Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Four-seat cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

One 153 kw (205 hp) de Havilland Gipsy Six six-cylinder in-line air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

Following the establishment by Percival Aircraft of its own manufacturing facility at Gravesend Airport in Kent, UK a new model of the Gull series was announced, this being similar to the Gull IV but with a single-strut undercarriage, revised cabin top and entrance doors, the main change being the installation of a 153 kw (205 hp) Gipsy Six engine.  This model, which was known as the Type D.3 or Gull VI, became very popular and was used by many famous pilots of the time for record breaking flights.  With the Gipsy Six engine, an improved undercarriage and cabin arrangements, it retained the folding wing fitted to the Gull IV.

The Vega Gull was developed to the Series II version, the first of which was G-AEYC.  This differed in having a moulded perspex windscreen and the lights in the rear of the cabin were deleted. The Vega Gull seated four and also had the Gipsy Six engine, dual controls and flaps. The basic configuration was retained but, in order to seat four, the width of the fuselage in the cabin area was increased by 23 cm (9 in). To retain the same wing loading (14.5 lb/sq ft) the centre section was enlarged, the wingspan being increased to 12.03 m (39 ft 6 in).  Gross weight was 1,247 kg (2,750 lb).  All flying controls were enclosed and there was much attention to detail, the max speed from the de Havilland Gipsy Six Series II engine with a variable pitch propeller being 278 km/h (173 mph) and the cruising speed being 254 km/h (158 mph).

The prototype of the Vega Gull (G-AEAB – c/n K.20) was entered in the 1937 Schlesinger Race from Portsmouth, UK to Johannesburg, South Africa and was joint leader with another Gull VI when a leaking fuel tank caused the crew to force land on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, badly damaging the aircraft, the race being won by the other Gull VI.

One of the first long-distance flights was that of Edgar Percival himself when he flew G-ADEP (c/n D.49) from Gravesend to Oran, Algeria and back in one day in 1935 in a time of 16 hrs 50 mins.  In 1937 two Frenchmen flew one from Paris, France to Saigon, Vietnam in 23 hours.  The New Zealand born aviatrix, Jean Batten, also used a Gull VI G-ADPR (c/n D.55 – Jean) to fly from Lympne in Kent to Darwin, NT in five days, 21 hours and three minutes in October 1936.  She then flew to Richmond, NSW, and from there flew the 2,453 km (1,524 miles) to New Zealand, arriving at New Plymouth in a time of 8 hrs 30 mins, becoming the first woman to fly the Tasman solo.  She had flown 22,891 km (14,224 miles) from the UK to New Zealand in a time of 11 days and 45 mins. She later returned to the United Kingdom, leaving Darwin on 18 October 1937 and arrived at Lympne on 24 October 1937, an elapsed flight time of 5 days, 18 hours and 15 minutes.

In November 1935 (in G-ADPR) Ms Batten attempted to break James Mollison’s record time across the South Atlantic.  She flew to Casablanca in Morocco, and then went on to Villa Cisneros in the western Sahara and Thies in Senegal.  She took off in darkness and headed across the Atlantic to Brazil, South America 3,320 (2,000 miles) away, making landfall 12½ hrs later at Cape San Rozue and then flew on to Port Natal, a total time for the trip of 2 days 13 hrs 15mins. The aircraft was later operated by the RAF (AX866) during World War II for communications duties, being based at RAF Northolt. It was later released for civil use and was obtained by Percival Aircraft and restored.

In April 1961 it was presented as a gift to the Shuttleworth Trust at Old Warden, UK and was often seen at air displays in the 1950s.  Eventually deterioration meant it had to be grounded. In the late 1970s an appeal was launched for it to be rebuilt and Hunting Engineering and its subsidiary Field Aircraft were involved in the restoration of the aircraft.  In 1990 it was sold in New Zealand to Auckland International Airport Ltd where it made one flight to mark the 60th anniversary of Jean Batten’s arrival (as ZK-DPR) before being placed on display in the Auckland International Airport in 1998where it remains.

