French
DeutschFrankfort Cinema
| Cinema, TG-1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A Frankfort Cinema TG-1A on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. | |
| Role | Sailplane |
| Manufacturer | Frankfort |
| Designer | Stanley Corcoran |
The Frankfort Cinema is a sailplane manufactured in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s and which was used by the United States Army Air Corps as a training glider under the designation TG-1. It was a high-wing, strut-braced design with a fully enclosed cabin. Originally designed as a single-seater, a two-seat version designated the Cinema II was produced soon afterwards, and this design was put forward when the Army issued a requirement for training gliders. At the same time, the company was awarded production contracts for transport gliders, the CG-1 and CG-2.
However, Frankfort lacked the resources to quickly produce large numbers of gliders, and only 43 TG-1s were delivered. The TG-1 designation was also applied to 10 civilian Cinemas that were impressed into Army service.
Variants
[edit]- Cinema
- baseline design
- Cinema II
- two-seat version
- TG-1
- USAAF designation for Cinema II
- TG-23
- USAAF designation for one impressed Cinema I (serial n/o 42-57192)[1]
Aircraft on display
[edit]Specifications (Cinema II)
[edit]General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Capacity: 1 passenger
- Length: 23 ft 4 in (7.10 m)
- Wingspan: 46 ft 3 in (14.10 m)
- Aspect ratio: 10.7
- Empty weight: 500 lb (227 kg)
- Gross weight: 920 lb (417 kg)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn)
- Maximum glide ratio: 20
- Rate of sink: 190 ft/min (1.0 m/s)
References
[edit]- ^ https://usmilitaryaircraft.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/airf-tg.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ US Southwest Soaring Museum (2010). "Sailplanes, Hang Gliders & Motor Gliders". Archived from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum. "Frankfort TG-1A "Cinema B"". waaamuseum.org. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 405.
- NASM website