Percival Proctor

Infobox Aircraft
name=Percival Proctor


caption=RAF Percival Proctor I
type=Radio trainer/Communications aircraft
manufacturer=Percival Aircraft Limited
designer=Edgar Percival
first flight=8 October 1939
introduced=
retired=1955
status=
primary user=RAF
more users=Fleet Air Arm
produced=
number built=1,143
unit cost=
developed from=Percival Vega Gull
variants with their own articles=The Percival Proctor was a British radio trainer and communications aircraft of the Second World War. The Proctor was a single-engine, low-wing monoplane with seating for three or four, depending on the model.

Design and development

The Proctor was developed from the Percival Vega Gull in response to Air Ministry Specification 20/38 for a radio trainer and communications aircraft. The prototype first flew on 8 October 1939 Thetford, Owen. "Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1918-57, 1st edition". London: Putnam, 1957. and the type was put into production for the RAF and RN. While the prototype was tested as an emergency bomber during 1940, plans for use of the Proctor as a bomber were abandoned as the invasion threat receded.

Operational history

The Proctor was initially employed as a three-seat communications aircraft (Proctor I). This was followed by the "Proctor II" and "Proctor III" three-seat radio trainers.

In 1941, the Air Ministry issued Specification T.9/41 for a four-seat radio trainer. The P.31 - originally known as the "Preceptor" but finally redesignated the Proctor IV - was developed for this requirement with an enlarged fuselage. One Proctor IV was fitted with a 250-hp (157-kW) Gipsy Queen engine. This was used as a personal transport by AVM Sir Ralph Sorley but production models retained the 210-hp (157-kW) motor of earlier marks.

At the end of the war, many Proctors of the early marks were sold onto the civil market. The Mk IV soldiered on until the last was withdrawn in 1955. In 1945, a civil model derived from the Proctor IV was put into production as the Proctor 5. The RAF purchased four of these for use by air attachés.

The final model of the line was the solitary Proctor 6 floatplane sold to the Hudson's Bay Company in 1946.

Variants

;P.28 Proctor I:Three-seat communications aircraft, 247 built.;P.30 Proctor II:Three-seat radio trainer, 175 built.;P.34 Proctor III:Three-seat radio trainer, 437 built.;P.31 Proctor IV:Four-seat radio trainer with enlarged fuselage, 258 built.;Proctor 5:Four-seat civil light aircraft, 150 built. RAF designation was Proctor C.Mk 5;Proctor 6:Floatplane version, 1 built.

Operators

;BEL
*Belgian Air Force operated six Percival P.31C Proctor 4s between June 1947 and July 1954.;UK:
*Royal Air Force
**No. 24 Squadron RAF
**No. 31 Squadron RAF
**No. 117 Squadron RAF
**No. 173 Squadron RAF
**No. 267 Squadron RAF
**No. 510 Squadron RAF
*Fleet Air Arm

urvivors

Two Percival Proctor IIIs "Z7197" - RAF Museum, Hendon on display and "LZ766" at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford in restoration and one Proctor IV "NP294" at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby (also in restoration) are surviving airframes.

Proctor Mk 111 G-ALJF and Proctor Mk IV G-ANXR (RAF number RM221) are both airworthy and based at Biggin Hill. Proctor Mk 111 G-AOGE has been at Biggin Hill for at least 20 years, the airframe has been completely restored over this time with much new wood and modern glue however it has lain in the corner of one of the hangers for the last five-six years awaiting the finances to restore its engine.

In 1968, three Proctors - Mk I, "G-AIEY"; Mk III, "G-ALOK" and Mk 5, "G-AIAE" - were remodelled with cranked wings and other cosmetic alterations to represent Junkers Ju 87s in the MGM film "Battle of Britain". [ Jackson, A.J. "British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 3". London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.]

pecifications (Proctor I-III)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop

ref=The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War IIMondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.]
crew=2/1
capacity=1/2
length main= 28 ft 2 in
length alt= 8.59 m
span main= 39 ft 6 in
span alt= 12.04 m
height main= 7 ft 3 in
height alt= 2.21 m
area main= 202 ft²
area alt= 18.77 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 2,375 lb
empty weight alt= 1,075 kg
loaded weight main=lb
loaded weight alt= kg
useful load main= lb
useful load alt= kg
max takeoff weight main= 1,588 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 3,500 kg
more general=

engine (prop)=de Havilland Gipsy Queen II
type of prop=2-blade
number of props=1
power main= 210-hp
power alt= 157-kW
power original=
max speed main= 139 knots
max speed alt= 160 mph, 257 km/h
cruise speed main= 122 knots
cruise speed alt= 140 mph, 225 km/h
never exceed speed main= knots
never exceed speed alt= mph, km/h
stall speed main= 42 knots
stall speed alt= 48 mph, 77 km/h "Air Transport Auxiliary Ferry Pilots Notes (reproduction)". Elvington, York, UK: Yorkshire Air Museum, 1996. ISBN 0-9512379-8-5.]
stall speed more= (flaps down)
range main= 435 nm
range alt= 500 mi, 805 km
ceiling main= 14,000 ft
ceiling alt= 4,265 m
climb rate main= 700 ft/min
climb rate alt= 3.6 m/s
loading main= lb/ft²
loading alt= kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= hp/lb
power/mass alt= W/kg
more performance=

armament=none

avionics=

ee also

aircontent

related=
*Percival Gull
*Percival Vega Gull
*Youngman-Baynes High Lift
similar aircraft=
*Messerschmitt Bf 108
*Miles Mercury
*Miles Messenger

sequence=

lists=
*List of aircraft of the RAF
*List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm

see also=

References

Notes

Bibliography

* 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 1-4)." Aeroplane Monthly, Vol. 11, No. 1-4, January-April 1983.

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=675 Percival Proctor]
* [http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/PERCIVAL%20PROCTOR.htm British Aircraft of World War II: Percival Proctor]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05hvzRn0IZE Percival Proctor Video]