Warbird Depot - Jets > Steve Rosenberg's Folland Gnat T-1 Fuel Capacity: 460 gallons with external tanks Armament: none Steve Rosenberg's Folland Gnat T-1 Steve Rosenberg is the owner and operator of this Folland Gnat T-1, which is former Red Arrow demo aircraft XR-991 and is available for airshows, flybys and film. The Folland Gnat was a small, swept-wing British subsonic jet trainer and light fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Air Force, and flown extensively by the Indian Air Force. It was designed by W.E.W. Petter, and first flew in 1955. Its design was such that it could be built without specialised tools by countries that were not highly industrialised.[verification needed] Although never used as a fighter by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the "Gnat T.1" trainer variant was widely used. The Gnat possessed outstanding performance features including a 10,000 foot-per-minute climb rate, and a roll rate in excess of 360 degrees per second. It became well known as the mount for the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic team.

The Gnat was the creation of W.E.W. "Teddy" Petter, a British aircraft designer formerly of Westland Aircraft and English Electric. Petter believed that a small, simple fighter would offer the advantages of low purchase and operational costs. New lightweight turbojet engines that were being developed enabled the concept to take shape. One of the hallmarks of the Gnat's design was its compact size. However, to achieve such a size, its systems were closely packed, making maintenance more difficult. Some of its systems were not noted for their reliability and the aircraft suffered from high operating costs. There were also issues that its cockpit was cramped and obstructed the instructor's forward visibility. Furthermore, the limited weapons load and reduced fuel capacity � both designed to reduce overall kerb weight � meant that it could not operate for protracted periods. Despite the shortcomings, the Gnat and its predecessor the Folland Midge were praised by the RAF evaluation and the test pilots. The lower cost of the Gnat, its compact dimensions, as well as "good press" for the aircraft in air shows, were among the factors that prompted a spurt in its export sales.

The prototype first flew in 1955, when it demonstrated performance impressive enough to warrant the manufacture of six test aircraft for the Ministry of Supply. These aircraft were used in a variety of configurations, including the fitting of one with two 30mm cannon to test the aircraft's effectiveness in the ground attack role. However, the British government subsequently lost interest in the Gnat as a possible fighter, deciding instead to employ it as an advanced two-place trainer. For that role, Folland made significant changes to the aircraft, installing a second seat, a larger engine, a different wing and tail, and revised control-surface installation. The plane entered production with the RAF as the Fo.144 Gnat Trainer (later renamed the Gnat T.Mk1) but not until Folland was taken over by Hawker Siddeley at the insistence of the British government, which preferred to deal with a select few large, industrial groupings, rather than small, private-venture companies like Folland. In the meantime, however, Folland sold 13 Gnats (the last two of which were reconnaissance versions) to the Finnish government, which kept them in service until 1974.

(An interesting side note: The day after the first two Gnats were delivered to Finland, Finnish Air Force Major Lauri Pekuri exceeded the speed of sound in a Gnat, the first time this speed had been achieved by the Finns.) Two Gnats were also sold to Yugoslavia, but the bulk of sales went to India, which purchased 40 airframes in various stages of completion and, under license, built 175 of the aircraft at the Hindustani Aircraft facilities at Bangalore as the Gnat Mk.II "Ajeet." The Gnat was used by the British Yellowjacks / Red Arrows aerobatic team from 1964 through 1979, when it was replaced by the British Aerospace Hawk T.Mk.1. It was with the Indian Air Force, however, that the Gnat came into its own as a fighter aircraft. During the 1965 war with Pakistan, the Gnat is credited with downing seven Pakistani F-86 (Sabre) aircraft.

In their training role in the UK, Gnats were effective training aircraft for several generations of student jet pilots, and were a common sight in the skies above RAF Valley, UK before their retirement in November 1978. In the USA, a handful of Gnats enjoy continued life as privately-owned sport jets. Photo Gallery Contact Please fill out your contact information below if you are interested in contacting the operator, or representative, of this Warbird and you require more information for booking this aircraft at your Airshow or Event. Folland / Hawker-Siddeley Gnat - Fighter / Trainer Aircraft - Specifications, History and Images 2 x 500lb bombs 18 x 3" rockets Staff Writer (Updated: 6/26/2016): The Folland Gnat was a swept-wing, jet-powered fighter of British origins appearing in the middle of the 1950's. Designed as a light-weight, cost-effective aircraft with impressive performance specifications, the diminutive Gnat proved a better success on the export market than it did as an indigenous creation for the United Kingdom.

Design of the Gnat - derived from the Folland private venture Fo.139 "Midge" prototype of 1954 - was handled by aircraft engineer W.E.W. "Teddy" Petter with the Gnat prototype achieving first flight on July 18th, 1955. Advances in turbojet design technology was now reaching more advanced levels, providing for improved engine longevity and smaller size while still benefitting in the category of performance compared to previous offerings. Initial performance testing was promising and the Gnat project was forwarded by the Ministry of Supply to include six further test aircraft. Construction of the all-metal aircraft was such that it could be relatively easily produced by any interested operator. The fighter was declined by the Royal Air Force a modified two-seat trainer was accepted instead. The Gnat entered RAF service in 1959. The Gnat featured all-swept wing surfaces and a clean fuselage design. Cockpit placement was forward of the fuselage design featuring a two piece glass canopy. Trainer versions featured an elongated cockpit position with two seats in tandem for student and instructor. Intakes were mounted to either fuselage side, feeding the single jet powerplant.

Trainers varied in using a different powerplant, wings and empennage section. The empennage was dominated by a single vertical tail fin and conventional tailplanes. The undercarriage was of a tricycle arrangement featuring two main landing gears and a nose gear. Performance of the F.Mk 1 was impressive - considering it was all subsonic - provided for by the single Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus 701-01 series turbojet engine delivering some 4,705lbf. Maximum speed could top 695 miles per hour while a range of 500 miles was possible. A rate-of-climb of 20,000 feet per minute ended with a service ceiling of 48,000 feet. Standard armament for the base Gnat was modest, consisting of 2 x 30mm ADEN cannons. Lethality could be increased somewhat by the addition of 18 x rockets or 2 x 500lb bombs held underwing. In practice, despite their low cost, proved to quite the needy aircraft with maintenance costs to boot.

