General Aircraft Cygnet

The Cygnet was designed at Slough by C.W. Aircraft Limited in 1936. It was the first all-metal stressed-skin light aircraft to be built and flown in the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|p=23}} The prototype, powered by a {{convert|90|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Cirrus Minor engine, and registration G-AEMA was first flown in May 1937 at London Air Park, Hanworth.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|p=23}} It had a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and low cantilever wing with rounded wingtips and a split trailing edge flap that ran under the fuselage. Two persons sat side by side in an enclosed cabin with a reverse-sloped windscreen. The metal airframe had a very slim semi-monocoque tailcone which carried the tailplane and a single, triangular fin and rudder.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|p=23}} The prototype soon underwent a number of modifications, with the Cirrus Minor engine being replaced by a {{convert|130|hp|kW|abbr=on}} de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, the cockpit canopy being revised to have a more conventional forward-sloped windscreen and the centre section of flap underneath the aircraft's fuselage removed.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|pp=23–24}} Thus modified, it was entered into the 1937 King's Cup Race on 10–11 September that year, finishing 13th.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Lewis|1971|pp=229, 302–305}}

File:GACygnet.jpg

Airworthiness certification for the new type was slow, partially due to the Cygnet's extensive use of pop riveting, so that C.W. Aircraft made no sales of the Cygnet, while the company had also invested heavily in another design, the C.W. Swan, a six-seater to be powered by two de Havilland Gipsy Six engines. Overextended, C.W. aircraft became insolvent and was shut down in March 1938, with all rights for the Cygnet, together with the prototype, being sold to General Aircraft Ltd (GAL).{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|pp=25–26}}

Now known as the GAL 42,{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|p=25}} the Cygnet was again entered into the King's Cup race on 2 July 1938,{{sfn|Lewis|1971|pp=312–313}} but ran of oil late in the race when challenging for the lead and had to retire.{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=221}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|p=28}} In November 1938, GAL modified the prototype Cygnet with a new tail assembly, with twin fins and rudders, to improve the efficiency of the aircraft's elevators.{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003|p=28}}{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=222}} GAL further modified the prototype early in 1939 with a nosewheel undercarriage, which had already been tested on a Monospar ST-25, with the intention of making the aircraft as safe and easy to fly as possible. Tests proved successful, and production was launched of the GAL 42 Cygnet II. This had cantilever undercarriage legs with oleo struts rather than the braced undercarriage legs of the prototype, a deeper cabin with a sliding cockpit canopy which could be opened in flight, and a more powerful ({{convert|150|hp|kW|abbr=on}}) Cirrus Major engine,{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=222}}{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=63}} although the Gipsy Six remained an option and two Cygnet IIs were completed with this engine.{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Autumn 2003|p=134}}

The first production aircraft, registration G-AFVR, was flying by July 1939.{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=64}} While production of a large batch of aircraft was planned, only 10 are reported to have been built due to the start of the Second World War,{{sfn|Jackson|1974|p=222}} although no records are available for two of them, and it is possible that they may not have been completed.{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=63}} Five aircraft were impressed into service with the Royal Air Force as tricycle-undercarriage trainers for aircrews slated to man the American-made Douglas Boston and later as communications aircraft, while another, which was not impressed, was used by GAL as a communications aircraft. Two aircraft were sold to South American customers (one in Brazil and one in Argentina) in 1941.{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|pp=64–65, 67}}

A trainer version of the Cygnet II was designed with an open cockpit as the GAL.45 Owlet.{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Winter 2003|p=171}}

File:Museum of Flight GAL Cygnet II.jpg

There are two known survivors of the 11 examples produced. The last flying survivor, company number 111 and registered as G-AGBN (ES915), was retired in 1988 and is now on display at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune, Scotland. It was a part of the Strathallan Collection owned by Sir William 'Willy' James Denby Roberts until the dissolution of the collection. The National Museum of Flight failed to acquire it but the bidding was taken over by Victor Gauntlett who donated to the museum.{{cite web |title=General Aircraft Cygnet |url=http://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-flight/things-to-see-and-do/explore-the-hangars/civil-aircraft/cygnet |website=National Museums Scotland |access-date=19 May 2020}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2020}}

A civilian version was operated in south Argentina, in Tierra del Fuego province where it was damaged in a landing incident. After being repaired and being flown for several years, it was landed at a short airstrip in Colón and was unable to depart therefrom. It remained there and subsequently was converted into a monument at the Air Club entrance. In 2008 it was reported to be in poor condition.

