Douglas XCG-17

The Douglas XCG-17 was an American assault glider developed during World War II by converting a C-47 Skytrain twin-engine transport. Trials with a powered C-47 making deadstick landings and then being towed by another C-47 showed the scheme was feasible, so a C-47-DL, formerly a Northwest Airlines DC-3, was converted at Clinton County Army Air Field, the work completed on June 12, 1944. Flight testing showed the aircraft was satisfactory, but it failed the Army requirement to land on unimproved fields and the need for so large a glider had passed, so no further examples of the type were built. In August 1949 the aircraft was sold and returned to powered status as a DC-3C.