Folland Gnat, Kemble 2008 ©Nigel Key
ROLE
Fighter / Trainer.
FIRST FLIGHT
18 July 1955.
The Folland Gnat was designed by W.E.W. Petter as a simple, lightweight fighter with the advantage of low purchase and operational cost.
The Gnat was a development of a concept aircraft the Folland Midge, which first flew on the 11th of August 1954.
The Gnat was to have larger air intakes than the Midge to allow for the Bristol Orpheus engine, a slightly larger wing and provision for 30mm ADEN cannon.
The Folland Gnat prototype, serial number G-39-2 flew from Boscombe Down on the 18th of July 1955.
Folland designed the Gnat as a 2-seat aircraft with a new wing incorporating larger tanks for increased fuel capacity which in turn left more space in the fuselage for additional equipment.
A more powerful Bristol Orpheous engine was also fitted, the length of the front fuselage was increased and the tail surfaces were made larger. The ailerons were changed to outboard and conventional flaps were fitted.
A contract was awarded for 14 pre-production Gnat T.1 aircraft with the first prototype trainer flying on the 31st of August 1959.
Due to the small size of Folland the Ministry did not place a production order with them, however, when Folland was taken over by Hawker Siddeley Aviation orders for 91 aircraft were placed between February 1960 and March 1962.
PRODUCTION
The Folland Gnat was produced from 1958, with 449 built.
ENGINE
Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 101, producing 4230 lb st.
ARMAMENT
2 x Aden 30mm cannon
1,000 lb (454 kg) Bomb/Rocket load
In 1958 the Gnat was evaluated by the Royal Air Force as a replacement for the de Havilland Venom along with other fighters such as the Jet Provost and the Hawker Hunter, with the latter being chosen.
Although the RAF had little interest in the Gnat as an operational fighter, it had potential as a transitional aircraft for pilots currently flying the de Havilland Vampire who needed to be trained to fly fighters such as the English Electric Lightning.
The Gnat T.1 was delivered in February 1962 to the Central Flying School of the RAF, based at Little Rissington.
In 1962 4 Flying Training School, RAF Valley, formed an aerobatic team with Gnat T.1 aircraft which were painted yellow. In 1965 the team reformed as part of the Central Flying School as the 'Red Arrow's operating the Gnat until 1979 as the RAF display team.
| Crew - 1 or 2 (in tandem) |
| Length - 31ft 9in (9.65m) |
| Wingspan - 24ft 0in (7.32m) |
| Height - 10ft 6in (3.20m) |
| Empty Weight - 5,613lb (2,546kg) |
| Max. Weight - 9,350lb (4,240kg) |
| Max. Speed - 636 mph (1,026 km/h) |
| Range - 1,180 miles (1,900 km)* |
| *with drop tanks |
