• FIRST CONTROLLED HANG GLIDER?  by Volmer S Jensen
• 
  
• A great deal of interest was shown at the recent Championship hang glider meet (July Soaring). Approximately 15 hang gliders were flown. There was a flight every five minutes — and a "crackup" every five minutes. 
• It was absolutely hilarious to watch these gliders go through uncontrolled flight. All were controlled by shifting the body weight which had practically no effect on the attitude of the craft. 
• It is easy to understand that shifting a pilot's weight of 150 pounds laterally by six inches is not enough to lower the high wing. This results in the lower wing digging into the ground and ending up in a 180-degree ground loop that faces back up the hill again! I found this out by building two hang gliders 40 years ago. 
• Then 30 years ago, during the war when we couldn't fly any aircraft within 150 miles from the coast, I thought it would be fun to build another hang glider. I knew the C.A.A. wouldn't mind since I was only going to slide down the hill. However, I put controls on it, and I believe it is the first hang glider in the world to have three-dimensional controls. Even the Wright Brothers did not have a hang glider; they lay down in their glider to fly.
• I installed elevators and ailerons, controlled by the right hand with a device shaped like a + sign and a rudder by the left hand, using a short rudder bar. It flew great. Many glider pilots tried it including John Robinson, National Soaring Champion for 3 years, and Irv Culver, Lockheed aerodynamicist who helped on the stress analysis, and even fellows with no previous flying experience. 
• We could take off in 3 steps down the hill and sometimes land by just bending our knees. On some flights we even gained altitude which I recorded on 16mm. color film.
• As soon as one's feet leave the ground by 12 inches, one feels like he's 1000 feet in the air. This is a very exhilarating experience and a safe sport as evidenced by no injuries of any kind to the contestants at the meet.
• If each glider at this meet had controls, it would have taken off at the top of the hill and flown to the bottom with perfect control.
• 
  
• We can furnish you with a complete set of blueprints — 8 photographs and full scale rib layout. The cost of materials is approximately $400.00. We do not furnish a kit or materials.
• ...................................................................................................................................
• 
  
• To facilitate your delivery, please make your payment by cashier's, certified check, or money order.
• 
  
• IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS PLEASE SEND A SELF-ADDRESSED AND STAMPED ENVELOPE.
• Please tear off and sign, include with your payment and MAKE A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT FOR YOURSELF.

 From the June 1945 issue of Aviation News is the following article

"Since opening, the Temple City plant has produced 150 "Penguins"; sold to schools and airport operators, and is in production of an additional 100 at this time.

"With profits from our 'Penguin' production, and furniture manufacturing we should be able to complete the transport glider mockup within a few months.

 Actual construction of the prototype should be completed within five months after construction begins," 

Marchetti said. Still on the C.A.G. "stockshelf" are projects for the commercial production of an advanced pre-flight trainer (J- 16) and a gas-powered sport sailplane (J-10). 

Several J- 16s were produced and delivered to the Army on an experimental order.

An experimental J-10 is expected to be in flight by the middle of this year.  

Jet takeoff is planned to make practical a 10,000 lb. payload transport glider designed by California Aero Glider Company of Los Angeles.

Release of military restrictions that have been imposed on the design since January 1944 has resulted in the announcement by A. V. Marchetti, company president, that construction of a civilian prototype is expected to be completed early in 1946.

Marchetti estimates that production models can be sold for $65,000.

 byPreliminary specifications indicate that two, and possibly three, fully loaded gliders might be "snatched" and towed successfully by a two-engine tow plane, such as a C-47, C-53, C-46 or Lockheed Lodestar, with the gliders launched and brought to cruising speed by jet assisted takeoff units.

Heretofore the utility of heavy cargo gliders has been minimized by the problem of taking off from reasonably small fields.

Provision has been made, in the design, for installation of three jato units under each wing to enable a 500-ft. takeoff. Contact of the tow plane's snatching hook with the glider tow rope will close a switch firing the jato units.

Plywood construction is proposed by the glider's designer, Volmer Jensen.

A quick-loading feature is the use of four light-weight cargo stowing bins which will be attached to loading boards that will slide into position on roller racks installed on the floor of the fuselage. Locking pins in the racks will secure the cargo containers once they are in position.

    Plans for the transport glider (J-19) are from the "future shelf" of California Aero Glider Company, which was cited in AVIATION NEWS of October 18, 1943, as an organization unique in its readiness to "stockshelve" its various projects while maintaining financial independence through enterprises offering immediate returns.

To minimize capital assistance that will be brought into manufacture of the civilian transport glider, which will represent an investment of $150,000, C.A.G. has converted its Los Angeles plant into a furniture factory and has opened a small factory in Temple City, near Los Angeles, for production of its "Penguin" pre-flight trainer.

Since opening, the Temple City plant has produced 150 "Penguins"; sold to schools and airport operators, and is in production of an additional 100 at this time.

"With profits from our 'Penguin' production, and furniture manufacturing we should be able to complete the transport glider mockup within a few months. Actual construction of the prototype should be completed within five months after construction begins," 

Marchetti said. Still on the C.A.G. "stockshelf" are projects for the commercial production of an advanced pre-flight trainer (J- 16) and a gas-powered sport sailplane (J-10). Several J- 16s were produced and delivered to the Army on an experimental order. 

An experimental J-10 is expected to be in flight by the middle of this year.

( EDIT: WWII ended  September 2, 1945 ) 

Thanks Stargazer

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/california-aero-glider-co-jensen-j-19-%C2%AB-skyway-express-%C2%BB.20483/