General Aircraft Monospar ST-25 explained
The General Aircraft Monospar ST-25 was a British 1930s light twin-engined utility aircraft.
Design and development
The Monospar ST-25 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a fabric-covered metal structure. The monospar name came from the use of a single spar in the wing structure, that had been developed by H J Stieger. The cabin was enclosed with five seats. It was based on the GAL Monospar ST-10, with the addition of a folding seat for a fifth passenger, extra side windows, and the addition of a radio receiver. On 19 June 1935, the prototype (G-ADIV) made its first flight at Hanworth Air Park. It was designated Monospar ST-25 Jubilee, to honour the 25th anniversary of the reign of King George V.[1]
Operational history
- The last flying Monospar ST-25 (ZK-AFF), of Piet Van Asch, the owner of New Zealand Aerial Mapping Ltd, was lost in 1986 in a hangar fire.[2]
- The last surviving Monospar ST-25 (OY-DAZ), an ST-25 Ambulance, was fully restored during 1989–1999, and is now displayed in Egeskov Veteranmuseum at Egeskov Castle, Denmark.[3]
Variants
- Monospar ST-25 Jubilee
(1935-1936) Single fin and rudder. 30 built.[1]
- Monospar ST-25 De Luxe
One Monospar ST-25 Jubilee with a large single fin and two Niagara II engines, later converted to the prototype Monospar ST-25 Universal, with twin fins.[1]
- Monospar ST-25 Ambulance
Variants of both Monospar ST-25 Jubilee and ST-25 Universal, with a large door on the starboard side to allow a stretcher to be loaded.[1]
- Monospar ST-25 Universal
(1936-1939) Twin fin and twin rudder. 29 built, including the conversion of the De Luxe.[1]
- Monospar ST-25 Freighter
A variant of the Monospar ST-25 Universal, with a large freight door but without the passenger seating.[1]
- GAL.26
One modified Monospar ST-25 Jubilee, fitted with two Cirrus Minor I engines in 1936.[1]
- GAL.41
One experimental aircraft based on the Monospar ST-25 Universal. A new fuselage was built containing a pressurized section with two seats. Its purpose was to test possible pressurization systems for a proposed airliner, the GAL.40. The GAL.41 flew for the first time on 11 May 1939, and was grounded in 1941.[4] Operators
- Zone-Redningskorpset - 1 ambulance version
- ES-AXY "Vahur", in the service of the Ministry of Transport and Communications[5]
- Armée de l'Air (2 ST-25 in Indochine (Vietnam) in November 1945)[6]
- Van Melle's Confectionery Works, Breskens (one Jubilee, PH-IPM "Dubbele Arend", delivered in 1935)[7]
Spain
See also
References
Bibliography
- Howson, Gerald. 1990. Aircraft of the Spanish Civil War 1936–39. Putnam
- Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2. Putnam. pp. 215–220, 519–521
- Jarrett . Philip . Nothing Ventured...No 9 . . December 1990 . 18 . 12 . 734–737, 775 . 0143-7240.
- Lumsden . Alec . Heffernan . Terry . Probe Probare No 2: Monospar ST-25 . Aeroplane Monthly . February 1984 . 12 . 2 . 94–96 . 0143-7240.
- Ogden, Bob (2009). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Air-Britain.
- Stroud . John . Wings of Peace . Aeroplane Monthly . April 1988 . 16 . 4 . 232–238 . 0143-7240.
- Wright. Matthew. Mapping by Monospar. Air Enthusiast. 1991. 44 . 6–9 . 0143-5450.
Notes and References
- Jackson 1973, pp. 215–220
- http://www.wings.net.nz/oldwings/aerialmap.html PIET VAN ASCH – New Zealand's Aerial Mapping Pioneer at wings.net.nz
- Ogden (2009)
- https://web.archive.org/web/20090107194501/http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/GENERAL%20AIRCRAFT%20MONOSPAR%20ST-25.htm General Aircraft Monopar ST-25
- http://www.ra.ee/fotis/index.php/et/photo/view?id=34461&_xr=6125e033631c8 Estonian National Archives Photo Database, EFA.446.0.194553
- Web site: Les Nakajima Ki-43 " Oscar " dans l’Armée de l’Air, une fausse bonne idée . fr. 21 February 2016.
- Web site: Rond vliegveld. nl. https://web.archive.org/web/20140225090851/http://www.geschiedeniszeeland.nl/tab_themas/themas/luchtvaart/rond_vliegveld/. 25 February 2014.
