Gloster Aircraft Company
Encyclopedia
The Gloster Aircraft Company, Limited, known locally as GAC, was a British aircraft manufacturer. The company produced a famous lineage of fighters for the Royal Air Force
(RAF): the Grebe
, Gladiator
, Meteor
and Javelin
. It also produced the Hawker Hurricane
and Hawker Typhoon
for the parent company Hawker Siddeley. Gloster produced the first British jet aircraft
, the E.28/39
, and the first British production jet fighter, the Meteor
, the only Allied
jet aircraft to see service in World War II.
, Gloucestershire. As orders for aircraft increased, other companies in the Gloucester and Cheltenham district were contracted with work. Where any flying was involved the aircraft were moved to an Air Board aircraft acceptance park at Hucclecote
seven miles (11 km) away by motor transport. Although Hucclecote aerodrome was used by the company it had no hangars until 1921 when it rented part of a hangar from the Air Board.
When the British aircraft manufacturer Nieuport & General
closed down in 1920, the services of its chief designer, Henry Folland
were hired by the company, which also acquired the rights for the Nieuport Nighthawk
fighter and unbuilt aircraft components.
In 1926, the name of the company was abbreviated to the Gloster Aircraft Company because customers outside of the United Kingdom found the original name too difficult to pronounce.
With the move to metal construction the Sunningend factory was no longer suitable and in 1928 the company bought the aerodrome at Hucclecote with all the hangars and office accommodation.
, though it continued to produce aircraft under its own name. In that same year the company produced the famous 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.
The Gladiator was a biplane
fighter
, used by the RAF and the Royal Navy
's Fleet Air Arm
(FAA) as the carrier
-capable Sea Gladiator, as well as a number of other air forces, during World War II. The aircraft had a top speed of around 414 km/h. The Gladiator had an enclosed, single-seat cockpit
, cantilever landing gear and a two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller
driven by a Bristol Mercury
air-cooled engine. A total of 756 airframes were built: 480 RAF, 60 FAA, 216 exported to 13 countries. Gladiators were sold to Belgium, China, Egypt, Finland, Free French, Greece, Iraq, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, South Africa
and Sweden.
Although serving valiantly in the first years of the Second World War, the Gloster Gladiator was sorely outclassed by contemporary monoplane fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf-109, and destined to be the RAF's last biplane fighter.
s in the first 12 months of World War II and delivered the last of its 2,750 Hurricanes in 1942. Production was then switched to the Hawker Typhoon
s for the Royal Air Force
, 3,300 being built in total.
On 15 May 1941, the first test flight of the Gloster E.28/39
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, were carried out at the company's airfield at Brockworth). This was followed by the Gloster Meteor
, the only jet to be used by the Allied Forces during World War II.
The Meteor
was the first operational Allied
jet
fighter aircraft
of World War II. First flying with the British Royal Air Force
(RAF) in 1943, the Meteor commenced operations in mid-1944, only some weeks later than the world's first operational jet, the German Messerschmitt Me 262
.
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 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.
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 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 wing
ed Gloster Javelin
was developed as an all weather fighter that could fly above 50000 feet (15,240 m) at almost 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 three miles (5 km) to the south, where the aircraft would be completed. It was this shortcoming of facilities, along with the rationalisation of the British aircraft industry, that would lead to the demise of Gloster.
to form Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Limited. Following another re-organisation, 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.
The site at Brockworth was sold in 1964. In recent years the runway and old buildings have been demolished and replaced by standard modern estate and office buildings.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF): the Grebe
Gloster Grebe
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam and Company Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57. London:Putnam, First edition 1957....
, Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
, Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
and Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
. It also produced the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
and Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
for the parent company Hawker Siddeley. Gloster produced the first British jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
, the E.28/39
Gloster E.28/39
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.* Morgan, Eric B. "A New Concept of...
, and the first British production jet fighter, the Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
, the only Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
jet aircraft to see service in World War II.
