Baker-McMillan Cadet

Cadet
	Cadet II
Role	Glider
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Baker-McMillan
Designer	Frank R. Gross
First flight	1929
Introduction	1929
Status	Production completed
Primary user	Mostly gliding clubs
Produced	1929-circa 1930
Number built	at least 30

The Baker-McMillan Cadet is an American, high-wing, strut-braced, open-cockpit, single-seat glider that was designed in 1929 by Frank R. Gross and produced by Baker-McMillan (Different sources variously spell the company name Baker-MacMillen, Baker Macmillen or Baker MacMillen).[1][2]

Design and development

The Cadet was designed by Dr. Gross, a former member of the Akaflieg Darmstadt, in 1929 as an improvement over the primary gliders then in use and as an aircraft that would offer soaring capability.[1][2]

The Cadet is built with a steel tube fuselage and a wooden wing that is supported by dual parallel struts, with jury struts. The tail is a wire-braced wooded structure. The whole aircraft is covered in doped aircraft fabric covering.[1][2]

At least 30 and perhaps as many as 40 Cadets were constructed.[2]

Operational history

The Cadet was the first glider to be flown at Elmira, New York after Wolfgang Klemperer, Warren Eaton and Earl Southee surveyed the area and determined it had potential for soaring flights. One flight was flown by Jack O'Meara, a factory pilot for Baker-McMillan, who had a flight of one hour and 38 minutes from Elmira's South Mountain.[1][2]

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.[1][2]

In March 2011 two Cadets remained on the Federal Aviation Administration registry.[3]

Aircraft on display

National Soaring Museum - 1[4]
Thermal G Museum, Waterford, Pennsylvania - 1[2]

Specifications (Cadet)

Baker-McMillen Cadet II 3-view drawing from Aero Digest October,1930

Data from Sailplane Directory and Soaring[1][2]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Wingspan: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m)
Wing area: 162 sq ft (15.1 m²)
Aspect ratio: 8.7:1
Empty weight: 230 lb (104 kg)
Gross weight: 410 lb (186 kg)

Performance

Maximum glide ratio: 15:1
Rate of sink: 210 ft/min (1.1 m/s)

References

Activate Media (2006). "Cadet Baker-McMillen". Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 9. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920
Federal Aviation Administration (March 2011). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 30 March 2011.
National Soaring Museum (2011). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.

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[SD-1] Activate Media (2006). "Cadet Baker-McMillen". Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2011.

[SoaringNov83-2] Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 9. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920

[FAAReg-3] Federal Aviation Administration (March 2011). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 30 March 2011.

[NSMCollection-4] National Soaring Museum (2011). "Sailplanes in Our Collection". Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.