XCG-10A Trojan Horse 26-1100

XCG-10A
Laister-Kauffman Trojan Horse
26-1100

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This plane was not known to have been at Freeman Field
until Mr. Ware's photos were discovered.

Photo at Freeman Field,
by Earl L. Ware, Base Photographer
Freeman Field, 1945-6

This above two Ware images are ones that causes me to think that it is possible that Mr. Ware did not make these images. I have the print under the Wright Field print #146632. The Wright Field print numbers were sequential. Some images made at Clinton County AAF carry a CCAAF number, but most were sent to Wright and the next applicable sequential number series was given to the image(s). By identifying the known time that certain numbered images were made, a time line of the numbers is possible.

XCG-10A #261100 was flown from Scott Field and delivered to Wright Field the end of April 1944. Wright Field photographed everything from multiple positions very soon after arrival and before flying the aircraft. The Wright Field image #146632 falls into the image time-line of May 1944. Sgt. Elwin Gardner who was in the glider branch at Wright/CCAAF from the beginning in 1942 to the glider end in October-November 1945 identified the Jeep in the photo as being one that he drove at CCAAF (and to Wright Field from CCAAF). The Ware XCG-10A photo, straight-away port side view #184741 falls in the time-line of just prior to March 1, 1945 and is in the collection of at least two CCAAF men who had nothing to do with gliders or CCAAF after May/July 1945 (when many of the 1942-45 CCAAF men were transferred elsewhere). These men, therefore, would not have had the prints in their collections if they were made in late 1945 or 1946 at Freeman Field.

Unless, Mr. Ware was doing photo work for Wright Field in 1943, 1944 and 1945 and traveled to CCAAF and Wright to photograph the gliders, I have to question that all the XCG-10A images were made by him.

Courtesy of Charles Day, Author "Silent Ones, WWII Invasion Glider Test & Experiment, Clinton County Army Air Field, Wilmington, Ohio", writing 11/27/2005 Email Charles Day

Photo at Freeman Field,
by Earl L. Ware, Base Photographer
Freeman Field, 1945-6

The XCG-10 is a large military glider capable of accommodating 30 troops or a freight load of 5 short tons. It is a high-wing cantilever monoplane with a deep forward fuselage tapering to a tadpole boom which supports the tail unit. At the break in the bottom lines of the fuselage clam-shell doors give access to the main hold 30 ft.(9.15m) long, 7 ft. (2.14m) wide and 8 ft. 6 in. (2.59m) high, which can accommodate a 155mm howitzer or a 2 1/2 ton truck. Structure is entirely of wood with plywood covering. The wings are fitted with Fowler-type landing flaps and have an overall span of 105 ft. (32m). (info from Jane's "Fighting Aircraft of World War II")

Additional info from Charles Day, "The XCG-10 and XCG-10A were two different craft. The 10 was a 30 place glider and the 10A was 42 place. Although some sources say the 10 did not exist and the project was changed to 10A in design stage, the 10 was built both as a static test article and a flight test article. The internal hold size was slightly larger for the 10A to accomodate the GM 6X6 truck. The wingspan stayed the same."

Laister-Kauffman XCG-10 / XCG-10A

Type:           cargo glider (experimental)
Crew:           2
Armament:       none

Source: http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/aircraft/xcg-10.htm

James D. West
www.IndianaMilitary.org
Host106th@106thInfDivAssn.org