British manufacturer General Aircraft Ltd produced a range of low wing
cabin passenger aircraft during the late 1920s and early 1930s. These
were of all metal structure with fabric covering. As the name implies,
they featured a novel single-spar wing and were of very high performance
for their day. Always seeking to provide a lead to local commercial operators,
in 1934 the Civil Aviation Branch purchased
the first ST.11 model built (c/n 33), which was basically a Monospar ST.10
but with retractable undercarriage (the earlier ST.6 having been only
the second British aircraft to fly with retractable undercarriage). The
ST.11 was a 4 seater, powered by two 90 hp Pobjoy Niagara I engines and
only one other of this model was built.
The aircraft
was factory painted as VH-UAZ in an all-silver scheme (below) and had
its first flight at Croydon aerodrome 17 August 1934 in the hands of Flt
Lt H M Schofield, the company's test pilot. On 4 September 1934 the aircraft
made its last flight at Croydon and was crated for shipping to Australia.
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