The Gloster Goring was a single-engined two-seat biplane designed to meet 1926 Air Ministry

Air Ministry

The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...

 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

Early in 1926 the Air Ministry issued two specifications, 23/25 for a two-seat day bomber, torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, followed by 24/25 for a high altitude bomber. These two specifications brought out prototypes from several makers: the
Blackburn Beagle

Blackburn Beagle

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, Handley Page Hare

Handley Page Hare

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, Hawker Harrier, Vickers Vildebeest

Vickers Vildebeest

The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles...

 and Westland Witch

Westland Witch

The Westland Witch was an unsuccessful British bomber prototype, first flown in 1928. Only a single aircraft of this type was built.The Westland Witch was an unsuccessful British bomber prototype, first flown in 1928. Only a single aircraft of this type was built.The Westland Witch was an...

. The Goring was Gloster's submission, aimed, like most of the other machines at both specifications.

The Goring was a single bay biplane with staggered wings of unequal span and slight sweep. They were based on spruce spars with internal wire bracing. The lower wing was angled downwards briefly as it left the fuselage, enabling a shorter than usual undercarriage. Short struts ran from the wing joint of this centre section to mid-fuselage. The fuselage was also a wooden structure of rectangular cross section formed by ash longerons. Wings and fuselage were fabric covered. The pilot sat below the upper wing trailing edge with a cut-out for visibility. The gunner sat behind in a second open cockpit fitted with a Scarff ring

Scarff ring

The Scarff ring was a type of machine gun mounting developed during the First World War by Warrant Officer F. W. Scarff of the Admiralty Air Department for use on two-seater aircraft...

 for a Vickers machine gun. The rear cockpit also allowed the gunner to get into a prone position for bombing. The tailplane was strut braced and the fin was low with broad chord. Both rudder and elevators had horn balances which projected beyond the fixed surfaces. The standard undercarriage was a simple single axle arrangement, but it could be swapped for a split axle unit to allow the carrying and dropping of torpedoes. In addition the Goring could operate as a seaplane. The floats were accompanied by a rudder enlarged by an extension below the fuselage.

The Goring originally flew in March 1927 with an uncowled direct drive 425 hp (315 kW) Bristol Jupiter VI

Bristol Jupiter

The Bristol Jupiter was a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developments turned it into one of the finest engines of its era.The...

. Later in the year this engine was replaced by a geared 460 hp (345 kW) Bristol Jupiter VIII

Bristol Jupiter

The Bristol Jupiter was a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developments turned it into one of the finest engines of its era.The...

 and flew in both land- and sea- plane configurations.

Operational history

At RAF Martlesham Heath

RAF Martlesham Heath

RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force airfield in England. The field is located 1½ miles SW of Woodbridge, Suffolk.- RFC/RAF prewar use:Martlesham Heath was first used as a Royal Flying Corps airfield during World War I...

 in 1928 the Goring powered by the Jupiter VIII competed with the Hare, Harrier and Witch over the 23/25 specification. In the event none of them satisfied the Air Ministry, probably because they had anticipated higher performing aircraft powered by the supercharged Jupiter VII and X variants which had been unavailable owing to development difficulties.

In 1930 the Goring returned to Gloster's works 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...

 to be converted once more to a seaplane and it remained in that guise over 1931, doing extensive flying from Calshot

RAF Calshot

RAF Calshot was initially a seaplane and flying boat station, and latterly an RAF marine craft maintenance and training unit. It was located at the end of Calshot Spit in Southampton Water, Hampshire, England, at...

. Later it returned as a landplane to test the now airworthy Jupiter XF, at the same time having its fin area reduced by a narrower, straight edged surface.

The Goring's final role was as an engine test bed at Bristol

Bristol Aeroplane Company

The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...

's Filton works where it flew in turn with the 745 hp (555 kW) Bristol Mercury VIIA

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...

, the 570 hp (425 kW) Bristol Pegasus II and the sleeve valved

Sleeve valve

The sleeve valve is a type of valve mechanism for piston engines, distinct from the usual poppet valve. Sleeve-valve engines saw use in a number of pre-World War II luxury cars and in USA in the Willys-Knight car and light truck...

 670 hp (500 kW) Bristol Perseus II

Bristol Perseus

|-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...

 radial engines, the second and third of these at least within a wide chord cowling.

Specifications (landplane)