Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

The GAL 41 on its first flight, at Hanworth, on May 11, 1939. Note that the pressure-cabin door has been left off.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

The GAL 41 in camouflage as T-0222 during September 1940.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

Another view of T-0222 circa September 20, 1940.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

T-0222 with its compressor cowling off on about September 20, 1940. Note the wind-driven generator between the undercarriage legs.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

A close-up of the Aero Engines Sprite flat-twin auxiliary engine mounted in the nose of the GAL 41 to drive the supercharger.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

The GAL 41 at the time of its first flight. On the right is design section leader Jack Finnimore, with stressman Cooper on the left.

Aeroplane Monthly 1993-05 / C.Prower - From Brisfit to Beverley (2)

The GAL 41 pictured at the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Garden Party at Fairey’s Great West Aerodrome on Sunday, May 14, 1939 - its public debut. The pressure-cabin Monospar was designed to collect data for a full-sized sub-stratosphere airliner.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

General Aircraft are building a special S.T.25 for pressure-cabin experiments: in this photograph the fuselage is shown nearing completion.
The GAL 41 takes shape in mid-late April 1939.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

The pressure cabin being assembled two or three weeks earlier.

Flight 1939-04 / Flight

PRESSURE CABIN EXPERIMENTS: For some time General Aircraft have been working on pressure cabin problems, and here is the special pressurised section of a fuselage for an S.T.25 which is nearing completion. An auxiliary petrol engine, actually an Aero Engine Sprite, with a blower, is to be used to maintain sea-level pressure up to 15,000ft., with a progressive rate of production above this height. The experiment should be particularly useful in settling structural design problems, especially those relating to windscreens and doors.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

The pressure's off: the GAL 41's cabin languishing at Hanworth in 1946.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-12 / P.Jarrett - Nothing ventured... (9)

General Aircraft GAL 41