The GAL 56/01, TS507, displaying its generously large elevons, both lowered in this view. It was in this glider that Robert Kronfeld died in a fatal accident while flying from Lasham on February 12, 1948.

The General Aircraft GAL.56/01 was fitted with the so-called ‘medium V’ wing, which featured a sweep of 28.4° at one quarter chord. On February 12, 1948, this weird-looking machine was totally wrecked in an accident, killing test pilot Robert Kronfeld.

The General Aircraft G.A.L. 56/01 Experimental Tail-less Glider.
GAL 56/01 TS507, in which test pilot Robert Kronfeld lost his life while flying from Lasham on February 12, 1948.

The first GAL 56, the "medium V" TS507. Note the yellow-and-black underside finish.

A Halifax bomber tows the first General Aircraft GAL 56 tailless glider, the “Medium V”, which had a sweep of 28-4° at one quarter chord.

The GAL 56/01, TS507, portrayed in a General Aircraft photograph and superimposed against a dramatic cloud background.

TS510, the “Medium U” GAL 56, had a straight leading edge on the inner section of the wing.

An earlier view of the GAL 56/02, the “Medium U”, in February 1946, still in its wartime colour scheme.

The GAL 56/03 “Maximum V”, TS513, had a sweep of 36-4°. The strange reverse tricycle undercarriage was a distinctive feature of the GAL.56 series.

Another view of TS513, which carried the curious serial “TS513B” throughout its life.

GAL 61 TS515 at the SBAC show at Radlett in September 1948. It had not flown at the time of the show.

Detail view of the GAL 61’s “trafficators”. These drag bars slid in and out to yaw the aircraft.

Another view of GAL 61 TS515 at the 1948 SBAC show at Radlett. Note the retractable undercarriage.

The fourth and last of the GAL tailless gliders was the GAL 61, TS515, which had no fins or rudders. The cockpit was offset to port and the observer had a prone position to starboard.

Last of several tailless research gliders (GAL 56) under construction at Hanworth. Following test pilot Sqn Ldr Robert Kronfeld's death whilst testing another GAL 56 on February 12,1948, this glider was never completed.

One of the three GAL 56s under construction at Feltham.