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Turning a troop-carrying glider into a piston-engined tactical airlifter

The Chase Aircraft Co was formed in 1943 to develop the evolving technology behind the assault glider concept. Initially located in New York, Chase moved to more suitable surroundings at Mercer County Airport in Trenton, New Jersey in late 1946. Its chief designer, engineer and president was Russian immigrant and aircraft designer Michael Stroukoff, who had fled to the United States during the Russian Revolution at the end of the First World War.

The assault glider was seen as a viable and practical solution during World War Two to getting large numbers of infantry into the battlefield quickly, a concept that further proved itself with the D-Day invasion of June 1944. Stroukoff believed it had post-war potential and developed the 16-seat CG-14 assault glider, which first flew in January 1945. Following on from this was the all-metal, 32-seat CG-18, taking to the air on 18 December 1947.

By now the assault glider was considered obsolete by the military, so Stroukoff responded inventively by adding a pair of Wright R-1820 radial engines to the CG-18, which became the short-lived YC-122C Avitruc. Nine were built and ent…

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