Its smallish size worked against it in terms of maintenance personnel needing to reach and repair various internal components. The aircraft suffered from limited range and limited armament potential, severely restricting its serious use as a front-line performer. These limitations ensured a limited production run spanning several decades of service though still delivering a memorable history. To drive home the point, the fighter version of the Gnat was not even utilized by the RAF - it found better success on the export market, particularly in operations under the India banner. © BAE Hawk | Aircraft Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit In 1964 the RAF specified a requirement (Air Staff Target (AST) 362) for a new fast jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat . The SEPECAT Jaguar was originally intended for this role, but it was soon realised that it would be too complex an aircraft for fast jet training and only a small number of two-seat versions were purchased. Accordingly, in 1968, Hawker Siddely Aviation (HSA) began studies for a simpler aircraft, initially as special project (SP) 117. The design team was led by Ralph Hooper.

The prototype aircraft first flew on 21 August 1974. All development aircraft were built on production jigs; the program remained on time and to budget throughout. The Hawk T1 entered RAF service in late 1976. The first export Hawk 50 flew on 17 May 1976. This variant had been specifically designed for the dual-role of lightweight fighter and advanced trainer; it had a greater weapons capacity than the T.1.This project was funded by the company as a private venture, in anticipation of possible RAF interest. The design was conceived of as having tandem seating and a combat capability in addition to training, as it was felt the latter would improve export sales potential. By the end of the year HSA had submitted a proposal to the MOD based on the design concept, and in early 1970 the RAF issued Air Staff Target (AST) 397 which formalised the requirement for new trainers of this type. The RAF selected the HS.1182 for their requirement on 1 October 1971 and the principal contract, for 175 aircraft, was signed in March 1972.

More variants of the Hawk followed and common improvements to the base design typically include increased range, more powerful engines, redesigned wing and undercarriage, the addition of radar and forward-looking infrared (FLIR), GPS navigation, and night vision compatibility. Later models were manufactured with a great variety in terms of avionics fittings and system compatibility to suit the individual customer nation, cockpit functionality was often rearranged and programmed to be common to an operator's main fighter fleet to increase the Hawk's training value. In 1981 a derivative of the Hawk was selected by the United States Navy as their new trainer aircraft. Designated the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk , the design was navalised and strengthened to withstand operating directly from the decks of carriers in addition to typical land-based duties; This T-45 entered service in 1994; initial aircraft has analogue cockpits, while later deliveries featured a digital glass cockpit. All airframes are planned to undergo avionics upgrades to a common standard.

Gallery The Folland Gnat / HAL Ajeet The Folland Gnat / HAL Ajeet v1.2.7 / 01 sep 15 / greg goebel * While fighter aircraft tend to become larger and more expensive as their users demand more of them, there have always been a few aircraft designers who believed that a simple, lightweight fighter might find a useful niche. One of the more interesting of these lightweight fighters was the British Folland (later Hawker-Siddeley) "Gnat". Although it was never used as a fighter by the British Royal Air Force (RAF), it did achieve success with the RAF in its "Gnat T.1" trainer version, as well as wide recognition as the mount for the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic team. The Gnat also achieved export success, particularly with India, which manufactured the aircraft under license. In fact, the Indians found the Gnat so capable that they designed and built their own improved version, the "Ajeet". This document provides a history and description of the Gnat and AJeet. [1] ORIGINS / FO-139 MIDGE * The Gnat was the creation of W.E.W.

"Teddy" Petter, a British aircraft designer who had gained wide recognition for his design of the English Electric Canberra bomber and Lightning supersonic interceptor. Petter had grown suspicious of the trend towards bigger and more expensive combat aircraft, perceiving that a small, simple fighter would offer the advantages of low purchase and operational costs. New lightweight turbojet engines were being developed that would be able to power such small fighters. Petter was unable to pursue this vision at English Electric, so he left to become managing director of Folland Aircraft. In 1951, using company funds, he began work on his lightweight fighter concept, which he designated the "Fo-141 Gnat". The Gnat was to be powered by a Bristol BE-22 Saturn turbojet with 16.9 kN (1,724 kgp / 3,800 lbf) thrust. However, the Saturn was canceled, and so Petter's unarmed proof-of-concept demonstrator for the Gnat was powered by the less powerful Armstrong Siddeley Viper 101 with 7.3 kN (744 kgp / 1,640 lbf) thrust.

The demonstrator was designated the "Fo-139 Midge". The Midge first flew on 11 August 1954 with Teddy Tennant at the controls, and proved an excellent aircraft. The Midge had a number of advanced features, such as hydraulically powered "flaperons"; main gear that could be used as airbrakes; and a one-piece canopy that hinged over an inner armored windscreen. Despite the underpowered engine, the little jet could break Mach 1 in a dive, and was very agile.

FOLLAND FO-139 MIDGE: ______________________________ _________________ ___________________ spec metric english ______________________________ _________________ ___________________ wingspan 6.30 meters 20 feet 8 inches wing area 11.61 sq_meters 125 sq_feet length 8.76 meters 28 feet 9 inches height 2.82 meters 8 feet 1 inch MTO weight 2,041 kilograms 4,500 pounds maximum speed 986 KPH 600 MPH / 522 KT service ceiling 11,580 meters 38,000 feet ______________________________ _________________ ___________________ The Midge was evaluated by pilots from Canada, India, Jordan, New Zealand, and the US Air Force, and was almost universally praised. The Midge had performed a total of 220 flights when it was destroyed in a fatal crash on 26 September 1955, with a Swiss pilot at the controls. However, the Midge had demonstrated that Petter's lightweight fighter concept had much going for it. Folland went on to develop a full-scale Gnat prototype, also using company funds.

[2] FO-145 GNAT FIGHTER / FO-144 GNAT T.1 TRAINER * The full-scale aircraft, designated the "Fo-145 Gnat", performed its initial flight on 18 July 1955, again with Tennant at the controls. It was very similar to the Midge, but had a maximum takeoff weight about twice as great. It was powered by a preproduction Bristol Orpheus turbojet with 14.6 kN (1,490 kgp / 3,285 lbf) thrust.

FOLLAND FO-145 GNAT: ______________________________ _________________ ___________________ spec metric english ______________________________ _________________ ___________________ wingspan 6.73 meters 22 feet 1 inch wing area 12.65 sq_meters 136.1 sq_feet length 9.04 meters 29 feet 8 inches height 2.46 meters 8 feet 1 inch empty weight 2,180 kilograms 4,800 pounds max loaded weight 4,100 kilograms 9,040 pounds maximum speed 1,120 KPH 695 MPH / 605 KT service ceiling 13,720 meters 45,000 feet combat radius with drop tanks 800 KM 500 MI / 435 NMI ______________________________ _________________ ___________________ The Gnat was armed with two 30 millimeter Aden revolver-type cannon, firing from the outer edge of the air intakes.

