Misplaced Pages

#172827

44-465: The Gloster Sparrowhawk was a single-seat fighter aircraft designed and produced during the early 1920s by the British aircraft manufacturer Gloster . It was developed by aircraft designer Henry Folland , who had recently joined Gloster after the winding up of Nieuport & General ; he used the earlier Nieuport Nighthawk fighter as the basis for the new aircraft. The Sparrowhawk was developed as

88-494: A World Airspeed Record of 606 mph (975 km/h) with Group Captain H. Wilson at the controls. During early 1946, another F Mk.4 prototype was used to set a world air speed record of 616 mph (991 km/h) true airspeed with Group Captain "Teddy" Donaldson flying the highly modified Meteor, nicknamed "Yellow Peril." The second pilot in the High Speed Flight , Bill Waterton achieved 614 mph. During

132-679: A brief period as the chief test pilot, he tested the many experimental versions of the Gloster Meteor, Javelin and E.1/44 fighters. During the Gloster years, "Zura" as he came to be known, set an international speed record: London-Copenhagen-London, 4–5 April 1950 at Gloster's instruction to sell the aircraft to the Danish Air Force. In 1952, the two-seat, delta winged Gloster Javelin was developed as an all-weather fighter that could fly above 50,000 feet (15,000 m) at almost

176-523: A civil demonstrator. This aircraft, registered G-EAYN , flew in the 1922 Aerial Derby around London , and was later converted to form the prototype Gloster Grouse . The Sparrowhawk entered service with the Japanese Navy during 1921. According to aviation author Derek Jackson, it proved itself to be a quite reliable aircraft in Japanese service, as well as being substantially more advanced than

220-686: A navalised fighter and trainer aircraft in response to the needs of the Imperial Japanese Navy , which sought to develop its naval air arm with British assistance through the Sempill Mission . A total of 50 aircraft were completed by Gloster within six months of the order's placement, while a further 40 were locally assembled in Japan at the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal . The Sparrowhawk

264-753: A promising design that had been let down by its use of the unreliable ABC Dragonfly radial engine . Folland used the Nighthawk as the basis for a series of developments, known as the Gloster Mars series, with both air racer and fighters being produced. For numerous years after the end of the First World War , there was an apparent lack of appetite within the Air Ministry to pursue or procure new military aircraft, thus British aircraft manufacturers sought out other potential customers, including

308-734: A twin engine jet design. Once the E.28/39 had flown, the Air Staff told Gloster to stop work on their F.18/40 nightfighter (other aircraft could be adapted to replace it) to concentrate on the jet fighter. The jet design became the Gloster Meteor, the only jet to be used in combat by the Allied Forces during the Second World War. First flying with the RAF in 1943, the Meteor commenced operations in mid-1944, only some weeks later than

352-493: The Air Ministry followed. As no existing aircraft was suitable for adaptation to take the new jet engine, and Gloster did not have much workload in its design department, Gloster received a contract in early 1940 – to design and build Britain's first jet aircraft. Two airframes were built in secrecy. Due to the risk of bombing, one of the aircraft was built offsite from Brockworth at Regent Motors Cheltenham. On 15 May 1941,

396-666: The British aircraft industry, that would lead to the demise of Gloster. One blind alley was the work done (along with eight other British companies) on designing an aircraft to the same exacting Ministry specification that spawned the BAC TSR-2 . The contract was issued to BAC but the Wilson Government cancelled the TSR2 project. In 1961, the company was merged with Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Limited to form Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Limited. Following another re-organisation,

440-562: The Brockworth site. Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918 and the end of the First World War , the company suffered financial losses from the collapse of Airco, only receiving partial compensation for the cancellation of outstanding production orders. In 1920, following the closure of rival British aircraft manufacturer Nieuport & General , the services of its former chief designer, Henry Folland (1889–1954), were hired by

484-483: The French-sourced predecessors that had been flown by Japanese pilots prior to their introduction. In order for their use aboard Japanese capital ships, 30ft-long wooden ramps were built on top of the gun turrets of several warships; this allowed for the ramp to be both elevated and turned by the movement of the guns, and thus positioned to favorably take advantage of the winds to launch the fighter. Initially,

