General Aircraft Hamilcar
| General Aircraft Hamilcar | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Glider |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
March 27, 1942 |
| Commissioning: |
1942 |
| Production time: |
1942-1946 |
| Number of pieces: |
412 |
The British General Aircraft GAL 49 Hamilcar was the largest Allied cargo glider in World War II and made its maiden flight in 1942. With a load capacity of eight tons, the Hamilcar could even transport a light tank such as the Tetrarch , an M22 Locust or two Bren Carriers . The sailors, built almost entirely of wood, were towed by Stirling , Lancaster or Halifax bombers at a maximum speed of 240 km / h.
A total of more than 400 copies were built, and were used during D-Day , Operation Market Garden and the crossing of the Rhine, among other things .
A further motorized development was the GAL 58 Hamilcar X, which was powered by two Bristol Mercury 31 star engines. The airframe was taken over almost unchanged.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data Hamilcar Mk.I |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 20.73 m |
| span | 33.50 m |
| height | 6.17 m |
| Wing area | 153.98 m² |
| Top speed | 300 km / h in descent |
| Empty mass | 8,346 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 16,329 kg |
| Engine | no self-propulsion |
See also
Web links
- British Air transport in World War II (English) ( Memento of 17 October 2007 at the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ^ Rolf Berger: 1000 aircraft , NGV ISBN 978-3-625-10373-8
- ^ Philip Jarrett: Hamilcar X (Nothing Ventured) Part 22 , in Airplane Monthly February 1992, pp. 16-22
- ^ Rolf Berger: 1000 aircraft , NGV ISBN 978-3-625-10373-8