Frankfort Cinema

The Frankfort Cinema was 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.

Cinema, TG-1
A Frankfort Cinema TG-1A on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles, Virginia.
Role Sailplane
Manufacturer Frankfort
Designer Stanley Corcoran
Twentynine Palms AirAcademy TG-1A glider a training glider a Frankfort Cinema with the Army designation TG-1

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
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

Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum, Hood River, OR photographed in 2014 TG-1A "Cinema B"

Specifications (Cinema II)

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
  1. https://usmilitaryaircraft.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/airf-tg.pdf
  2. US Southwest Soaring Museum (2010). "Sailplanes, Hang Gliders & Motor Gliders". Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 405.
  • NASM website
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