Amphibious Glider ...

[Mark Allen M]

Here's something cool, the Bristol XLRQ-1 Amphibious Glider ... From Duggy over at Axis & Allied paintworks ...

"Inspired by the use of gliders by Germany, the United States Navy and USMC initiated a glider program in May 1941. Two glider types were envisioned, a 12-seat and a 24 seat-type. The Naval Aircraft Factory was requested to undertake preliminary design of the gliders, which were to be constructed of wood or plastic. The idea was to have enough gliders to transport one battalion of Marines (715 men) with equipment. Consolidated PBYs should be used to tow the gliders.The Marines requested a glider capable of landing and take off from both land and water, be capable of static line parachute jumping and have exterior machine guns.

In 1942 the USMC established Marine Glider Group 71 at Page Field, Parris Island, South Carolina (USA), using the Schweizer LNS-1 and Pratt-Read LNE-1, later also Aeronca LNR-1 gliders for training. For towing the unit used N3N Canary biplane trainers and J2F Duck amphibians.

For the 12-seat type the beach assault role in mind, the U.S. Navy ordered prototypes, the Allied Aviation Corporation XLRA-1 and the Bristol Aeronautical Corporation XLRQ-1. Technically, the gliders were successful designs, and 100 of each were ordered. Also a licence production by the Naval Aircraft Factory as the LRN-1 was envisioned.

Although the U.S. Navy ordered four XLRQ-1 prototypes, only two were built (BuNos 11561 and 11562). The glider had a retractable landing gear and the wing roots provided lateral stability on the water.

However, glider assault was not tactically feasible against small, heavily defended islands in the Pacific, not enough gliders were arriving from factories and too many pilots were being assigned to the glider program Therefore the program was scrapped in 1943."


Crew: two pilots
Capacity: 10 troops
Length: 40 ft 0 in (12.2 m)
Wingspan: 72 ft 0 in (22.0 m)
Height: 12 ft 3 in (3.7 m) each each

[Pat Carry]

Thats neat Mark, thanks. It kind of looks like a amphibious bus!

Last edited by Pat Carry on Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mark Allen M]

Mucho welcome! ... This next photo answers my question whether this glider was lifted off the water or just landed on water. Looks to be the case either way. Wonder by what type of airplane to do the lifting, my guess would be a PBY. Perhaps in this photo it just may be a power boat for testing purposes as the tow line looks low, or just that the glider is taking off sooner?

[Jerry O'Neill]

FYI;
I'm not sure why the glider is there, but those first seven images were taken at Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut! Right where I soloed!
I'd love to get larger files of those images so I can enlarge the backgrounds!

Jerry

[The Inspector]

Gliders and sailplanes usuallly are airborne before the tow plane.I've seen the second posting pictures before, but never the ground level ones showing the gear configuration package and doors.

[Forgotten Field]

Ahh, the LRA and LRQ gliders. Allied Aviation Corporation was based here in Baltimore. I received original photos from a man (sinced passed) who did some work for one of the financiers of the project here in Baltimore. I have one loaded on the website, shown below. There were a few auctions back a year or two of pictures showing Martin PBM's single and double towing them near Logan Field. I actually found an original instrument panel (as shown below) but passed on it not knowing what it was. Supposedly, there are remains of the LRQ somewhere in the Smithsonian, but I think it is only a cockpit section.

[Chris Brame]

Can you imagine what D-Day would have been like with squadrons of these hitting the beaches along with all the LSTs?
Also note the half-OD/half silver paint job on the AT-10 41-1714 (the fourth one built).

[sandiego89]

Wow Mark, thank you for posting. That is a new one for me, that's what I love about this hobby- you can never know them all...

[Mark Allen M]

Your welcome, that's a new one for me as well. Never knew much about Amphib. Gliders before. Seems a good idea, but where to use them during the war was a question mark. Perhaps commando raids I suppose would have been one thought.

[Obergrafeter]

Also note the half-OD/half silver paint job on the AT-10 41-1714 (the fourth one built).[/quote]

Good catch on a plane very few know to exist. Caught it on the first time it came up, but the one near the end is hard to tell with it not showing the canopy area.

[The Inspector]

And, behind the XLRQ-1 in the color photo there sits a TDN-1-

[eagle21]

For those of you in the Fort Worth area, this might be interesting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Cor ... ntain_Lake

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/TX/Air ... m#eaglemtn

Apparently Eagle Mountain Lake, sort of northwest of Fort Worth was going to be the home base for the program once it got past the initial phases. Remains of the base are still there, as Kenneth Copeland airport on Google Earth.

JMC

[Warbird Kid]

FYI;
I'm not sure why the glider is there, but those first seven images were taken at Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut! Right where I soloed!
I'd love to get larger files of those images so I can enlarge the backgrounds!

Jerry

That is too cool!!! Bristol….. should have known it was made right here in CT!!!

[airnutz]

Can you imagine what D-Day would have been like with squadrons of these hitting the beaches along with all the LSTs?

Given the weather it may have been a bloodier event than it was. On D-Day the surf zone was very choppy and I dunno if these birds would of survived. I would think the intent in seaplane mode would be to land just outside the surf and coast in over light breakers or protected fair water areas skidding ashore.

They may have done okay in the inland areas the Germans flooded if they didn't encounter the barriers.
I do like the low wing design and retractable undercarriage.

[Mark Allen M]

Speaking of D-Day (and sorry a little off topic). I found this list interesting ... and sobering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_letha ... an_battles