List of World War II military gliders
Encyclopedia
This is a complete list of Second World War military glider
s. Only vehicles that reached at least the prototype stage are included in this list.
Military glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
s. Only vehicles that reached at least the prototype stage are included in this list.
Germany
- Blohm & Voss BV 40, (1944) fighter prototype.
- Blohm & Voss BV 246, glide bomb. not used operationally
- DFS 230DFS 230|-See also:-External links:* http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/dfs230.html* http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/dfs/dfs230.htm...
, light transport, 10 troops. - DFS 331DFS 331|-See also:...
, heavy freight glider prototype, 1 built. - Gotha Go 242Gotha Go 242-External Links:* FLIGHT, 12th February 1942, p. 130, early intelligence photo of Go 242, bottom of page....
, (1941) transport, 23 troops. 1,528 built.- Gotha Go 244Gotha Go 244-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
, Motorised version of Go 242, 43 built and 133 Go 242B converted
- Gotha Go 244
- Gotha Ka 430Gotha Ka 430|-References:* *...
, transport, 12 troops. 12 built. - Messerschmitt Me 321Messerschmitt Me 321|-See also:-Bibliography:* Dabrowski, Hans-Peter. Messerschmitt Me 321/323: The Luftwaffe's "Giants" in World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 2001. ISBN 0-7643-1442-4....
, (1941) heavy transport 120 troops. 330 built.- Messerschmitt Me 323Messerschmitt Me 323The Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant was a German military transport aircraft of World War II. It was a powered variant of the Me 321 military glider and was the largest land-based transport aircraft of the war...
(1942) motorised development of Me 321, 211 built
- Messerschmitt Me 323
- Junkers Ju 322Junkers Ju 322-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Macdonald and Jane's Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-356-02382-6....
, (1941) heavy transport prototype, 140 troops. 2 built.
Italy
- Aeronautica Lombarda AL.12P glider, 12 troops, 16 built (other source claims 2 prototypes, 6 on order, no delivered).
- C.A.T. TM-2 glider, 20 troops (other source claims 10 troops), 1 built.
Army
- Maeda Ku-1-I Type 2, troop transport, 8 passengers and 2 crew
- Kayaba Ku-2Kayaba Ku-2|-References:*...
, tailless single seat, prototype - Kayaba Ku-3Kayaba Ku-3|-References:*...
, tailless single seat, prototype - Maeda Ku-6Maeda Ku-6|-See also:*Antonov A-40, a Russian flying tank*Baynes Bat, an experimental British design...
, flying tank - Kokusai Ku-7Kokusai Ku-7-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6.-External links:* via http://www.dws.xip.pl, accessdate 30 April 2007...
Manazuru "Buzzard", heavy transport, 32 passengers - Kokusai Ku-8Kokusai Ku-8-References:**...
-II "Goose", troop transport 18 passengers and 2 crew - Yokosuka Ku-13Yokosuka MXY8|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
, Experimental "Shusui" Light/Heavy Glider
Navy
- Yokosuka MXY-5
- Yokosuka MXY-6, testing Motor Glider
- Yokosuka MXY8Yokosuka MXY8|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
"Akigusa", unpowered trainer for Mitsubishi J8MMitsubishi J8MThe Mitsubishi J8M Shūsui was a Japanese World War II rocket-powered interceptor aircraft closely based on the German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet.Built as a joint project for both the Navy and the Army Air Services, it was designated J8M...
Soviet Union
- Antonov A-7Antonov A-7|-See also:-External links:* at *...
(RF-8), 8 troops, 400 (approx) produced - Antonov A-40, flying tank, prototype
- BDP (S-1) glider, 20 troops, 7 built.
- Gribovski G-11Gribovski G-11|-References:* at * -See also:...
, 20 troops - KT-20 glider, 24 troops, 1 or possibly 2 built.
- SAM-23 glider, 16 troops or a vehicle.
- TS-25 glider, 25 troops or a vehicle. 6 built.
United Kingdom
- Airspeed HorsaAirspeed HorsaThe Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British World War II troop-carrying glider built by Airspeed Limited and subcontractors and used for air assault by British and Allied armed forces...
, 25 passengers and 2 crew or equivalent weight of cargo including small vehicles. 3,655 built. - Baynes BatBaynes Bat|-See also:-References:* *...
, (1943) experimental glider for testing design of a tank carrying glider - General Aircraft HamilcarGeneral Aircraft HamilcarThe General Aircraft Limited GAL. 49 Hamilcar or Hamilcar Mark I was a large British military glider produced during the Second World War, which was designed to carry heavy cargo, such as the Tetrarch or M22 Locust light tank...
, (1942) 7 tonne of cargo and 2 crew. 412 built.- General Aircraft Hamilcar Mk. X, Motorised version with 2x Bristol MercuryBristol Mercury|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bridgman, L, Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
31 of 965 hp. 22 examples converted
- General Aircraft Hamilcar Mk. X, Motorised version with 2x Bristol Mercury
- General Aircraft Hotspur, trainer 8 passengers and 2 crew. more than 1,000 built.
- Slingsby HengistSlingsby Hengist-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bishop, Chris. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships and Submarines. New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2002. ISBN...
, 15 passengers and 1 crew. 18 built.
United States
- Allied XLRA
- Cornelius XFG-1Cornelius XFG-1|-References:NotesBibliography* Bowers, Peter. M. Unconventional Aircraft. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, 1990. ISBN 978-0830684502.* Fahey, James C. US Army Aircraft 1908-1946. New York: Ships and Aircraft, 1946....
, fuel carrier, 2 prototypes - St Louis CG-5 prototype only
- Waco CG-3Waco CG-3-References:...
- Waco CG-4A Hadrian, 13 troops and 2 crew. More than 12,000 built., known in US Navy service as "Waco LRW-1"
- Waco CG-13A
- Waco CG-15
- General Airborne Transport XCG-16A
- Bristol XLRQBristol XLRQ|-See also:...
Amphibian Assault Glider - Douglas XCG-17Douglas XCG-17The Douglas XCG-17 was an American assault glider, developed by the conversion of a C-47 Skytrain twin-engine transport during World War II. Although the XCG-17 was successful in testing, the requirement for such a large glider had passed, and no further examples of the type were built; one...
- prototype based on de-engined C-47 Skytrain. - Laister-Kauffman XCG-10A "Trojan Horse" - Large Transport Glider. Some confusion as to the differences between the XCG-10 and the XCG-10A. 2 prototypes built and flown.