Frankfort Cinema

The Frankfort Cinema is 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 Chantilly, 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)

Aircraft on display

• US Southwest Soaring Museum
• Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum

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

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 405.
• NASM website