Other long-distance flights made with the Gull VI and Vega Gull included: James Broadbent who, in April 1938, lowered Jean Batten’s solo record from Australia to England to 5 days, 4 hrs 21 mins in Vega Gull G-AFEH (c/n K.100); and Amy Mollison in May 1936 in G-ADZO (c/n D.63) who flew to Cape Town and return in 7 days, 22 hours 45 minutes  As noted in the article on the Gull IV, a couple of Gull IVs were re-engined with Gipsy Six engines to D.3 standard.

Percival Gull VIs registered in this region included: VH-ACM (c/n D.46 – ex –G-ACUP), which later became VH-CCM, was first registered in May 1939. In the 1990s it was on display at Airworld, Wangaratta but has since been restored and is airworthy and based in Queensland. VH-UVA (c/n D.60) was registered on 4 February 1936 to P G Taylor (later Sir Gordon) of Sydney.  In October 1937 it was sold to G E Ryder of Cessnock, NSW, and in April 1939 to E J Connellan of Melbourne, VIC.  However, it crashed at Camooweal, QLD on 1 May 1946 and was not repaired.

VH-UZH (c/n K.58) was first registered on 19 November 1937 to Goldfield Airways of Kalgoorlie, WA. Subsequent owners included G W Lewis of Kalgoorlie, WA, P T MacNiel of Inglewood, WA and R C Currell of Maylands, WA. It crashed on 26 February 1961 at Yerecoin, WA. VH-UVG (c/n K.36) was a Vega Gull registered on 29 December 1936 to J W F Collins of Beaudesert, QLD. It was impressed by the RAAF during World War II for communications work as A32-1 and became VH-UVG to F H Edwards of Edwards Aero Services at Essendon, VIC on 30 January 1946. Subsequent owners included H P Davis at Alice Springs, NT A G Picken of Glenelg, SA, and G B Black of Minnipa, SA. It crashed at Pandooma near Cowell, SA on 26 November 1953.

VH-ACA (later VH-BQA – c/n K.98) named Corio Gull was the first aircraft obtained by the Hon R G Casey, later Governor General of Australia.  Impressed by the RAAF in World War II as A32-2 for communications work, it returned to the register as VH-ACA on 24 December 1946 but was badly damaged in a ground-loop accident at Hill End, NSW on 18 April 1949 and was placed in storage. It was rebuilt as VH-BQA and survived until retired in June 1959.  It then underwent restoration to airworthiness on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. However, in mid-2012 it was exported to the United Kingdom and restoration commenced at East Grimstead.

VH-ABS (c/n K.83) was a Vega Gull II and was first registered on 18 February 1938 to the Shell Oil Company of Melbourne, VIC. It was destroyed when it was burnt in a hangar fire on 28 February 1939 at Essendon, VIC.

In 1986 the Australian Government purchased Percival Gull VI G-AERD (c/n D.55 – ex HB-OFU) and it was shipped to Australia.  This aircraft was fitted with a 149 kw (200 hp) Gipsy Six engine. The British registration was cancelled in November 1986 and it was imported for the National Museum of Australia in Canberra to honour Australian designer, Edgar Percival. It was displayed at the National Convention Centre in Canberra as part of National Heritage Week in March 1990 and then placed in storage as room to display it in the museum was not available.  In late 2012 it was finally placed on display in the National Museum in Canberra.

Vega Gull ZK-AFI (c/n K.63) was imported and operated by the Wellington Aero Club before being impressed by the RNZAF in 1939 as NZ571. It was later operated by the same club as ZK-AKV, before going the Hauraki Aero Club, and later to the New Plymouth Aero Club. In the 1960s it was owned by Messrs John Worthington and W E Christopherson. It was damaged in an accident, the fabric was further damaged by wandering cows, and the aircraft was left to rot. In the 1970s the remains were rescued and placed in storage for a possible future restoration.