History
The Gloster Aircraft Company was formed in 1917 as the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company. The company acquired the aircraft business previously carried out by H H Martyn with a 50% share, and the Aircraft Manufacturing Company the other 50%. The company rented what was the Sunningend works of H H Martyn in CheltenhamCheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, Gloucestershire. As orders for aircraft increased, other companies in the Gloucester and Cheltenham district were contracted with work. Where any flying was involved the aircraft were moved to an Air Board aircraft acceptance park at Hucclecote
Hucclecote
Hucclecote is an affluent and sought-after village in Gloucestershire , England situated on the old Roman road connecting Gloucester with Barnwood, Brockworth, Cirencester and Cheltenham...
seven miles (11 km) away by motor transport. Although Hucclecote aerodrome was used by the company it had no hangars until 1921 when it rented part of a hangar from the Air Board.
When the British aircraft manufacturer Nieuport & General
Nieuport & General Aircraft
The Nieuport & General Aircraft Company Ltd was a British aircraft manufacturer, established during the First World War to build French Nieuport aircraft under license, which closed down in 1920.-History:...
closed down in 1920, the services of its chief designer, Henry Folland
Henry Folland
Henry Philip Folland was an English aviation engineer and aircraft designer.-Life:Folland was born to Frederick and Mary Folland at 2 King Street, Holy Trinity, Cambridge. His father was listed as a Stonemason....
were hired by the company, which also acquired the rights for the Nieuport Nighthawk
Nieuport Nighthawk
The Nieuport Nighthawk was a British fighter aircraft developed by the Nieuport & General Aircraft company for the Royal Air Force towards the end of the First World War. Although ordered into production before the aircraft first flew, it did not enter large scale service with the RAF owing to...
fighter and unbuilt aircraft components.
In 1926, the name of the company was abbreviated to the Gloster Aircraft Company because customers outside of the United Kingdom found the original name too difficult to pronounce.
With the move to metal construction the Sunningend factory was no longer suitable and in 1928 the company bought the aerodrome at Hucclecote with all the hangars and office accommodation.
1934 – amalgamation
In 1934 the company was taken over by Hawker AircraftHawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
, though it continued to produce aircraft under its own name. In that same year the company produced the famous Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplane. The 1935 merger of Hawker Aircraft and the interests of J. D. Siddeley (Armstrong Siddeley
Armstrong Siddeley
Armstrong Siddeley was a British engineering group that operated during the first half of the 20th century. It was formed in 1919 and is best known for the production of luxury motor cars and aircraft engines.-Siddeley Autocars:...
and Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft
Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft
Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company, or Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, was a British aircraft manufacturer.-History:Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft was established as the Aerial Department of the Sir W. G Armstrong Whitworth & Company engineering group in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1912, and...
) saw Gloster become a part of Hawker Siddeley Aircraft, Ltd.
The Gladiator was a biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, used by the RAF and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
(FAA) as the carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
-capable Sea Gladiator, as well as a number of other air forces, during World War II. The aircraft had a top speed of around 414 km/h. The Gladiator had an enclosed, single-seat cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
, cantilever landing gear and a two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
driven by a Bristol Mercury
Bristol Mercury
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bridgman, L, Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
air-cooled engine. A total of 756 airframes were built: 480 RAF, 60 FAA, 216 exported to 13 countries. Gladiators were sold to Belgium, China, Egypt, Finland, Free French, Greece, Iraq, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, South Africa
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
and Sweden.
Although serving valiantly in the first years of the Second World War, the Gloster Gladiator was sorely outclassed by contemporary monoplane fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf-109, and destined to be the RAF's last biplane fighter.
1939 – World War II
Having no modern designs of its own in production, Gloster undertook manufacture for the parent company Hawker. In 1939, the company built 1,000 Hawker HurricaneHawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s in the first 12 months of World War II and delivered the last of its 2,750 Hurricanes in 1942. Production was then switched to the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
s for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, 3,300 being built in total.
1941 – turbojet
Gloster E.28/39
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.* Morgan, Eric B. "A New Concept of...
with a turbo-jet engine, invented by Sir Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
took off from RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
(earlier taxying trials, in which the E.28/39 briefly became airborne, were carried out at the company's airfield at Brockworth). This was followed by the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
, the only jet to be used by the Allied Forces during World War II.
The Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
was the first operational Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
of World War II. First flying with the British Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) in 1943, the Meteor commenced operations in mid-1944, only some weeks later than the world's first operational jet, the German Messerschmitt Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
.