SECTION 10

#1732772075173

528-472: The Gloster factory at Hucclecote, mostly based on Reynolds-Boughton chassis. In 1984 Gloster Saro acquired the fire tender business of the Chubb group with the company merging in 1987 with Simon Engineering to form Simon Gloster Saro. The company eventually was used to manufacture both alloy and, later, fibreglass fuel tankers for Companies such as Shell/BP. The site at Brockworth was sold in 1964. In recent years

572-468: The Japanese Navy. It was also a storage depot where munitions and other assorted supplies were brought as they were purchased. When a number of foreign aircraft were purchased for evaluation, the Navy brought them to the arsenal for processing. The arsenal assembled the aircraft from their shipping boxes, and when assembled, they were flown by the pilots who had been sent abroad for flying lessons and evaluate

616-619: The RAF on behalf of its parent company. During 1939, the company constructed 1,000 Hawker Hurricanes within the first 12 months of the conflict; Gloster delivered the last of its 2,750 Hurricanes in 1942. After ending production of the Hurricane, it was decided to manufacture the newer Hawker Typhoon in its place. Gloster proceeded to construct 3,300 in total, almost the entirety of the type. Frank Whittle had first met Gloster's designer and test pilots in April 1939 and an official approach from

660-523: The Sparrowhawk was largely achievable by using the existing stocks of stored Nighthawk components, this approach allowed for Japan's order to be fulfilled within the space of six months. The order comprised 50 Gloster-built aircraft and a further 40 in component form for manufacture at the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal . Of the 50 Gloster-built Sparrowhawks, 30 were Sparrowhawk I land based fighters, ten Sparrowhawk II twin-seat advanced trainers and

704-415: The air services of various other countries. During January 1921, Britain dispatched the Sempill Mission to Japan , where it advised the Japanese on the development of a Naval Air Arm for the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was determined that Gloster was able to meet the requirements presented by the Japanese Navy, who sought a capable single-seat fighter; this fighter, named Sparrowhawk , was heavily based on

748-544: The aircraft construction activities of H.H. Martyn & Co. of Cheltenham, England it produced fighters during the war. It was renamed later as foreigners found 'Gloucestershire' difficult to pronounce. It later became part of the Hawker Siddeley group and the Gloster name disappeared in 1963. Gloster designed and built several fighters that equipped the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during

792-573: The aircraft flown. Modifications to these aircraft were done as weaknesses were found, or when an improvement was incorporated. To facilitate this work, the IJN established the Aeroplane Factory, Ordnance Department at the arsenal's torpedo factory in May 1913. The next year, the first acronym was used was Yokosho, a contraction of Yokosuka Kaigun Kōshō (Yokosuka Naval Arsenal) . The arsenal

836-408: The arsenal was responsible for the design of several IJN aircraft, although the arsenal itself did not manufacture more than a few prototypes of the aircraft it designed. Its designs were mass-produced by companies such as Aichi Kokuki , Watanabe Tekkōjo steel foundry, (renamed in 1943 to Kyūshū Hikōki Kabushiki-kaisha ( 九州飛行機株式会社 , Kyushu Aircraft Company Ltd , a.k.a. Kyushu Armaments) ), and

880-462: The company as GAC. With the move to metal construction, the Sunningend factory was soon deemed to be no longer suitable; accordingly, in 1928, Gloster purchased the aerodrome at Brockworth, including all of the adjacent hangars and neighbouring office accommodation. In 1934, Gloster was acquired by another British aircraft manufacturer, Hawker Aircraft . Regardless of this change in ownership,

924-654: The company continued to produce aircraft under its own brand name. In that same year, Gloster produced one of its most famous aircraft, the Gladiator biplane. The 1935 merger of Hawker Aircraft and the interests of J. D. Siddeley ( Armstrong Siddeley and Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft ) saw Gloster become a part of Hawker Siddeley Aircraft, Ltd. At the outbreak of the Second World War, the firm lacked any modern designs of its own in production, but had significant expertise and production facilities available. Thus, Gloster undertook manufacture for Hawker-designed aircraft to equip

