Hotspur (Total: 23, Canadian: 23, Group 0)

General Aircraft Hotspur

(RAF Photo)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur Mk. II gliders, RAF (Serial No. BT551), L, nearest, of No. 2 Glider Training Unit.

The General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur was a military glider designed and built by the British company General Aircraft Ltd during World War II. When the British airborne establishment was formed in 1940 by order of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, it was decided that gliders would be used to transport airborne troops into battle. General Aircraft Ltd were given a contract by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in June 1940 to design and produce an initial glider for use by the airborne establishment, which resulted in the Hotspur.

Conceived as an "assault" glider which necessitated a compact design and no more than eight troops carried, tactical philosophy soon favoured larger numbers of troops being sent into battle aboard gliders. Due to this, the Hotspur was mainly relegated to training where it did excel and it became the basic trainer for the glider schools that were formed. Wikipedia

YouTube Hotspur Glider

Wikipedia Wikipedia Hotspur Glider

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Hotspur HH232,

s/n HH232

HH 232


last update: 2025-March-10
1942-July-19 KIFA RCAF Flight Sergeant John George Fruchtl 2021-08-06

Hotspur HH418, Mk. II

s/n HH418

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 418

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH419, Mk. II

s/n HH419

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 419

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH421, Mk. II

s/n HH421

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 421

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH425, Mk. II

s/n HH425

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 425

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH427, Mk. II

s/n HH427

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 427

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH521, Mk. II

s/n HH521

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 521

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH551, Mk. II

s/n HH551

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 551

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH552, Mk. II

s/n HH552

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 552

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US Navy on 8 December 1942.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1945-June-19 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH553, Mk. II

s/n HH553

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 553

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US on 19 June 1943.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1945-November-03 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH557, Mk. II

s/n HH557

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 557

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US Navy on 8 December 1942.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1945-June-19 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH558, Mk. II

s/n HH558

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 558

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US Navy on 8 December 1942.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-August-05 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH559, Mk. II

s/n HH559

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 559

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-November-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH560, Mk. II

s/n HH560

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 560

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH561, Mk. II

s/n HH561

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 561

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH562, Mk. II

s/n HH562

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 562

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US Navy on 8 December 1942.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-August-05 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH564, Mk. II

s/n HH564

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 564

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US Navy on 8 December 1942.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-August-05 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH579, Mk. II

s/n HH579

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 579

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-September-29 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH580, Mk. II

s/n HH580

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 580

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command. To US Navy on 8 December 1942.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-October-14 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-August-05 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH646, Mk. II

s/n HH646

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 646

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-November-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH647, Mk. II

s/n HH647

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 647

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-November-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH654, Mk. II

s/n HH654

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 654

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-November-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573

Hotspur HH667, Mk. II

s/n HH667

m/d G.A.L.48

Harris Lebus

HH 667

Delivered to stored reserve at Toronto, probably with No. 1 Training Command.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1942-November-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1944-November-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 573