WACO CG4A

There is a 1/72 kit by Italeri of the Waco CG-4A out there. It’s an older kit, but builds up well enough.

As Stikpusher notes, the Italeri kit is available.  I've read of a 1/48th scale vac-u-form kit, but it's pretty expensive.  The Italeri kit is not bad, but it has a few problems that need correcting.

1. The cockpit is nothing like the real thing.  Expect some scratchbuilding there.

2. The struts and wires for the rear tail section are missing.  Scratchbuild.

3. The window in the top fuselage...  Try as I might, I have been unable to find an image of a WACO glider with windows at Normandy.  Some claim to be, but the absence of "Invasion Stripes" (especially on the top of the wings) leads me to think they're either from later in Market Garden or Varsity.  I checked with the National WWII Glider Pilots Association and they replied:

One of many minor changes made during the approximate 3 years of CG-4A production.  Can not give you specific dates as I have never seen a Field Technical Order for installing those windows, TOP and BOTTOM.  It may be that this type of change was not suggested as a field change but only occurred as a production change order for the contractors. At any rate based on photos, 42 contract gliders do not seem t have the top windows, but 43 and 45 do.  It is difficult to know if the top and bottom were added at same time but by 1944 it seems that the 43 contract serials and the 45 contract serials that started production in August 1944 had top and bottom windows.  The window was actually four smaller rectangular shapes in a quad.  They were mounted in the fabric same as were the round side windows.  The rectangular windows did not abut down the center line front to back. They were separated several inches apart -- pairs of two side by side with a space between..  Google images and you can find top down photos to give proper location of top windows.  Ignore the pics of models as they seem to have the incorrect size and are too far forward.  There is a pic of the Gibson glider in the NMUSAF in which can be seen the bottom windows.

Charles Day

On my own build, I chose to fill the window in and smooth it over since it was not accurate to begin with.

There's a couple of other minor details, but overall it's the best WACO CG-4A model available, and Italeri also makes a 1/72nd scale C-47 to go with it for towing.

If you want a Horsa, you've got a LOT of available models!  Lucky Brits!

Gary

There was a 1/35th WACO released last year by a firm called masteriece models.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/masterpiece-models-mmac001-waco-cg-4a-glider--1144126

Sanger make the Vacform Waco CG-4A

I bought this from hannants at the IPMS Nats (UK), but found it didn't include the cockpit transparancies, but Sanger replaced them directly,

You get the basic shapes, but I haven't checked it against any drawings...

A basic interior is included, so you get a good head start, & refs will be essential.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/sanger-63-waco-cg-4a--1054880

https://www.sangereng.co.uk/Waco-cg1.htm or https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SAN4866

I have the Italeri kit in my stash.  I have relatives in Ohio, near a plant where those things were made- some of them worked on the gliders during the war.  Looking forward to the build when it reaches top of queue.

Bish

There was a 1/35th WACO released last year by a firm called masteriece models.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/masterpiece-models-mmac001-waco-cg-4a-glider--1144126

I just had to check on this one.  It's highly detailed.  It's resin, and the Masterpiece Models site lists it as $199.00 (Ouch!).  Maybe you can find it cheaper elsewhere.

Gary

GAF

 

 

Bish

There was a 1/35th WACO released last year by a firm called masteriece models.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/masterpiece-models-mmac001-waco-cg-4a-glider--1144126

 

 

 

I just had to check on this one.  It's highly detailed.  It's resin, and the Masterpiece Models site lists it as $199.00 (Ouch!).  Maybe you can find it cheaper elsewhere.

Gary

 

Being resin would explain the price. HLJ has it, for £342. Even bigger Ouch.

Thanks everyone for the intormation. I read a story some time ago about those pilots, and they had to have a lot of guts. What a contribution they made to the invasion effort. 

Blaine

Thanks everyone for the intormation. I read a story some time ago about those pilots, and they had to have a lot of guts. What a contribution they made to the invasion effort. 

