Photograph:
Folland Gnat VH-XSO / XS101 (ex G-GNAT) at Essendon, VIC (Phil Vabre)
Country of origin:
United Kingdom
Description:
Two-seat advanced military trainer
Power Plant:
One 4,230 lbst Bristol Orpheus 100 turbojet
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.31 m (24 ft)
- Length: 9.67 m (31 ft 9 in)
- Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 16.25 m² (175 sq ft)
- Max speed at 9,449 m (31,000 ft): 1,022 km/h (635 mph)
- Service ceiling: 14,630 m (48,000 ft)
- Range: 1,852 km (1,151 miles)
- Max range with two 300 litre (66 Imp gal) underwing drop tanks: 1,852 km (1,151 miles)
- Endurance: 1 hour
- Empty weight: 2,331 kg (5,140 lb)
- Max loaded weight: 3,915 kg (8,630 lb)
History:
In the 1950s Folland Aircraft commenced design of a lightweight fighter as a private venture known as the FO 145 and the prototype, known as the Midge (G-39-1), flew for the first time on 11 August 1954 at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire. The design was developed into the Gnat, the prototype of which (G-39-2) flew on 18 July 1955. The first British development-batch Gnat (XK724) flew on 26 May 1956 and soon orders were received from Finland, Yugoslavia and India, where it was assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics, later being developed as the HAL Ajeet. Some 215 Gnats were eventually built by HAL. Thirteen were supplied to Finland in 1958 and two to Yugoslavia.
The Gnat T.1 was a two-seat transonic advanced trainer variant of the Folland Gnat single-seat fighter built for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Designed as a replacement for the Vampire T Mk 11, the fuselage was lengthened and in 1957 an order for 14 development aircraft was received from the RAF (serials XM691 to XM698, and XM704 to XM709).
The prototype Gnat Trainer (XM691) flew on 31 August 1959 and the initial contract for the RAF for 30 aircraft was placed in February 1960 (serials XP500 to XP516, and XP530 to XP542). A further 20 were ordered in July 1961 (serials XR534 to XR545 and XR567 to XR574), and a further contract calling for 41 aircraft (serials XR948 to XR955, SR976 to XR987, XR991 to XR999, and XS100 to XS111) was placed in March 1962.
The Gnat T.1 entered service in February 1962 with the RAF Central Flying School at Little Rissington, and later the type equipped No 4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley, Anglesey. Eventually the type formed the equipment for the RAF ‘Yellow Jacks’ and ‘Red Arrows’ aerobatic teams, performing nearly 1,900 displays in 19 different countries, the type eventually being replaced in this role by the Bae Hawk T Mk 1 in 1980.
After retirement a number were used at ground training schools and others were distributed to museums, schools and cadet units. A number were sold to private owners and some 30 examples have been converted to private jets in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
In October 2002 Folland Gnat T.1 G-GNAT (c/n FL595 – ex-8638M, XS101), a two-seat trainer, was shipped from Tilbury Docks in the United Kingdom to Essendon in Melbourne, VIC where it was placed on the Australian Civil Aircraft Register on 26 May 2004 as VH-XSO. However, it is not known to have flown in Australia. It was placed on the market for sale, and on 31 October 2017 was removed from the register as withdrawn from service.
In early 2021 a Gnat T.1 which, after retirement from the RAF became 8641M as an Instructional Airframe, operated with a number of operators in the Virginia in the United States as N7CV. It was imported to New Zealand from the United States on board the Spirit of Auckland in February 2021 to take up duties as a privately owned warbird by Matthew Wilcock, commencing duties at Tauranga as ZK-RAJ.