General Aircraft GAL 46

[zenrat]

Interesting looking proposal from 1938.
Twin Merlins, quad cannon either side of a pressurised cabin and an internal bomb-bay.

http://s37.photobucket.com/user/GTwiner/media/XP-65%20etc/scan0001.jpg.html


http://s37.photobucket.com/user/GTwiner/media/XP-65%20etc/scan0002.jpg.html

I can't find much online except for postings on forums mentioning it in passing.  Apparently the Air Ministry were dubious about GALs ability to produce it.

[The Rat]

Wow! Looks like a love-child of a Moonbat and an Me-110.

[scooter]

Interesting looking proposal from 1938.
Twin Merlins, quad cannon either side of a pressurised cabin and an internal bomb-bay.

And lateral visibility that ain't worth spit

[sandiego89]

I do admire the bomb bay set up.

I imagine the guns would have given the crews quite an effect when fired! 

[Mossie]

It was a high altitude interceptor, that could perform bombing and recce missions also.  I was a competitor to the Westland Welkin which won the competition.  It's mentioned in BSP Fighters and Bombers, if there's any more info in there I'll dig it out.

It's a very pleasing shape.

I thought that when I first saw it.  It looks quite muscular compared to other high altitude fighters with their long, thin wings.

[Captain Canada]

Very cool. And start with P-40 wings. Nice find !

[Mossie]

Quite a lot more than I remember, a whole page.  From British Secret Projects: Fighters and Bombers 1935 to 1950

Crew:  2
Length:  52ft 0in (15.8m)
Wingspan:  41ft 6in (12.6m)
Gross wing area:  385ft² (35.8m²)
Max Weight:  Fighter 15.704lb (7,123kg), Bomber 17,845lb (8,094kg)
Max Speed:  395mph (636km/h) at 20,800ft (6,340m)
Rate of Climb at sea level:  2,940ft/min (896m/min)
Rate of climb at 9,000ft: 3,185ft/min (971m/min)
Time to 20,000ft (6,096m):  7.1 min
Time to 30,000ft (9,144m):  14.0 min
Service Ceiling:  37,200ft (11,339m)
Range (recce mission):  2,250 miles (3,620km)
Internal Fuel: 190gal (846lit)
Armament: 4x 20mm cannon (two could be reversed in their mountings to provide rear defence), later 6x 20mm, 4x 500lb bombs
Engines: 2x Merlin RM.2.SM at 1,295hp, later 2x Merlin XX at 1,1750hp

It seems that the GA.46 begat the spec that produced the Welkin, rather than the other way around.  The Air Ministry were interested in a high altitude type and GAL had experience of pressure cabins with the Monospar.  They had no experience of fighter production though, so spec F.4/40 was produced with Hawker proposing the P.1004, a scaled up Typhoon, General Aircraft a revised GA.46 and Westland the P.13 and P.14 (which became the Welkin).

[zenrat]

Thanks Mossie.
I love the way it simultaneously manages to look Japanese, Russian, American AND British.

[NARSES2]

That's a nice looking aircraft. Got a Soviet look to me. Looks as though it could have carried a Pe or Ye nomenclature.

[TallEng]

That's a nice looking aircraft. Got a Soviet look to me. Looks as though it could have carried a Pe or Ye nomenclature.

Hmm, Airfix Pe-2, 1/48 Kittyhawk/P-40 wings, lancaster (inner) Merlins and a  Me 110 Canopy?
I've no idea if it would all fit together, its just what sprung to mind

regards
Keith

[Librarian]

I'd say a good starting point would be a TU-2 fuselage and tail, TA154 wings with resin relacement engines/nacelles...and then the spares box;D.