While this arrangement might have suggested that the Gnat would be prone to engine flameouts from muzzle gas ingestion, that did not prove to be the case; no doubt, the muzzle system had been carefully designed to deflect the muzzle gases out to the sides. The Gnat also had two stores pylons for drop tanks, 225 kilogram (500 pound) bombs, or unguided rocket pods. The Gnat prototype was refitted with an uprated preproduction Orpheus engine to put on flight displays at the Farnborough air show that year. While the RAF had no requirement for such a machine, the government wanted to encourage Folland in their work, and so the British Ministry of Supply (MoS) ordered six prototypes of the full-development aircraft for evaluation. The evaluation Gnats were powered by the production-spec Bristol Orpheus 701 turbojet with 20.1 kN (2,042 kgp / 4,502 lbf) thrust. Most of the test flights were conducted in the UK, though ground-attack trials were performed in Aden (now Yemen).

The report from the RAF evaluation generally praised the Gnat's performance, but there were criticisms of its flight-control systems, and there was no consensus that the Gnat was what the RAF needed. The Gnat fighter never served operationally in Britain, though the MoS did order two more Gnats on top of the original order for six. * The good press given the Gnat did open the way for export sales. Two were sold to Yugoslavia for evaluation, and thirteen were sold to Finland. The Finnish Gnats were delivered in 1958 and 1959, with two of them configured for reconnaissance, with noses carrying three 70 millimeter cameras. Finland operated its Gnats until 1972. India was very interested in the Gnat, and in 1956 Folland and Hindustan Aircraft Limited (HAL) signed an agreement for license production of the type, beginning a long love affair between India and the Gnat. 25 Folland-built Gnats, including two hand-me-downs from the RAF evaluation program, and 20 knockdown kits were sold to India through HAL.

These machines were powered by the further uprated Bristol Orpheus 701-01 engine with 20.93 kN (2,134 kgp / 4,705 lbf) thrust. The Gnat went into IAF service in the spring of 1958, with the first Gnat assembled by HAL from a kit flying in Bangalore on 18 November 1959. HAL then went on to build 195 Gnats themselves up to early 1974. The first completely HAL-built Gnat flew on 21 May 1962. IAF pilots were delighted with the nimble Gnat, which they felt was more than a match for Pakistani F-86s and MiG-19s, and nicknamed it the "Saber Slayer". * The RAF had shown no real interest in the Gnat fighter, but Teddy Petter was persistent, proposing the tandem-seat "Fo-144" trainer version of the Gnat. The RAF liked the idea, and a contract for 14 preproduction "Gnat T.1" trainers was placed in 1958.

The first performed its initial flight on 31 August 1959. The Gnat T.1 had no gun armament, but retained the twin stores pylons. It was powered by a Bristol Orpheus 4-100 engine with 18.8 kN (1,920 kgp / 4,230 lbf) thrust. It featured a larger tail, plus a bigger wing with integral fuel tanks, 40% greater wing area, and conventional ailerons and flaps instead of flaperons.

FOLLAND FO-145 GNAT T.1 TRAINER: ____________________________ _________________ ____________________ spec metric english ____________________________ _________________ ____________________ wingspan 7.32 meters 24 feet wing area 16.26 sq_meters 175 sq_feet length 9.68 meters 31 feet 9 inches height 2.93 meters 9 feet 8 inch empty weight 2,331 kilograms 5,140 pounds max takeoff weight 3,915 kilograms 8,630 pounds max speed at altitude 1,024 KPH 636 MPH / 553 KT service ceiling 14,630 meters 48,000 feet range with drop tanks 1,852 KM 1,151 MI / 1,000 NMI ____________________________ _________________ ____________________ The RAF was pleased with the Gnat T.1 and ordered 91 more, for a total of 105.

These were built between 1962 and 1965 by Hawker-Siddeley, which had bought out Folland since the government was strongly encouraging consolidation of Britain's aviation industry. Five yellow-painted Gnat T.1s fitted with smoke generators were used in 1964 by the RAF "Yellowjacks" aerobatic demonstration team, which was redefined a year later to become the RAF "Red Arrows", with red-painted aircraft. Their nine red Gnats, trailing smoke during precision maneuvers, pleased crowds at airshows in Britain and around the world until 1979, when they converted to the British Aerospace Hawk, which also replaced the Gnat T.1 in the advanced training role. The Gnat T.1 served the RAF well, though it suffered from high operating costs; it had not been designed for maintainability, and some of its systems were not noted for their reliability. Its cockpit was also cramped, and the instructor's forward field of view from the rear seat was poor. The BAe Hawk was designed specifically to provide the utility of the Gnat T.1, while lowering operational costs and eliminating some of the Gnat's defects.

[3] HAL AJEET / TWILIGHT OF THE GNAT * The Indians were very happy with the Gnat, but the little fighter did have its problems, the worst being that its hydraulics and some of its control systems were unreliable. In 1972, the IAF issued a requirement for an improved "Gnat II", at first specifying that the new version was to be optimized as an interceptor, but then expanding the specification to include the ground-attack role. HAL modified two Gnats to test subsystems for the new design, with the first example of the new variant performing its first flight on 6 March 1975. The improved Gnat was named "Ajeet", Sanskrit for "Invincible / Unconquered / Unbeatable", and the two initial prototype Ajeets were modified from the last production Gnats built by HAL. The first production Ajeet flew on 30 September 1976, with deliveries to the IAF beginning in 1977. A total of 79 Ajeets was built by the time manufacture ended in 1982, and ten Gnats were upgraded to Ajeet standards.

The Ajeet was difficult to tell apart from a Gnat at a casual glance, but it incorporated many changes and improvements. The most visible change was that the Ajeet had four stores pylons, with a total carriage capacity of 900 kilograms (one ton), instead of the Gnat's two pylons. Other significant changes included: Improved hydraulics and controls. Fit of the Martin-Baker Mark GF4 ejection seat instead of the Folland-designed Type 2G seat. New avionics, including a modern Ferranti gunsight. A slab tailplane. Improved landing gear with an antiskid braking system. Fuel tanks built into the wings, with each integral wing tank storing 250 liters (66 US gallons) of fuel. The integral wing tanks meant that all four stores pylons could haul weapons. The small size of the Gnat had meant limited range without drop tanks, and with the Gnat's two stores pylons, drop tanks meant no weapons other than cannon. The Ajeet was much better suited to the ground attack role than the Gnat.