 

GAF

 

 No jump pay, no parachutes and every landing a controlled crash.  No wonder the first general to die in Normandy died in a glider crash.

 

 

Actually, After Normandy with the high causalities, they started to receive jump pay. My father was in the 101st, infantry, anti-tank.  During Normandy, they had a couple of additional problems. One was that most of them were lost and could find their drop points in the dark, so they were randomly dropped 11 miles behind enemy lines. Another problem, the Germans were waiting for them.The thin fabric cover would not slow down a bullet

Here's a link to my build of the CG-4A that carried Brigadier General Donald Pratt, assistant commander of the 101st Airborne.  He was sitting in the jeep and suffered fatal head injuries when the glider over-ran the landing area and hit a tree. 

http://www.yolo.net/%7Ejeaton/mymodels/cg4a/1cg4a/1cg4a.html

jeaton01

Here's a link to my build of the CG-4A that carried Brigadier General Donald Pratt, assistant commander of the 101st Airborne.  He was sitting in the jeep and suffered fatal head injuries when the glider over-ran the landing area and hit a tree. 

http://www.yolo.net/%7Ejeaton/mymodels/cg4a/1cg4a/1cg4a.html

 

That's beautiful, thanks for sharing. When I look at the size of the wings, and consider the weight they were carring, their glide ratio must have been terrible. 

A good glide ratio was not beneficial as the glider was a good target for too long.  Once off tow it was straight to the ground.  In early training civilian gliders were used but that was changed to lightplanes that had their engines removed and another seat in the engine's place as they were closer in glide characteristics to the assault gliders.

Taylorcraft TG-6

Piper TG-8

Aeronca TG-5

That is interesting, I would imagine once and engine was removed the CG had to change sigifcantly. Even adding a addition seat and person doesn't seem like it would balance compared to the engine weight. The Aeronca looks like the wing may have been relocated aft to reposition the CG. 

Thanks for the information. 

Shipwreck

 

 

GAF

 

 No jump pay, no parachutes and every landing a controlled crash.  No wonder the first general to die in Normandy died in a glider crash.

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, After Normandy with the high causalities, they started to receive jump pay. My father was in the 101st, infantry, anti-tank.  During Normandy, they had a couple of additional problems. One was that most of them were lost and could find their drop points in the dark, so they were randomly dropped 11 miles behind enemy lines. Another problem, the Germans were waiting for them.The thin fabric cover would not slow down a bullet

 

Hazardous duty pay actually, not jump pay. Although they were the same amount. Like flight crew pay. But the difference was that the glider regiments were not volunteers, while paratroopers were. A man could be ordered to ride in a glider. A man could not be ordered to parachute out of an aircraft. Other “perks” came into effect after Normandy for glider troops. During Overlord and before, glider troops wore standard issue uniforms, shoes and leggings. After Normandy, along with hazardous duty pay, they began to wear the same uniforms as their paratrooper comrades, M1942 or M1943, and were authorized to wear jump boots if they performed a single parachute jump. For a good history on US Army glider troops read “The Glider Gang” which covers their wartime service from Silcily thru the Rhine crossing.

Yes the Germans were alerted by the time of the glider lifts in Normandy, becuse they came in later in the night/morning before the amphibious landings, but after the initial parachute landings. Missions Albany and Boston were the parachute drops of the 101st and 82nd. Missions Chicago and Detroit were the pre dawn glider trains for the 101st and 82nd. The afternoon and June 7 follow on glider missions: Elmira, Keokuk, Galveston, and Hackensack faced even more alerted German defenses.

Thanks Stikpusher; I ordered the book.

Shipwreck

Thanks Stikpusher; I ordered the book.

 

Youre quite welcome. Another one you might want to keep an eye open for is “The Glidermen of Neptune”. It’s more of an illustrated history sort of book on their portion of D-Day.