THE GENERAL AIRCRAFT HAMILCAR

 

The General Aircraft

GAL. 49 Hamilcar

Was a large British military glider

Produced during World War II

Commissioned at the behest

Of the then Prime Minister

Winston Churchill

In order to transport

Airborne assault troops

And heavy cargo into battle,

When completed

The Hamilcar was capable

Of transporting heavy equipment

In support of airborne troops.

The glider could transport

A single light tank

Or two Universal Carriers.

Hamilcars were only used

On three occasions,

But only in support

Of British airborne forces.

They first saw action in June 1944

Transporting anti-tank guns

Assorted armoured Vehicles

And Tetrarch light tanks

Into Normandy during Operation Tonga

They were used in a similar way

During Operation Market-Garden

And finally in March 1945

During Operation Varsity

When they landed in Germany