USAAF Taylorcraft TG-6 Glider

Additional Information:

The Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper is an observation and liaison aircraft built by Taylorcraft for the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. In World War II, the Army Ground Forces began using the L-2 and other liaison aircraft for spotting enemy troop and supply concentrations and directing artillery fire on them. It was also used for liaison (communication) and transport duties and short-range reconnaissance that required airplanes able to land and take off from roads, open fields, and hastily prepared landing strips. The L-2 was primarily used in a training role within the United States and few saw overseas deployment.

Early in World War II, the Army Air Forces recognized a requirement for a simplified glider training for beginning instruction of pilots who would go on to fly troop gliders in combat. The quickest solution was to modify existing civilian light aircraft designs to serve as gliders. The Piper, Aeronca, and Taylorcraft companies each modified one of their designs for Army use. The Taylorcraft offering was designated as TG-6 and was modified from the company’s L-2 Grasshopper. Modifications included a redesigned nose that replaced the engine with a third seat for an instructor, slightly enlarged tail, and redesigned landing gear. The modifications for the prototype were done in only nine days. A total of 250 were built for the Army and three were built for the Navy.

On July 8, 1942, glider pilot training began at Kirtland Field in Albuquerque New Mexico and continued until February of 1943.

The expanded training at Kirtland Field included a ground school for glider pilots—called the Glider Replacement Center. The center served as a temporary training area for glider pilots awaiting vacancies at glider schools. The Army Air Forces glider-training program had expanded and prior flight training was eliminated as a necessary qualification for candidates. The glider school at Kirtland Field used a few of the Taylorcraft TG-6 gliders for indoctrination flights. The school was eventually moved to at Ft. Sumner, New Mexico in early 1943, but was still under administrative control of Kirtland Field. Many damaged gliders were also repaired at the Air Depot Training Center at Kirtland Field.

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