Percival Gull

Infobox Aircraft
name=Percival Gull


caption=Jean Batten's Percival Gull on display at Auckland International Airport
type=Touring aircraft, Racing aircraft
manufacturer=Percival Aircraft Company
designer=Edgar Percival
first flight=8 July 1932
introduced=
primary user=
produced=1932-1938
number built=
unit cost=
developed from =
variants with their own articles=Percival Vega Gull

The Percival Gull was a British low-wing, wood-and-fabric monoplane, built by Percival Aircraft Company of Gravesend (later to become Hunting Aircraft) first flown in 1932. It was powered by an air-cooled in-line engine. It led to the Percival Proctor. A racing development led to the single-seat Percival Mew Gull, flown in the King's Cup by Alex Henshaw.

Design and development

Famed race and test pilot Edgar Percival's interest in aircraft technology led him to design the Saro Percival Mail Carrier (1930), one of a series of collaborative projects with Saunders Roe Ltd. Having had interests in the company which he sold in 1932, Percival began searching for an established manufacturer to produce a "light" aeroplane that he had designed which he called the "Percival Gull." Finding no company willing and able to take on production, Percival consequently started his own aircraft company as the Percival Aircraft Company. In collaboration with Lt. Cdr E.B.W. Leake (who was to become co-founder of Percival Aircraft), he arranged for the prototype Gull (registered as "G-ABUR") to be produced by the Lowe-Wylde British Aircraft Company of Maidstone, Kent.

Running the business from his private address in London (20, Grosvenor Square), Percival then arranged for series production to be contracted out to George Parnal & Sons, of Yate, Gloucestershire, an arrangement that lasted two years. Percival Aircraft was officially formed in 1933. In 1934, after 24 Gulls had been produced at Parnalls, Percival set up his own factory at Gravesend Airport, Kent.

Operational history

Edgar Percival's aircraft were renowned for their graceful lines and outstanding performance. As a noted test pilot, Percival continued to fly his own creations; in 1935, he flew a Gull from England to Morocco to England winning the Oswald Watt Gold Medal. Other famous aviators were associated with Percival aircraft; in 1933, Charles Kingsford Smith flew a Percival Gull Four named Miss Southern Cross from England to Australia in the record breaking time of 7 days, 4 hours and 44 minutes. The New Zealand aviatrix, Jean Batten, also used the Percival Gull to fly from England to Australia in October 1936.

The most famous example of the Percival Gull was the long-range model used by Jean Batten for her record-breaking flights to South America and New Zealand. A fascinating aspect of the aircraft was the facilities built into it specifically for Jean Batten. For example, a skilled employee of the company (Robert H. Marsden) constructed a bespoke seat for her, complete with commode underneath.

Batten's Gull is preserved at Auckland International Airport.

A development of the Gull was the Percival Vega Gull. A pure racing derivative of the Gull series, the Percival Mew Gull, flown by other illustrious pilots such as Alex Henshaw and Tom Campbell Black, would go on to set many speed and distance records in the 1930s.

Variants

* Type D.1 Gull : Prototype.
* Type D.2 Gull : Three-seat cabin monoplane. Also known as the Gull Four. 24 built.
* Type D.3 Gull Six : Three-seat cabin monoplane, powered by 200-hp (149-kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine.

pecifications (Percival Gull)

* Span: 39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
* Length: 25ft 6 in (7.77 m)
* Wing area: 184 sq ft (17.09m2)
* Empty weight: 1,740 Ib (789 kg)
* Gross weight: 3,250 Ib (1,474 kg)
* Max speed: 174 mph (282 kmlh)
* Cruising speed: 150 mph (241 km/h)
* Ceiling: 17,000ft (5,182 m)
* Range: 660 mis (1,062 km)

References

* Ellison, Norman H. "Percivals Aircraft (The Archive Photographs Series)". Chalford, Stroud, UK: Chalford Publishing Company, 1997. ISBN 0-7524-0774-0.
* Percival, Robert. "A Portrait of Percival." "Aeroplane Monthly" Vol. 12, No. 9, September 1984".
* Silvester, John. "Percival Aircraft 1933-1954 (Parts 1)." "Aeroplane Monthly" Vol. 11, No. 1, January 1983.

External links

* [http://users.skynet.be/BAMRS/gull/gull-en.htm Percival Gull]
* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/PERCIVAL%20VEGA%20GULL.htm British Aircraft of World War II: Percival Gull]