General Aircraft Hotspur / Twin Hotspur / GAL.48
Страна: Великобритания
Год: 1940
Планер

Учебный планер с экипажем из одного человека
Описание
Фотографии
General Aircraft G.A.L.48 Hotspur

   G.A.L.48 Hotspur - десантный планер для перевозки семи человек (плюс один пилот) на расстояние 160 км при отцепке на высоте 6100 м. Планер был спроектирован согласно спецификации 10/40, выпущенной Министерством авиации. Первый полет среднеплан деревянной конструкции Hotspur Mk I выполнил в ноябре 1940 года. В ходе летных испытаний планер показал соответствие требуемым характеристикам. Построили всего 20 Hotspur Mk I, но на основе первого варианта были спроектированы более удачные Hotspur Mk II и учебно-тренировочный Hotspur Mk III для британских планерных школ.
   Hotspur Mk II отличался от первого варианта крылом уменьшенного до 4,88 м размаха, измененными фонарем кабины, входной дверью и наличием двойного управления. Hotspur Mk III имел усиленное внешними расчалками хвостовое оперение и несколько иной состав бортового оборудования. Также был построен прототип Twin Hotspur, представлявший собой два фюзеляжа стандартного планера, соединенных вновь спроектированным центропланом и общим стабилизатором; планер предназначался для перевозки 16 бойцов.
   В годы Второй мировой войны построили более 1000 планеров Hotspur Mk II и Hotspur Mk III, которые использовались для обучения планеристов. Выпуск планеров был налажен на предприятиях мебельной промышленности, главным образом - на "Harris Lebus" из Тоттенхэма, в северном Лондоне.


ТАКТИКО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ

   General Aircraft G. A.L.48 Hotspur Mk II

   Тип: учебный планер с экипажем из одного человека
   Летные характеристики: скорость буксировки 209 км/ч; скорость планирования 145 км/ч; посадочная скорость 90 км/ч
   Масса: пустого 753 кг; максимальная взлетная 1632 кг
   Размеры: размах крыла 13,99 м; длина 11,98 м; высота 3,30 м; площадь крыла 25,27 м2
   Полезная нагрузка: до семи десантников в закрытой кабине
Mk I
Hotspur Mk Is had 16ft greater wing span than the Mk II. Seating was in tandem, and exit was via a removable roof, not by doors.
One of the few GAL Hotspur Is, showing the long-span wing.
BT136 was one of a batch of 13 GAL Hotspur Is delivered during 1941. This Slingsby-built example spent its time with the RAE.
Two views of Hotspur II BT480. After a period with the Central Landing Establishment, it dived into the ground during the approach to Netheravon on March 19, 1942 while with 296 Sqn. These pictures were taken in September the previous year.
Mk II
Вариант Mk I не дотягивал примерно 27 км до требуемой дальности планирования при отцепке от буксировщика на высоте 6095 м.
A Hotspur under tow, revealing the hook-up point position.
Two Hotspur IIs of 2 Glider Training School formate shortly after casting off from their tugs. BT551, nearer the camera, was destroyed on August 20, 1942 when it was towed off without a pilot front Slade Farm, Oxon!
A pair of General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur II gliders bank sharply as they descend towards the landing zone during a training flight. The eight-seat Hotspur was the first military glider built by the Allies, making its first flight on November 5, 1940. Although intended as an expendable assault glider, as far as is known, the Hotspur never made any operational flights and instead became the primary operational training glider for the Glider Pilot Regiment. A total of around 1,000 were built.
Another view of Hotspur II BT551 on a training flight in 1942. The 45ft 10 3/4 in-span aircraft had a gliding speed of 90m.p.h. and a landing speed of 56 m.p.h.
Coming over the hedge on finals in 1942.
Hotspur II BT615 comes in to land on its rubber-sprung wheels. Note the belly skid which it would have used in the troop carrier role, the flaps, and the black and yellow diagonal bands on its underside.
The sole Airspeed-built Hotspur II, with revised canopy and short-span wings.
G.A.L. Hotspur II BT596 is towed to take-off position.
General Aircraft Hotspur II.
A member of the Glider Pilot Regiment is briefed by an RAF instructor.
This view of a Hotspur II, taken in June 1942, shows entry into the training glider.
Army pupils listen attentively while an RAF instructor runs over the salient points of the Hotspur glider in mid-1942. Trainees were first taught to fly powered aircraft before being sent to Glider Training School.
Hotspurs at a Glider Training School, 1942. Avro-built Audax tug K7328 and an Anson can be seen in the distance.
Hotspur IIs on the ground and airborne. The undercarriage was not jettisoned on training flights.
Six Hotspur IIs on an outing, towed behind three Hawker Hectors. The three ageing, camouflaged Hawker Hectors on the left are the tugs for the three rearmost gliders. Audaxes, Lysanders and Master IIs also served in this role.
During 1942 RAF pilots were training army crews to fly Hotspurs. Carrying a pilot and seven troops, the Hotspur was able to glide 83 miles from 20,000ft. The original specification had a requirement which called for a glide of 100 miles from that height.
Picture shows a quintet of Hotspurs being towed by Hectors.
Twin Hotspur
"General Aircraft" построила единственный прототип Twin Hotspur, который по вместимости вдвое превосходил обычный Hotspur.
The GAL Twin Hotspur was an interesting but unsuccessful attempt to produce a larger-capacity glider from Hotspur components.
View of the GAL Twin Hotspur. Pilots disliked the sensation of being constantly accompanied in such close formation by another glider!
 
1941 recognition artwork of the Hotspur I.
General Aircraft G.A.L.48 Hotspur 2
The GAL Twin Hotspur.