11/15/2014. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The USAAF started development of an assault glider program early in WW II, to train pilots a training glider was needed that had the flight characteristics of assault gliders. The head of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, Charles Stanton, came up with the idea to modify powered two-seat liaison aircraft into engineless three-seat glider. On May 11, 1942, Stanton contacted Lee Smith, vice-president of Aeronca, who immediately formed a design team led by Ed Burns. During the design, based on the powered two-seat Model 65 L-3, construction was started, retaining the wings, tail unit and aft fuselage of the L-3, but introducing a new front fuselage providing a third seat.

On May 20, 1942 the glider was registered NX34213 as the Model G-3, and the same day, with Aeronca test pilot Maurice Fry at the controls, the completed glider was towed by a car at a height of up to 30 ft (9 m) at Municipal Airport, Middletown, Ohio. The aircraft was designed and constructed in only nine days, hence it was nicknamed the "Nine-Day Wonder". On May 21, additional flights were performed by Maurice Fry and Major Barringer, the latter flew it the following day under tow to Washington, D.C., where test were continued by the CAA and the USAAF. Four days later, May 26, it was returned to Aeronca to have spoilers developed, installed and tested.

Shortly thereafter, June 6, 1942, a production order was finalized for 250 training gliders, designated TG-5, s/n 42-57229 to 42-57478. Three of these, 42-57457, 42-57461, and 42-57462, were transferred to the USN designated XLNR-1, BuNos. 36422 to 36424. Subsequently a replacement for three aircraft was received, s/n 43-12493 to 43-12495. The G-3 prototype was deregistered on August 25, 1948."