SECTION 20

#1732772075173

968-597: The company. H H Martyn were architectural engineers and had produced items such as propellers before moving to whole fuselages for Airco. The firm rented facilities at Sunningend in Cheltenham , Gloucestershire to serve as their works. By the spring of 1918, the company was producing 45 new Bristol Fighter aircraft per week. As the orders for aircraft increased, other companies in the Gloucester and Cheltenham district were contracted with work. Where any flying

1012-627: The company; it also acquired the rights for the Nieuport Nighthawk fighter and various unassembled aircraft components. In December 1926, it was decided that the name of the company should be switched to a simplified form—the Gloster Aircraft Company. This was reported because customers outside of the United Kingdom found it easier to pronounce and to spell. Typically, locals and employees simply referred to

1056-407: The earlier Nighthawk fighter, featuring numerous modified to appropriately navalise it, amongst other attributes. The Sparrowhawk shared similar construction to the Nighthawk, including an internally-braced fuselage with a wooden girder structure. Both the longerons and main spars were composed of Ash , limited used of metal was made for elements such as the joining plates between the wings and

1100-588: The firm became part of the Avro Whitworth Division of Hawker Siddeley Aviation in 1963, and the name Gloster disappeared as Hawker Siddeley rebranded its product line under its own name. In the late 1960s/early 1970s the Saunders-Roe Folly Works, by then owned by Hawker Siddeley was merged with the Gloster works to form Gloster-Saro utilising both companies' expertise in aluminium forming to produce fire appliances and tankers in

1144-425: The first official test flight of the Gloster E.28/39 W 4041/G with a turbo-jet engine, invented by Sir Frank Whittle took off from RAF Cranwell (earlier taxying trials, in which the E.28/39 briefly became airborne, and therefore "flew", were carried out at the company's airfield at Brockworth). Although the E.28.39 could in theory be used as a fighter, a specific fighter design was required and Gloster began work on

1188-474: The fuselage. Instead of conventional bolts , tubular rivets were used instead. Amongst the numerous improvements made was the replacement of the original Dragonfly engine with the Bentley BR2 rotary engine . Only the ' Sparrowhawk III model was designed for shipborne operations; as such, aircraft were outfitted with an arrestor hooks attached to the axels of the landing gear , as well as hydrovanes on

1232-507: The interwar years including the Gladiator , the RAF's last biplane fighter. The company built most of the wartime production of Hawker Hurricanes and Hawker Typhoons for their parent company Hawker Siddeley while its design office was working on the first British jet aircraft , the E.28/39 experimental aircraft. This was followed by the Meteor , the RAF's first jet-powered fighter and

1276-544: The navy began establishment of the arsenal. Research was started again in 1924 when several aircraft were evaluated. Under the command of the newly formed Naval Air Headquarters, the Kaigun Kokusho (Naval Air Arsenal) was formed at Yokosuka on 1 April 1932. A large amount of draftsmen and Designers were transferred from the Hiro Naval Arsenal , ending aircraft production there. During World War II ,

1320-651: The only Allied jet fighter to be put into service during the Second World War . In 1917, during the midst of the First World War, the Gloster Aircraft Company Limited was formed under the name The Gloucestershire Aircraft Company Limited. At the time of its creation, its owners were Hugh Burroughes (1884–1985) and H H Martyn & Co. Limited, who held a 50 per cent share between them, and aircraft manufacturer Airco held

1364-435: The other 50 per cent. On the company's board were A W Martyn, Burroughes, and George Holt Thomas of Airco. The firm quickly acquired the aircraft component construction activities that were previously being carried out by H H Martyn & Co. for the war effort in order to perform subcontracted work from Airco; the provision of additional production capacity had been a major motivating factor for Airco's involvement in founding

Gloster Sparrowhawk - Misplaced Pages Continue

1408-668: The record attempt Donaldson became the first man to break the 1,000 km/h barrier, winning the Britannia Trophy and a Bar to his AFC . Meteors remained in service with several air forces for many years and saw action in the Korean War with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Eventually, Gloster Meteors in fighter, trainer and night fighter versions were in operational use by 12 nations. During Gloster's heyday, in 1947, S/L Janusz Zurakowski

1452-477: The remaining ten completed as Sparrowhawk III shipboard fighters. The Sparrowhawk IIIs, which were similar to the 22 Gloster Nightjar carrier fighters produced to operate from the Royal Navy 's aircraft carriers , were fitted with appropriate equipment for their role. The 40 Yokosuka assembled aircraft were completed as Sparrowhawk Is. A single additional Sparrowhawk II was built by Gloster for its own use as