* HAL also designed a two-seat trainer version of the Ajeet, with a lengthened fuselage and a tandem dual-cockpit design. Two internal fuel tanks were deleted to accommodate the second cockpit. The two 30 millimeter cannon and the four stores pylons were retained, though the cannon could be removed and replaced with additional fuel tanks. The trainer used the same Orpheus 701 engine as the Gnat and Ajeet fighters. The Ajeet trainer never reached production. One prototype was built in 1982 and crashed in that year, a second prototype flew in 1983, and then the program went into limbo, to eventually fade out. Some sources claim that 30 Ajeet trainers were built, but this is hard to believe. The IAF's requirement for an advanced trainer became something of an infamous saga, remaining unfilled through the 1980s and 1990s, until the service settled on the BAE Hawk. The last Ajeets were phased out of IAF service in 1991. No Gnats or Ajeets remain in operational service.

However, a number of Gnats, mostly ex-RAF T.1s, have ended up in private hands as high-class toys, and make occasional appearances at airshows. A number of Gnat fighters are preserved as museum pieces; it is unclear if any Gnat fighters are in flight condition. * The following table provides a production and user summary of the Gnat family: variant built updated notes _____________________________________________________________________ Midge 1 Subscale demonstrator. Gnat (P) 9 Prototype Gnat fighters. Gnat (Y) 2 Yugoslav evaluation machines. Gnat (FF) 11 Finnish fighter Gnats. Gnat (FR) 2 Finnish reconnaissance Gnats. subtotal 25 Non-Indian single-seaters. Gnat (IF) 23 2 Folland-built Gnats for India. Gnat (IK) 20 Indian Gnats built from kits. Gnat (IP) 195 Indian Gnats produced by HAL. Ajeet 79 10 Improved HAL-built Gnat subtotal 317 Indian single-seaters. subtotal 342 All single-seaters. _____________________________________________________________________ Ajeet (T) 2 Ajeet trainer, never produced.

Gnat T.1 105 Gnat trainer. subtotal 107 Two-seaters. _____________________________________________________________________ TOTAL 449 _____________________________________________________________________ The actual total may be somewhat less. Some of the aircraft listed here as new-build may have been recycled and so there may be a bit of "double counting". [4] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY * There were a number of unbuilt Gnat concepts. A navalized Gnat, with the wing of the trainer, plus arresting gear and other carrier kit, was considered briefly. More consideration was given in the mid-1950s to the "Fo.143 Gnat Mark 2", which featured a thinner wing -- 6% thick instead of the 8% thick wing of the standard Gnat fighter -- plus an afterburning Orpheus engine in a longer fuselage, enlarged engine intakes, more internal tankage, and (in maturity) an AI.23 radar system in a fatter nose. The Gnat Mark 2 would have been capable of Mach 1.28 at altitude and the Air Ministry was interested, with Folland going so far as to build a wing for a prototype.

The project went no further, mainly because the RAF still didn't have a requirement for the Gnat, even one that was capable of cracking Mach 1. Further refinements were considered along such lines. The "Gnat Mark 4" had a redesigned 6% wing, featuring full-span flaps to improve takeoff and landing handling, and a top speed of Mach 1.5. The "Gnat Mark 5" was a series of designs, ultimately featuring twin afterburning Rolls-Bristol RB.153 engines, improved aerodynamics that resulted in only a general resemblance to the original Gnat, and a top speed of Mach 2.4. Nothing came of these notions. The final and most spectacular redesign was a Mach 2 variable geometry ("swing wing") machine, the Folland "Fo.148", that was intended as a trainer, air superiority fighter, or light strike aircraft. The wings were to have full-span leading-edge flaps and slotted trailing edge flaps; there would be a single stores pylon on each side of the fuselage. It was to have been powered by an afterburning RB.153 engine with a thrust reverser.

The Fo.148 was said to have been the last aircraft design to bear a Folland designation before the company was absorbed into the Hawker-Siddeley group. It was an interesting design, and it is a bit of shame it never flew. * As concerns copyrights and permissions for this document, all illustrations and images credited to me are public domain. I reserve all rights to my writings. However, if anyone does want to make use of my writings, just contact me, and we can chat about it. I'm lenient in giving permissions, usually on the basis of being properly credited. * Sources include: THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 20TH CENTURY WEAPONS AND WARFARE, edited by Bernard Fitzsimons, 1978 edition. MODERN WARPLANES, by Doug Richardson, Crescent Books, 1982. THE COMPLETE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD AIRCRAFT, edited by Paul Eden and Soph Moeng, Barnes & Noble, 2002. BRITISH SECRET PROJECTS by Tony Buttler, Midland Publishing, 2000.

Various small pieces of information were found in other sources such as JANE'S ALL THE WORLD AIRCRAFT, but no one of them added more than one or two pieces to the puzzle, and so I have not cited them. * Revision history: v1.0 / 01 nov 99 v1.1 / 01 sep 00 / Cleanup, minor changes. v1.2.0 / 01 jan 03 / Cosmetic update. v1.2.1 / 01 jan 05 / Review & polish. v1.2.2 / 01 feb 06 / Review & polish. v1.2.3 / 01 jan 08 / Review & polish. v1.2.4 / 01 dec 09 / Review & polish. v1.2.5 / 01 nov 11 / Review & polish. v1.2.6 / 01 oct 13 / Review & polish. v1.2.7 / 01 sep 15 / Review & polish.

RAF - Aircraft between 1946 and present Aircraft between 1946 and present Picture: Lightning landing.

