The General Airborne Transport XCG-16 was a futuristic-looking aircraft with a unique story and design. Based on the fuselage theories of American engineer Vincent Burnelli, Bowlus Sailplanes and Alber Criz began designing a flying wing glider in 1942 to fulfill an assault glider request issued by the United States Army Air Forces.The prototype eventually evolved into the XCG-16 Airborne Transport, a unique glider that could carry 42 armed soldiers or two heavy howitzers.National glider soaring champion Richard Chichester du Pont worked with the designers to develop the aircraft that the Army wanted. But tragedy struck the program from the start, and a fatal accident in July of 1943 proved decisive.