apophenia]

WW2 US Navy Glider Designations
LR = Glider, Transport

XLRA-1 - Allied Aviation, 1943 prototype flying-boat transport, span 22 m
- XLRA-1: 2 x prototypes, 2 x crew, 10 x troops, BuAer serials 11647/11648
- LRA-1 : Proposed production model, x 100 ordered (then cancelled)
-- LRA-1 assigned Bureau of Aeronautics numbers were 31403-314502
- LRA-2 : Devel. with retractable u/c, constr'n begun but cancelled
- LR2A : [Project] Proposed refined version of LRA-1, abandoned
-- http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7170.0
-- http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7170.msg63168.html#msg63168

XLRG-1 - [Project] AGA/G&A Aviation* 24-seat transport glider
- XLRG-1: [Project] Dec 1941 contract, cancelled before constr'n began
-- Naval derivative of USAAF Waco CG-9 glider, designed by B. Snyczer
- LRG-1 : Proposed prod'n vers., twin-hull + central nacelle flying-boat
-- * Pitcairn-Larsen became AGA Aviation (1940), G&A Aviation (1942)

XLRH-1 - Snead 1941-1942 twin-hulled transport floatplane, cancelled
- XLRH-1: [Project] Prototypes, x 2 (BuAer Nos. 11649-11650), not built
- LRH-1 : [Project] Production vers., x 49 (BuAer Nos. 31586-31635)

XLRQ-1 - Bristol Aeronautical, 1943 prototype flying-boat transport, span 22 m
- XLRQ-1: 2 x prototypes,* 2 x crew, 10 x troops, BuAer serials 11651/11652
-- * Four prototypes orig. ordered, only two aircraft completed
- LRQ-1 : Proposed production model, x 100 ordered (then cancelled)

XLRN-1 - [Project] Naval Aircraft Factory licensed Bristol LRQ-1
- XLRN-1: BuAer serials 36431 and 36432 assigned (then cancelled)*
- LRN-1 : Proposed production version of XLRN-1 (Bristol LRQ-1)
-- * XLRN-1 desig. (and serials) reassigned to NAF-modified CG-4As

XLRN-1 - NAF, 1942 transport glider, 2+80/8150 kg cargo, span 33.5 m
- XLRN-1: Sole prototype, towed by Douglas R5D, heavy on controls
- LRN-1 : Proposed prod'n vers., opt'l HE load as glider bomb*
-- * Intended for unmanned attacks on Kriegsmarine U-Boot pens
-- http://www.airwar.ru/enc/glider/xlrn1.html

XLR2N-1 - [Project] Naval Aircraft Factory 24-seat amphibious glider
- XLR2N-1: Based on XLRG-1 or the XLRH-1, devel. was cancelled 1943

LRW-1 - Waco transport glider, transf. USAAF CG-4A, x 13 units)
- LRW-1: BuAer Nos. 37639-481 44319, and 69990-1*
-- * NAF is listed as modified two CG-4As as XLRN-1 [??]

XLR2W-1 - Waco transport glider, transf. USAAF CG-15, x 2
- XLR2W-1: BuAer Nos. 85094-85095

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[hesham]

Amazing work as usual my dear Apophenia.

 

[Stargazer]

Excellent and concise, as usual, though I'm confused over a few abbreviations (e.g. "opt'l HE load as glider bomb"—what's "HE"??)

Also you missed out the XLR2W-1 ,which were two CG-15 types transferred to the Navy for testing (BuAer Nos. 85094/85095).

 

[Apophenia]

Thanks folks! Thanks too for the XLR2W-1 reminder, Stéphane.

Sorry for the acronym confusion. 'HE' is for 'High Explosive'. I fudged with 'load' since none of the references I saw actually says 'warhead'.

 

[Jos Heyman]

Excellent summary coverage of the US Navy gliders. Allow me to add some comments based on what I have found over the years:

Aeromold: I believe Aeromold Corp. became Greenport Aeronautical Corp. before becoming Bristol Corp.

XLRG-1 - [Project] AGA/G&A Aviation* 24-seat autogyro transport glider: I was not aware of the autogyro/glider concept and feel this is a bit contrary to the twin hull concept. Perhaps somebody has further info on that.

XLRN-1 desig. (and serials) reassigned to NAF-modified CG-4As: first time I have heard of this. perhaps we can find more support for this

- XLRN-1: Sole prototype, towed by Douglas R5D: from information I have gathered the aircraft was first towed behind a PBY 5 on 24 October 1944 but was found to lack stability and further development was cancelled before a free flight was made.

 

[Stargazer]

XLRG-1 - [Project] AGA/G&A Aviation* 24-seat autogyro transport glider: I was not aware of the autogyro/glider concept and feel this is a bit contrary to the twin hull concept. Perhaps somebody has further info on that.

OUCH! Hadn't noticed that on first reading. Of course it was NOT an "autogyro glider" AT ALL!!!

The XLRG-1 was supposed to be a naval development of the Army's CG-9, and like it designed by B. Snyczer. It was cancelled (just as the CG-9 was) but contrary to the CG-9 a 40%-scale version was built and flown. I'm attaching a few files, including two different publications of the same photo, as well as a drawing done by Tophe. Just for the record, A.G.A./G & A were just the continuation of the old Pitcairn company, and soon became part of the Firestone group.

 

[Apophenia]

Thanks Jos. Greenport Aeronautical must have been fairly short-lived. In Sept 1941, Aeromold was planning to establish itself at Greenport on Long Island. (According to the Suffolk Country News, 05 Sept 1941, Aeromold had received a contract to build a prototype "experimental plane".*

But Bristol Aeronautical Corporation, New Haven, Connecticut was also established in 1941. Presumably, Aeromold/Greenport Aeronautical found their original location incovenient and move across Long Island Sound to become Bristol Aeronautical Corporation in New Haven?

* Greenwood, NY is on Dering Harbor but had no airport. From that, I assume that the contract came from the US Navy.
http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Sayville%20NY%20Suffolk%20County%20News/Sayville%20NY%20Suffolk%20County%20News%201941%20Apr-Jul%201942%20Grayscale/Sayville%20NY%20Suffolk%20County%20News%201941%20Apr-Jul%201942%20Grayscale%20-%200295.pdf

Stéphane: Thanks, I've found the XLRG-1 endlessly confusing!

 

[Bill S]

In trying to identify a few AGA Aviation artist concepts, I found the following video Tank Tests of Navy 24 Place Seaplane Glider XLRG-1