Aircraft types first flown between 1946 and present - Either used or tested by the Royal Air Force Post World War II, Cold War 1945 –1991, Present De Havilland Canada Chipmunk UK - 1946 - (Trainer) Handley Page Hastings - 1946 (Four-engined piston transport) Handley Page Marathon - 1946 (Four-engined piston navigation trainer) Percival Prentice - 1946 (Single-engined piston trainer) Auster Antarctic UK – 1947 Boulton Paul Balliol UK – 1947 Bristol Sycamore - 1947 (Single-engined communications helicopter) North American Sabre -1947 (Single-engined jet fighter/interceptor) Vickers Valetta - 1947 (Twin-engined (piston) transport) Avro Athena UK – 1948 Hiller HT2 - 1948 (Single-engined land rescue helicopter) Saro Skeeter - 1948 (Helicopter) Avro Shackleton - 1949 (Four-engined piston maritime patrol

) De Havilland Comet UK - 1949 - (Arliner) De Havilland Venom - 1949 (Single-engined jet night fighter) English Electric Canberra UK - 1949 - (Bomber) Hawker Typhoon - 1949 (Single-engined piston fighter) Vickers Varsity - 1949 (Twin-engined (piston) crew trainer) Blackburn Beverley UK – 1950 De Havilland Heron - 1950 (Four-engined piston communications) Percival Provost - 1950 (Single-engined piston trainer) Scottish Aviation Pioneer - 1950 (Single-engined piston liaison) Westland Dragonfly - 1950 (Single-engined piston helicopter) Gloster Javelin - 1951 (Twin-engined jet fighter/interceptor) Hawker Hunter - 1951 (Single-engined jet fighter/fighter-bomber) Vickers Valiant - 1951 (Four-engined strategic bomber) Handley Page Victor - 1952 (Four-engined jet strategic bomber) Hunting Percival Pembroke -

 1953 (Twin-engined light transport) Westland Whirlwind - 1953 (Single-engined helicopter) Auster AOP UK – 1954 BAC Jet Provost - 1954 (Single-engined jet trainer) English Electric Lightning - 1954 (Twin-engined jet fighter/interceptor) Lockheed Hercules - 1954 (Four-engined turboprop transport) Supermarine Swift - 1954 (Single-engined jet) Folland Gnat - 1955 (Single-engined jet trainer) Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer - 1955 (Twin-engined piston transport) Bristol Britannia UK - 1956 (medium/long-range airliner) Blackburn Buccaneer UK - 1958 (strike aircraft) Westland Wessex - 1958 (radio and navigator training) Westland Wessex - 1958 (Twin-engined transport helicopter) Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 - 1959 Beagle Husky - 1960 (Single-engined piston trainer) Hawker Siddeley Kestrel - 196

0 (Single-engined fighter, ground-attack aircraft/experimental) Beagle Basset UK - 1961 Gnat T.1 - Kits - Britmodeller.com Gnat T.1 This site uses cookies!

Learn More This site uses cookies! You can find a list of those cookies here: mysite.com/cookies By continuing to use this site, you agree to allow us to store cookies on your computer. :) Folland Gnat T.1 1:72 Airfix Folland Aircraft is not a name that springs to mind when asked to name a British Aircraft manufacturing company. The company was formally known as British Marine Aircraft Ltd. Following an abortive attempt to manufacture the Sikorsky S42 under licence it was sold to Mr Henry P Folland in 1937. Mr Folland was the ex-chief designer of the Gloster aircraft Company. During the war years Folland made parts for the Spitfire, Blenheim, Beaufort, Wellington, and Mosquito. W.E.W Petter joined Folland as Managing director in 1950. Earlier he had designed such classics as the Lysander, Canberra, and Lightning. He was instrumental in developing the Folland Midge, a prototype lightweight jet fighter; this in turn led to the Folland Gnat. Petter believed that a small, simple fighter would offer the advantages of low purchase and operational cost.

Together with new turbojet engines being developed this allowed the Midge/Gnat to take shape. The design was originally a private venture. The RAF did not order any fighter versions, but they were ordered by Finland, India and Yugoslavia. Later the Gnat was modified to an RAF requirement for a trainer aircraft in 1957 with an order as early as 1958. The major user of the RAF Gnat was the 4 Flying training school at RAF Valley, and the Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington. The Gnat had the distinction of serving with both the Yellow Jacks & Red Arrows Aerobatic teams with the RAF. The Gnat was finally replaced by the Hawker Siddley Hawk, which was a little apt, as Hawker Siddley had purchased Folland in 1959. The first thing that strikes you about the new Airfix kit is the price! £5.99. For a new tool aircraft kit this has to be good news. The second thing that struck me was a touch of nostalgia. An end opening box, decal placement/painting instructions on the back, reminds me of the kits I picked up from the corner shop.

As mentioned, in a departure from their normal boxes, Airfix has issued the Gnat in an box which opens up at the ends. There is some rather nice artwork from Adam Tooby on the front, and the painting / decal instructions for the one marking option on the back. In this quite compact box you get two sprues of light grey plastic. Here you can appreciate just how small the Gnat was, and at 155mm x 102mm it’s a small model. Airfix have done an admirable job in this scale, as there are enough parts for the enthusiast and not too many as to put of younger modellers. There have been some comments that the seats are quite bare, however having seen an actually Folland seat they are not that far off! The panel lines seem much more restrained when compare to their Sabre kit which is nice. The main wing top is in one part, which is nice so you don’t have that traditional butt joint you normally have with aircraft wings. The canopy is again bagged separately, which is nice. It seems clear and captures the curving shape of the real one accurately.

Instructions are the standard Airfix affair, with a black & white Decal guide to be used for the markings on the back of the box. When it comes to marking options there is only one option included. This is Aircraft XP530 from the RAF Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington, which was painted in High Speed Silver & Day-Glo Orange. Airfix would have you use Humbrol 11 & 209 for these colours, which from what I have seen, work faily well. Conclusion Its quite surprising what Airfix have done here for £5.99. We have a new tool of an aircraft the RAF used for training for 15 years. Some have said the box could have been bigger, and maybe another decal option offered? No doubt this could have been done but probably at extra cost? I welcome more entry-level models like this as surely for the hobby to grow we need more modern quality tooled entry-level models for entry-level modellers.

Edit: After this review was written I now see Airfix offer the Gnat in a Starter Set boxing with Red Arrow decals for £7.99 Gnat T.1 Folland Gnat - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Folland Gnat Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics Top rankings for Folland Gnat 13rd From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Gnat Folland Gnat T Mk1 during a display at Kemble Air Day, England , in 2008 Role HAL Ajeet The Folland Gnat was a small, swept-wing British subsonic jet trainer and light fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Air Force , and flown extensively by the Indian Air Force . It was designed by W.E.W. Petter , and first flew in 1955. Its design was such that it could be built without specialised tools by countries that were not highly industrialised .