1945 – world record
In 1945 a Meteor F Mk.4 prototype, stripped of armament, gained a World Airspeed Record of 606 mi/h with Group Captain H. Wilson at the controls. In early 1946, another F Mk.4 prototype was used to set a world air speed record of 616 mph (991 km/h) true airspeedTrue airspeed
True airspeed of an aircraft is the speed of the aircraft relative to the airmass in which it is flying. True airspeed is important information for accurate navigation of an aircraft.-Performance:...
with Group Captain "Teddy" Donaldson
Edward Mortlock Donaldson
Air Commodore Edward "Teddy" Mortlock Donaldson CB, CBE, DSO, AFC & Bar was an RAF Second World War Flying ace, and former holder of the airspeed World Record.-Biography:...
flying the highly modified Meteor, nicknamed "Yellow Peril." The second pilot in the High Speed Flight
High Speed Flight RAF
The RAF High Speed Flight, sometimes known as 'The Flight' , was a small flight of the Royal Air Force formed for the purpose of competing in the Schneider Trophy contest for racing seaplanes during the 1920s....
, Bill Waterton
Bill Waterton
Squadron Leader Bill Waterton GM AFC* was a Canadian test pilot and correspondent for the Daily Express. He was awarded the George Medal for saving the flight data when he landed at great risk the prototype Gloster Javelin after it lost its controls during a test flight.-Early years:Born in...
achieved 614 mph. During the record attempt Donaldson became the first man to break the 1,000 km/h barrier, winning the Britannia Trophy
Britannia Trophy
The Britannia Trophy is a British award presented by the Royal Aero Club for aviators accomplishing the most meritorious performance in aviaton during the previous year....
and a Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
. Meteors remained in service with several air forces for many years and saw action in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
with the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF). Eventually, Gloster Meteors in fighter, trainer and night fighter versions were in operational use by 12 nations.
1947 – Gloster's heyday
During Gloster's "heyday," in 1947, S/L Janusz ZurakowskiJanusz Zurakowski
Janusz Żurakowski was a renowned Polish fighter and test pilot, who, at various times, lived and worked in Poland, the United Kingdom, and Canada.-Early life:...
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 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 wing
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
ed Gloster Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
was developed as an all weather fighter that could fly above 50000 feet (15,240 m) at almost 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 three miles (5 km) to the south, where the aircraft would be completed. It was this shortcoming of facilities, along with the rationalisation of the British aircraft industry, that would lead to the demise of Gloster.
1960s – demise
In 1961, the company was merged with Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft LimitedArmstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
to form Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Limited. Following another re-organisation, 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.
The site at Brockworth was sold in 1964. In recent years the runway and old buildings have been demolished and replaced by standard modern estate and office buildings.
Products
- 1921 Gloster MarsNieuport NighthawkThe Nieuport Nighthawk was a British fighter aircraft developed by the Nieuport & General Aircraft company for the Royal Air Force towards the end of the First World War. Although ordered into production before the aircraft first flew, it did not enter large scale service with the RAF owing to...
– single-seat racing biplane later modified as the Gloster I - 1921 Gloster SparrowhawkGloster Sparrowhawk|-See also:-External links:*...
- 1922 Gloster Mars VI Nighthawk
- 1922 Gloster Mars X Nightjar
- 1923 Gloster Gannet – single-seat ultra light biplane
- 1923 Gloster GrebeGloster Grebe-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam and Company Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57. London:Putnam, First edition 1957....
– single-seat day fighter biplane - 1923 Gloster GrouseGloster Grouse-See also:...
- 1924 Gloster Gorcock – expermental single seat fighter biplane
- 1924 Gloster IIGloster II|-References:*"" Flight, 25 September 1924. p.630.*"". Flight, 18 June 1925. p.374.*Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919: Volume 2. London:Putnam, Second edition 1973. ISBN 0 370 10010 7....
– single-seat racing biplane - 1925 Gloster IIIGloster III|-See also:-Notes:In addition, the Air Ministry also placed an order with Supermarine for the S.4 monoplane.-Bibliography:*"". Flight. 24 September 1925. pp.609-614.* "". Flight. 29 October 1925. p.703.* "". Flight. 5 November 1925. pp.726-732....
– single-seat racing float biplane - 1925 Gloster GamecockGloster Gamecock|-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "The Era-Ending Gamecock". Air Enthusiast, Number 21, April-July 1983.Bromley, Kent:Pilot Press. p. 1-8, 58-62. ISSN 0143-5450....
