The Baker-McMillan Cadet is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
,
high-wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing conf ...
,
strut-braced, open-cockpit, single-seat
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of gliding
...
that was designed in 1929 by
Frank R. Gross
Frank or Franks may refer to:
People
* Frank (given name)
* Frank (surname)
* Franks (surname)
* Franks, a medieval Germanic people
* Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang
Cur ...
and produced by
Baker-McMillan (Different sources variously spell the company name ''Baker-MacMillen'', ''Baker Macmillen'' or ''Baker MacMillen'').
[Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, ]Soaring Magazine
''SOARING'' is a magazine published monthly as a membership benefit of the Soaring Society of America. It was first published in 1937. The headquarters is in Hobbs, New Mexico. The magazine's article topics include safety issues and accounts of in ...
'', page 9. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
Design and development
The Cadet was designed by Dr. Gross, a former member of the
Akaflieg Darmstadt
Akaflieg Darmstadt is one of approximately twenty aviation groups attached to German universities. Akaflieg is an abbreviation for '' Akademische Fliegergruppe'', an academic group of students and faculty from a German University.
Akaflieg hist ...
, in 1929 as an improvement over the
primary glider
Primary gliders are a category of aircraft that enjoyed worldwide popularity during the 1920s and 1930s as people strove for simple and inexpensive ways to learn to fly.Schweizer, Paul A: ''Wings Like Eagles, The Story of Soaring in the United Sta ...
s then in use and as an aircraft that would offer soaring capability.
The Cadet is built with a steel tube
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
and a wooden wing that is supported by dual parallel struts, with
jury strut
In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...
s. The tail is a wire-braced wooded structure. The whole aircraft is covered in doped
aircraft fabric covering
Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...
.
At least 30 and perhaps as many as 40 Cadets were constructed.
Operational history
The Cadet was the first glider to be flown at
Elmira, New York
Elmira () is a city and the county seat of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. The population was 26,523 at the 2020 censu ...
after
Wolfgang Klemperer
Dr. Wolfgang Benjamin Klemperer (January 18, 1893 – March 25, 1965) was born in Dresden, Germany, the son of the Austrian nationals Leon and Charlotte Klemperer. He was in his time a prominent aviation and aerospace scientist and engineer, who ...
,
Warren Eaton and
Earl Southee surveyed the area and determined it had potential for soaring flights. One flight was flown by
Jack O'Meara
Jack may refer to:
Places
* Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community
* Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community
* Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA
People and fictional characters
* Jack (given name), a male given name, ...
, a factory pilot for Baker-McMillan, who had a flight of one hour and 38 minutes from Elmira's South Mountain.
One Cadet was flown from water on twin floats. On another occasion four Cadets were towed aloft at the same time and released by a
Goodyear Blimp over
Akron, Ohio
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city ...
.
In March 2011 two Cadets remained on the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
registry.
Aircraft on display
*
National Soaring Museum
The National Soaring Museum (NSM) is an aviation museum whose stated aim is to preserve the history of motorless flight. It is located on top of Harris Hill near Elmira, New York, United States.
The NSM is the Soaring Society of America's officia ...
- 1
*
Thermal G Museum,
Waterford, Pennsylvania
Waterford is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,475 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Waterford is an independent municipality located entirely within (and surroun ...
- 1
Specifications (Cadet)
See also
References
{{Frank R. Gross aircraft
1920s United States sailplanes
Aircraft first flown in 1929
High-wing aircraft