[1] [2] Although never used as a fighter by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the "Gnat T.1" trainer variant was widely used. The Gnat became well known as the mount for the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic team. The Gnat also achieved export success, particularly with India , the largest foreign operator who manufactured the aircraft under license. India then developed the HAL Ajeet , a modified and improved variant. Contents 10 External links Design and development The Gnat was the creation of W.E.W. "Teddy" Petter , a British aircraft designer formerly of Westland Aircraft and English Electric . Designed to meet the 1952 Operational Requirement OR.303 calling for a lightweight fighter, Petter believed that a small, simple fighter would offer the advantages of low purchase and operational costs. New lightweight turbojet engines that were being developed enabled the concept to take shape. [1] Petter 's first design resulted in the private venture Folland Midge which had a short lifespan, but served as a proof-of-concept design. A privately owned Folland Gnat.

The Midge first flew on 11 August 1954 but was destroyed in a crash on 20 September 1955. The Gnat, being developed in parallel with the Midge, was an improved version of the original fighter design, differentiated by larger air intakes and provision for a 30 mm Aden cannon in each intake lip. [3] One of the hallmarks of the Gnat's design was its compact size. However, to achieve such a size, its systems were closely packed, making maintenance more difficult. Some of its systems were not noted for their reliability and the aircraft suffered from high operating costs. There were also concerns that its cockpit was cramped and obstructed the instructor's forward visibility. [4] Furthermore, the limited weapons load and reduced fuel capacity – both designed to reduce overall kerb weight – meant that it could not operate for protracted periods . Despite the shortcomings, the Gnat and its predecessor the Folland Midge were praised by the RAF evaluation and the test pilots in the 1955 Gnat Flight Development Team that included a pilot from India.

The lower cost of the Gnat, its compact dimensions, as well as "good press" for the aircraft in air shows , were among the factors that prompted a spurt in its export sales. [5] An article in the October 1953 edition of the Joint Services Recognition Journal, the monthly publication of the Royal Observer Corps , reported on a lecture in which Mr Petter explained his philosophy for a Light Fighter: THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIGHT FIGHTER One of Great Britain's leading aircraft designers believes that a small, light jet fighter, can be built at about one-third the weight of a conventional fighter, and that therefore almost five times as many can be produced in a given time and at a quarter the cost. It will be a day fighter only, but capable of meeting any expected attack by fighters or bombers. The designer, Mr. W. E. W. Petter, designer of the Canberra, has already announced that his company, Folland Aircraft, is building a prototype light fighter as a private venture, called the Gnat. Although the details of the Gnat are secret, Mr.

Petter has now explained the" philosophy" of the light fighter in a lecture in which he contrasts a theoretical small jet weighing 5,500 Ibs. with a conventional aircraft weighing three times as much, but having the same performance. There is nothing expendable about the light fighter- it is a conventional swept-wing fighter, with an all flying tail, good fuel capacity, radio, guns, an ejector seat and a conventional undercarriage. But it is very small. For a given sum of £6m, it is estimated that it would be possible to buy 900 of the small fighters as against 215 of the larger-that is rather over four times as many. In terms of the labour which goes into production, the light fighter shows up even more favourably - the 1,000th light fighter would take an overall time of 5,750 man hours to build, while in the same time only 200 conventional fighters would be built and the last would take 28,300 man hours to construct - that is, five times as many.

The cost of the 200th large aircraft would be £21,000 against £5,350 for the smaller at the same point in time. Design Comparison Mr. Petter says it may be asked how the small fighter, if it is to have the same performance, can carry an effective load of fuel and equipment. The answer he gives is that because the structure, the engine and the miscellaneous services can all be lighter for the small aircraft without sacrifice of performance or strength, then the smaller aircraft can be designed to carry a proportionately heavier load. For the theoretical light fighter the weight of fuel, armament, etc, is 42 per cent of the total weight, as compared with only 33 per cent on the heavier machine. There are other design features which mean less weight. For instance, on the light fighter the under- carriage can be retracted into the fuselage, which is impossible on bigger fighters with a wider wing span. There is also room in the fuselage for all the fuel needed. These two features mean that the small fighter's wing can be built in one strong, light piece, and stiffened internally by separate stringers running the length of the wing.

Internal structures, similarly, can be grouped into single die forgings instead of the several fittings needed in a larger aircraft. Should the light fighter be operated from aircraft carriers, the small span would enable it to be built without folding wings-another weight and cost-saving feature. Greater Simplicity There are other important "simplifications" in the various systems of Mr. Petter's hypothetical light fighter. The hydraulic system powers an undercarriage which is also an airbrake system-either it is fully down for landing or partly down as an airbrake. Because of its comparatively low wing loading, no flaps are necessary. There is a moving tail which is power-controlled, but the ailerons and rudder are worked directly since the aerodynamic loads on the smaller surfaces are well within the pilot's strength. The pressurization system for the small fighter would be a matter of feeding air through a cooler to a mixing valve, so that the pilot could select any type of air needed. This is much simpler than on a conventional fighter, but it is claimed to be suited for the greater majority of European operations except possibly for prolonged flying at extreme speeds at very low level. The armament would be two 20 or 30 mm.

guns or four .5 in. guns, and adequate ammunition. There would be wide-range radio facilities, some form of navigational aid, and possibly radar ranging for the guns. There would be a lightweight ejector seat. All this equipment would weigh about 2,250 pounds, including the pilot, which is about 40 per cent of the all-up weight of the fighter. Mr. Petter therefore believes it possible to produce a fighter which is not only easier and cheaper to make than a conventional machine, but also needs much less servicing in the field. He calls it a "practical flying weapon" which can be designed to meet just about all of the operational functions of the conventional day fighter. "Four or five times as many machines can be produced for a given cost," he says" This makes possible efficient production in many countries which might otherwise not be able to contribute to their own and N.A.T.O. defence." Operational history Royal Air Force Gnat T1 on display in 2009 Although the Gnat was evaluated by the RAF in 1958 as a possible DH Venom replacement but the Hawker Hunter was the eventual winner of the fly-off competition.

