GENERAL AIRCRAFT LTD.

UK

Established 1931 at Croydon Airport. Chief designer was Swiss H. J. Stieger. Acquired world rights from Monospar Company for its system of construction for aircraft up to 1,360kg laden weight. First type was ST-3 three-seat enclosed cabin monoplane with two 45 hp Salmson radial engines. Later built series of light twins; GAL 41 Monospar of 1939 was first British aircraft with pressurized cabin. Single-engined preSecond World War Cygnet monoplane (see C. W. Aircraft) was first light allmetal stressed-skin civil aircraft in U.K.; also an experimental open-cockpit version, the Owlet. Took over premises of British Aircraft Manufacturing Company in 1938. Built Hotspur training gliders and later Hamilcar assault gliders during Second World War. Postwar work included conversion of Mosquitoes as target tugs and design of GAL- 60 Universal Freighter, built as the Beverley after General Aircraft merged with Blackburn in January 1949.


Back to the letter G


All the World's Rotorcraft


Virtual Aircraft Museum