; {{flag|Canada|1921}}

• No. 418 Squadron RCAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}

; {{UK}}

• Royal Air Force
• No. 23 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}
• No. 24 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}
• No. 85 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}
• No. 88 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}
• No. 510 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}
• No. 530 Squadron RAF{{sfn|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003|p=65}}

File:GAL_Cygnet_3-view_L'Aerophile_October_1939.jpg

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1940{{cite book |title=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1940 |editor1-last=Grey |editor1-first=C.G. |year=1940 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd |location=London |editor2-last=Bridgman|editor2-first=Leonard}}

|prime units?=imp

|crew=1

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|span in=3

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|height ft=7

|height in=

|height note=

|wing area sqft=179

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight lb=1475

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb=2200

|gross weight note=

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|fuel capacity={{cvt|26|impgal|USgal l}} with provision for a {{cvt|12|impgal|USgal l}} auxiliary tank

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Cirrus Major II

|eng1 type=4-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine

|eng1 hp=150

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=fixed-pitch propeller

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|max speed mph=135

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|cruise speed mph=110

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|never exceed speed mph=

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|range miles=460

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|ceiling ft=14000

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|climb rate ftmin=700

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|wing loading lb/sqft=14.6

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|power/mass={{cvt|0.0685|hp/lb}}

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}}

{{aircontent

|related=

• General Aircraft GAL.45 Owlet

|similar aircraft=

• ERCO Ercoupe
• Miles Mercury

|lists=

• List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force

|see also=

}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{cite book |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985)|publisher= Orbis Publishing}}
• {{cite book |last= Jackson |first= A. J.|title= British Civil Aircraft since 1919 |year= 1974 |publisher= Putnam |location= London |isbn=0-370-10014-X }}
• {{cite book |last=Lewis |first=Peter |title=British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft |year=1971 |location=London |publisher=Putnam |isbn=0-370-00067-6}}
• {{cite magazine |last=Meaden |first=Jack |title=Head-On View No. 7: The C W Cygnet |magazine=Air-Britain Archive |date=Spring 2003 |pages=23–28 |issn=0262-4923 |ref={{harvid|Meaden Air Britain Archive Spring 2003}} }}
• {{cite magazine |last=Meaden |first=Jack |title=The C W Cygnet: Part 2: Production aircraft |magazine=Air-Britain Archive |date=Summer 2003 |pages=63–68 |issn=0262-4923 |ref={{harvid|Meaden Air Britain Archive Summer 2003}} }}
• {{cite magazine |last=Meaden |first=Jack |title=The C W Cygnet: Part 3: Gipsy and Cirrus |magazine=Air-Britain Archive |date=Autumn 2003 |pages=134–136 |issn=0262-4923 |ref={{harvid|Meaden Air Britain Archive Autumn 2003}} }}
• {{cite magazine |last=Meaden |first=Jack |title=The C W Cygnet: Part 4: The Owlet |magazine=Air-Britain Archive |date=Winter 2003 |pages=171–174 |issn=0262-4923 |ref={{harvid|Meaden Air Britain Archive Winter 2003}} }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071013173335/http://historicaircraft.org/Golden-Age-Gallery/pages/General-Aircraft-Cygnet.html Historic Aircraft Cygnet page]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070510044606/http://www.nms.ac.uk/1939-1945.aspx Museum of Flight Cygnet page]

{{GAL aircraft}}

Category:1930s British military trainer aircraft

Category:Low-wing aircraft

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Cygnet

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1937

Category:Twin-tail aircraft