– single-seat day and night interceptor biplane - 1925 Gloster GuanGloster GuanThe Gloster Guan was a single-engined single-seat experimental biplane fighter built in the United Kingdom to test the performance of fighters using supercharged engines at high altitudes. Three were planned but only two constructed.-Development:...
– experimental single-seat high altitude fighter biplane - 1926 Gloster GoralGloster Goral|-References:...
– two-seat general purpose biplane - 1926 Gloster GoringGloster GoringThe Gloster Goring was a single-engined two-seat biplane designed to meet 1926 Air Ministry specifications for a day/torpedo bomber. It was not put into production and the one aircraft built served later as an engine test bed.-Development:...
– two-seat day bomber/torpedo biplane - 1927 Gloster IVGloster IV|-References:*"". Flight, 6 October 1927. pp. 695—699.*"The “Gloster IV”". Flight, 1 March 1928. pp. 129—134.*James, Derek J. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London:Putnam, 1971. ISBN 0 370 00084 6....
– single-seat racing float biplane - 1927 Gloster Goldfinch – single-seat high-altitude day and night fighter biplane
- 1927 Gloster Gambet – single-seat deck landing fighter biplane
- 1928 Gloster GnatsnapperGloster Gnatsnapper-See also:-Bibliography:* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam, 1971. ISBN 0 370 00084 6.* Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter Since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.-External links:*...
– single-seat deck landing fighter biplane - 1929 Gloster VIGloster VI-External links:* Royal Air Force....
– single-seat racing monoplane (world absolute speed record holder for a few hours in 1929) - 1934 Gloster GauntletGloster Gauntlet-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crawford, Alex. Bristol Bulldog, Gloster Gauntlet. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-04-6....
– single-seat day and night fighter biplane - 1929 Gloster AS.31 – two-seat photographic survey biplane
- 1932 Gloster TC.33Gloster TC.33|-References:...
– four-engined bomber/transport biplane - 1932 Gloster TSR.38 – three-seat torpedo/spotter/reconnaissance biplane
- 1934 Gloster GladiatorGloster GladiatorThe Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
– single-seat day fighter biplane - 1937 Gloster F.5/34Gloster F.5/34|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bowyer, Michael J.F. Interceptor Fighters for the Royal Air Force, 1935-45. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-85059-726-9....
single-seat day fighter monoplane prototype - 1939 Gloster F.9/37Gloster F.9/37|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bowyer, Michael J.F. Interceptor Fighters for the Royal Air Force 1935-45. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-85059-726-9....
twin engined heavy fighter prototype - 1941 Gloster E.28/39Gloster E.28/39|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.* Morgan, Eric B. "A New Concept of...
first British jet engined aircraft - 1944 Gloster MeteorGloster MeteorThe Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
single-seat day fighter – only allied jet aircraft to see action during WW II - 1948 Gloster E.1/44Gloster E.1/44|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Ashley, Glenn. Meteor in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1995. ISBN 0-89747-332-9.* Bowyer, Chaz. Gloster Meteor. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1985. ISBN 0-7110-1477-9....
single-seat jet day fighter prototype - 1954 Gloster JavelinGloster JavelinThe Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
two-seat all-weather jet fighter - 1954 Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone Pilot" experimental conversion of Meteor
Chief Test Pilots
- 1927–1935 Howard Saint
- 1935–1942 Gerry SayerGerry SayerFlight Lieutenant Phillip Edward Gerald Sayer OBE , was Chief Test Pilot for Gloster Aircraft as well as a serving RAF officer. Gerry Sayer flew Britain's maiden jet flight in Sir Frank Whittle's Gloster E.28/39 , an aircraft designed by George Carter, on 15 May 1941.-Early life:He was born in...
- 1942–1944 Michael Daunt
- 1945–1946 Eric Greenwood
- 1947–1954 William Arthur WatertonBill WatertonSquadron Leader Bill Waterton GM AFC* was a Canadian test pilot and correspondent for the Daily Express. He was awarded the George Medal for saving the flight data when he landed at great risk the prototype Gloster Javelin after it lost its controls during a test flight.-Early years:Born in...
- 1953–1960 Richard Frewen Martin
- 1960–1961 Geoffrey Worrall