1496-406: The runway and old buildings have been demolished and replaced by standard modern industrial estate and office buildings. Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal The air arsenal's roots go back to 1869 when the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) established a naval arsenal at Yokosuka, about 13 miles south of Yokohama on Tokyo Bay . The arsenal provided ship building, repair and replenishment to

1540-412: The speed of sound. This modern aircraft proved to be too heavy to take off from the short airfield in Brockworth, and was instead fitted out to the bare minimum and given a very small fuel load. It was then flown in a short hop to RAF Moreton Valence seven miles (11.27 km) to the south west, where the aircraft would be completed. It was this shortcoming of facilities, along with the rationalisation of

1584-399: The struts of the gear to reduce the probability of the aircraft overturning if required to perform an emergency water-based landing; floatation bags were also install in the fuselage to assist with this same eventuality. A quick-release mechanism attached to the landing gear enabled the engine to reach maximum RPM prior to any moment of the aircraft, shortening the takeoff. The construction of

1628-652: The ten Sparrowhawk IIIs were used for flight training operations from ramps built on one of the gun turrets of the battleship Yamashiro , as the carrier Hōshō was not yet ready. Although used for training from the Yamashiro , the Sparrowhawks were never operated from the Hōshō , it being replaced for shipboard operations by the purpose-designed Mitsubishi 1MF fighter before Hōshō entered service. The Sparrowhawk continued in service from shore bases until 1928, when it

1672-608: The world's first operational jet, the German Messerschmitt Me 262 . Crucially, it became the first RAF aircraft with a high enough top speed to enable it to fly alongside V1 flying bombs and tip them under the wing so as to render the V1's gyro incapable of recovery. This made the V1s crash prematurely to earth in open countryside before they could reach London. In 1945, a Meteor F Mk.4 prototype, stripped of armament, achieved

1716-482: Was built by Gloster as a civil demonstrator, being used for air racing and later converted into the prototype Gloster Grouse . Following the closure of the British aircraft manufacturer Nieuport & General during 1920, the services of its chief designer, Henry Folland , were promptly hired by the Gloster Aircraft Company . This firm also acquired the rights for Nieuport's Nighthawk fighter,

1760-504: Was employed as an experimental pilot. In the following years, he became one of the world's most famous experimental and aerobatics pilots. He developed a new aerobatic manoeuvre, the "Zurabatic Cartwheel", which held the audience captivated as he suspended the Gloster Meteor G-7-1 prototype he was flying, in a vertical cartwheel at the 1951 Farnborough Air Show, a manoeuvre the announcer declared to be "Impossible!" Serving for

1804-466: Was involved, the aircraft would be transported (with wings detached) to a newly formed Air Board aircraft acceptance park at Brockworth , seven miles (11 km) away by motor transport. Although Brockworth Aerodrome was used by the company, it lacked any hangars until 1921, after which it would rent a portion of one hangar from the Air Board. Gradually, Gloucester would relocate its operational base to

Gloster Sparrowhawk - Misplaced Pages Continue

1848-443: Was operated by the Japanese Navy between 1921 and 1928. It was initially used onboard large capital ships, but was quickly displaced from ship-borne duties following the arrival of more capable carrier-based fighters such as the purpose-built Mitsubishi 1MF fighter. Towards its final years, the Sparrowhawk was exclusively operated as a shore-based trainer aircraft, before being succeeded in this capacity as well. A single Sparrowhawk II

1892-458: Was renamed Kaigun Kōkū Shiken-sho (Naval Establishment for Aeronautical Research) in December 1919. The name Kaigun Gijutsu Kenkyūsho (Naval Technical Research Institute) was assigned by April, 1923, when the arsenal was moved to Tsukiji with several other Naval support units. The entire Tsukiji facility was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake . Several names were used when

1936-521: Was withdrawn from use as a trainer. Data from The Complete Book of Fighters Gloster Aircraft since 1917 General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Gloster Aircraft Company The Gloster Aircraft Company was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1917 to 1963. Founded as the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company Limited during the First World War, with

#172827