Although RAF interest waned in its possible use as a fighter, the Gnat was modified to meet the 1957 Trainer Specification T.185D that called for an advanced two-seat trainer that could transition pilots between the current DH Vampire T 11 and operational fighters such as the English Electric Lightning . After review of Folland's proposals, an initial contract for 14 modified Gnat trainers was issued in 7 January 1958. [6] The Folland Fo.144 Gnat Trainer served in the RAF as the Gnat T.Mk 1. It was notable as the demonstration aircraft of the Red Arrows aerobatic display team between 1964, when the team was formed, and 1979, when it was replaced by the Hawk T.1A. When the RAF replaced and sold off its Gnat T.1 trainers, many were bought by private collectors and subsequently appeared (along with some single-seat Gnats) in the Charlie Sheen movie Hot Shots! . ex- RAF Folland Gnat T.Mk1 during a display at Kemble Airport , Gloucestershire , England , in 2008.

This aircraft is painted in the colours of a former RAF display team, the Yellowjacks . One of the few remaining Gnats in the UK has recently been restored to flight status at Bournemouth Airport , in Southern England. G-NATY (formerly XR537) is the only genuine former Red Arrows Gnat on the European display circuit. The aircraft can be viewed at the De Havilland Aviation hangar at Bournemouth Airport in Dorset, southern England. Like many ex-military jet aircraft, there is one (G-FRCE) based at North Weald Airfield in Essex. [7] Finland The Finnish Air Force received the first of its 13 Gnats on 30 July 1958. It was soon found to be a problematic aircraft in service and required a lot of ground maintenance. Finland considered license manufacturing the aircraft but decided not to. On 31 July 1958, the Finnish Air Force Major Lauri Pekuri broke the sound barrier for the first time in Finland at Lake Luonetjärvi with a Folland Gnat.

All Gnats were grounded on 26 August 1958 for six months after the destruction of GN-102 due to a technical error, and the aircraft soon became the subject of severe criticism. Three other aircraft were also destroyed in other accidents. The Gnats were removed from active service in 1972 when the Häme Wing moved to Rovaniemi, and when the new Saab 35 Drakens were taken into use. India Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Serving primarily with the Indian Air Force , the Gnat is credited by many independent and Indian sources to have shot down seven Pakistani Canadair Sabres (licence-built F-86s ) in the 1965 war . [8] [9] [10] [11] The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) claims only three Gnat victories over F-86s in air to air combat , [12] while two Gnats were downed by PAF fighters.

During the initial phase of the 1965 war, an IAF Gnat, piloted by Squadron Leader Brij Pal Singh Sikand, landed at an abandoned Pakistani airstrip at Pasrur and was captured by the PAF. Two F-104 Starfighters forced the Gnat down. [13] [14] [15] This Gnat is displayed as a war trophy in the Pakistan Air Force Museum, Karachi . After the ceasefire, one Pakistani Cessna O-1 was shot down on 16 December 1965 by a Gnat. [16] Bangladesh Liberation War 1971 Gun camera stills released by the Indian Air Force show F/L M.A. Ganapathy's Gnat scoring hits on F/O Khalil Ahmed's Canadair Sabre during the Battle of Boyra , 1971 Indo-Pak war The Gnats were used again by India in the Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan. [17] [18] The most notable action was the Battle of Boyra where the first dogfights over East Pakistan ( Bangladesh ) took place.

The IAF Gnats downed two PAF Canadair Sabres in minutes and badly damaged one. The Pakistan Air Force claims that one Gnat was shot down, which was proved incorrect. Another notable dogfight involving a Gnat was over Srinagar airfield where a lone Indian pilot held out against six Sabres, [19] scoring hits on two of the Sabres in the process, [20] [21] before being overwhelmed. Gnat pilot Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was posthumously honoured with Param Vir Chakra (India's highest gallantry award), becoming the only member of the IAF to be given the award. "Sabre Slayer" By the end of 1971, the Gnat proved to be a frustrating opponent for the technically superior Sabres and had lived up to its Indian Air Force nickname of "Sabre Slayers" since all its combat "kills" during the two wars were against Sabres. [22] [23] The Canadair Sabre Mk 6 was widely regarded as the best dogfighter of its era.

[8] [24] [25] Tactics called for Gnats taking on the Sabres in the vertical arena, where they were at a disadvantage. Moreover, because the Gnat was lightweight and compact in shape, it was hard to see, especially at low levels where most of the dogfights took place. [11] Apart from air defence operations, the aircraft performed multiple roles in the Bangladesh Liberation War , being used in anti-shipping operations, ground attack , bomber/transport escort and close air support with devastating effects on the PAF. [17] [18] The success of the indigenously produced Gnats against the more sophisticated Pakistani-flown planes was viewed as a significant achievement. [26] The IAF were impressed by the Gnat's performance in the two wars, but the aircraft had problems including hydraulics and unreliable control systems. To address these issues, the IAF issued a requirement for an improved "Gnat II" in 1972, at first specifying that the new version was to be optimized as an interceptor, but then expanding the specification to include the ground-attack role.

Over 175 of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited -built licensed version, the Ajeet ("Unconquerable"), were produced in Bangalore , while about 40 were purchased directly from Folland. Gnats served in India from 1958-1978, and several remain in use in private hands. Some IAF Gnats, one of which had participated in the 1971 war in East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh ), were presented to the Bangladesh Air Force . [27] Variants The third prototype of the Gnat T.1, XM693 at the SBAC show in 1961, showing the short nose of the early aircraft. It now guards the old Folland plant at Hamble , though painted as a Red Arrows aircraft. Fo.141 Gnat : Single seat lightweight fighter aircraft. Gnat F.1 : Single-seat lightweight fighter version for Finland and India. This was also built in India under license as the HAL Gnat. HAL Ajeet : Single-seat Mark. 2 development of the Gnat F.1 HAL Ajeet Trainer : Two-seat tandem trainer version for the Indian Air Force .

This version was derived from the HAL Ajeet and differed considerably from the Gnat T.1 used by the RAF Fo. 144 Gnat trainer : Two-seat advanced trainer aircraft. Gnat T.1 : Two-seat advanced trainer version for the RAF. Operators Yugoslavia SFR Yugoslav Air Force received only two aircraft, construction numbers FL14 and FL17, machines originally marked as G-39-8 and G-39-9 respectively, and became Yugoslav AF inventory registration numbers 11601 and 11602. They were used for evaluation and tests by VOC (Flight test center). Survivors Folland Gnat T1 'XR572/N572XR' in the markings of the RAF Red Arrows at the Jeffco open house in June 2006. A number of Gnats survive including a number of airworthy examples (particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom) and others on public display: Gnat F1 XK724 is on display at the RAF Museum Cosford , Shropshire, England. Gnat F1 XK741 is on display at the Midland Air Museum , Coventry, England painted in Finnish colours.

^ Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Great Book of Fighters. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3. The initial version of this article was based on a public domain article from Greg Goebel's Vectorsite. Bibliography Bingham, Victor. Folland Gnat – Red Arrow and Sabre Slayer. Hailsham, East Sussex, UK: J&KH Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-900511-78-9. Burnet, Charles. "Folland's (G)Natty Fighters." AIR Enthusiast Twenty-four, April-July 1984. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1984. Chopra, Pushpindar. "Fly with a Sting." Air International, Volume 7, no. 2, August 1974. Ross, Andrew L. The Political Economy of Defense: Issues and Perspectives. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1991. ISBN 0-31326-462-7.

Spick, Mike. Illustrated Directory of Fighters. Osceola, Wisconsin: Zenith Press, 2002. ISBN 0-76031-343-1. Taylor, John W.R. "Folland Gnat." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2. Willis, David. "The Folland Gnat. (Database)" Aeroplane, September 2008. External links British Aircraft Models Models Made In an age where Britain appears to manufacture very little, it is sad to think that only a few generations ago, we were a leading light in many key industries. One of the main ones was aviation. The British aerospace industry made many important contributions to the history of aircraft. It was solely or jointly responsible for the development and production of the first aircraft with an enclosed cabin (the Avro Type F). The first jet aircraft to enter service for the Allies in the Second World War (the Gloster Meteor). The first commercial jet airliner to enter service (the De Havilland Comet).

The first aircraft capable of supercruise (the English Electric Lightning) . The first supersonic commercial jet airliner to enter service (the Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde). The first fixed-wing V/STOL combat aircraft to enter service (the Hawker Siddeley Harrier). Avro Vulcan B Mk2 XH558.jpg Avro Lancaster MI.jpg Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.14_12_11.JPG Unfortunatley, within a few short decades, company mergers and closures, spelt the end for great names such as Armstrong Whitworth, Avro, Blackburn, Boulton Paul, De-Havilland, English Electric, Fairey, Folland, Gloster, Handley Page, Hawker, Miles, Saunders-Roe, Supermarine and Vickers, to name but a few! With their demise, old nostalgics like myself are left looking back at what we used to have and what we had achieved over the last 100 years. For me, this appears to have manifested itself in some unexpected, love of building scale models of British military aircraft.

This was something that really passed me by as a youngster but now as a "big kid", I love it! I started like most with a Spitfire and then other WWII RAF planes. I then found myself lured by the RAF and Fleet Air Arm 'hot jets' of the 50’s and 60’s. I even did what I said I never would..... and have dabbled in a few Pre WWII bi-planes. (Very fiddly!) Basically I will now build anything. My only criteria is that it must have been built by us Brits, or in the case of some of the imports that deserve a nod, flown by Brits. If you are looking at this site to see fantastic high quality model builds, you may be in the wrong place! I am the first to admit that I am not the best model maker, far from it. My aim with my both my models and this site, is to catalogue a good percentage of the many fantastic and groundbreaking aircraft to hail from this tiny little island of ours and the different model kits of them that have been produced.

Obviously not all the British planes are currently in production by today's model manufacturers so there is a fair bit of fun on sites such as eBay, overpaying for old, rare, out of print kits. Some of these vary in quality immensely, but it is sometimes the only way to obtain some of the fantastic ‘forgotten warriors’ of Britain’s past. Want to include your builds on the site? If you have any model builds that you would like to include on the site, the more the merrier! Please feel free to email me any pictures and details and I will happily add them to the "Your Projects" section of the site Please send your submissions here Please include your details, the make of the kit, the make and version of the aircraft, the scale and some photographs and we will add it to the site B.A.M. Merchandise British Aircraft Models are proud to be able to offer a range of merchandise, courtesy of our friends at Embroidery 4U We can offer Polo Shirts, T-shirts, Fleeces, Hoodies, Bags e.t.c with the B.A.M Logo. We can also personalise the garment with your name, or name of your favourite aircraft. Ideal for gifts!

If you have any idividual, bespoke requests, let us know exactly what you are loking for and we can provide you with a quote. Contact Folland Midge | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The Midge and Gnat were the creation of W.E.W. "Teddy" Petter , a British aircraft designer who had gained wide recognition for his design of the English Electric Canberra bomber and Lightning supersonic interceptor. Petter had grown suspicious of the trend towards bigger and more expensive combat aircraft, and he felt that a small, simple fighter would offer the advantages of low purchase and operational costs. New lightweight turbojet engines were being developed that would be able to power such small fighters. [2] Petter was unable to pursue this vision at English Electric, so he left to become managing director of Folland Aircraft . In 1951, using company funds, he began work on his lightweight fighter concept, which was designated the "Fo-141 Gnat" . The Gnat was to be powered by a Bristol BE-22 Saturn turbojet with 3,800 lbf (16.9 kN 1,724 kgp) thrust.

However, the Saturn was cancelled, and so Petter's unarmed proof-of-concept demonstrator for the Gnat was powered by the less powerful Armstrong Siddeley Viper 101 with 1,640 lbf (7.3 kN / 744 kgp) thrust. The demonstrator was designated Fo-139 "Midge". The Midge, serial number G-39-1, first flew on 11 August 1954 from Boscombe Down , Wiltshire, with Teddy Tennant at the controls, and proved to be an excellent aircraft. [2] The Midge had a number of advanced features, such as hydraulically powered "flaperons", main gear that could be used as airbrakes, and a one-piece canopy that hinged over an inner armoured windscreen. Despite the low powered engine, the little jet could break Mach 1 in a dive and was very agile. [2] The Midge was evaluated by pilots from Canada, India, Jordan, New Zealand, and the US Air Force, and was almost universally praised.

The Midge had performed a total of 220 flights when it was destroyed in a fatal crash on 26 September 1955, with a Swiss pilot at the controls. [3] However, the Midge had demonstrated that Petter's lightweight fighter concept had much going for it. Folland went on to develop a full-scale Gnat prototype, also using company funds. [2] Original film footage of the Midge can be seen in the 1956 British science fiction film "Satellite in the Sky". The Midge portrays a fictional jet fighter used to test an experimental rocket fuel. Specifications Data from The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft [4] General characteristics

Question: Which British aircraft company made the original Gnat jet trainer?
Answer: Folland