| Gloster VI | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Racing seaplane Type of aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Gloster |
| Introduction | 1929 |
| Primary user | Royal Air Force,High Speed Flight |
| Number built | 2 |
TheGloster VI was a racing seaplane developed as a contestant for the 1929Schneider Trophy by theGloster Aircraft Company.
The aircraft was known as theGolden Arrow, partly in reference to its colour, the distinctive three-lobed cowling of the 'broad-arrow'Napier Lion engine, but also to another contemporary Lion-powered record-breaker,Henry Segrave'sGolden Arrowland speed record car.
The Gloster VI wasGloster's final evolution of a series of racing floatplanes, designed specifically for theSchneider Trophy. It progressed from theGloster II, through the successfulGloster III (placed 2nd in 1925), andGloster IVbiplanes. WhileHenry Folland, Gloster's chief designer commenced work on a further revised biplane, the Gloster V, to enter the 1929 competition,centre of gravity problems led to the design being discarded and this meant amonoplane configuration was chosen for the new design.[1]
The Gloster VI was a low-winged braced monoplane. An obvious feature in photographs is the way that the wing roots tapered so as toreduce in thickness, designed to increase lateral control at low speeds.[2] It retained theNapier Lion engine that had powered the previous Gloster racers, but with power boosted to 1,320 hp (985 kW) bysupercharging. Engine cooling was via thin surface radiators on each wing.[3]
Two aircraft, withserial numbersN249 &N250 were built, the first flying on 25 August 1929 and the second on 31 August.[4] The aircraft showed promise and high speed but had problems with fuel supply when banking, which led to engine cut-outs. For such a risky business as low-altitude air-racing, this was an unacceptable risk and the aircraft were withdrawn from competition in the 1929 Schneider Trophy, leaving the way clear for theSupermarine S.6 to win.[5]An alternative theory for the withdrawal is rumoured to have been an accident to the lorry delivering the engines fromNapier and insufficient time to repair the damage until the day after.[6]
On 10 September 1929, the day after theSupermarine S.6 had won the Trophy,N249 returned to flight.Flight LieutenantGeorge Stainforth flew it over a measured mile course for a top speed of 351.3 mph and a ratified world absolute speed record, averaged over four runs of 336.3 mph.[2] This record was held only briefly, as a later run bySquadron LeaderAugustus Orlebar in the S.6 managed to raise it over 350 mph. During the final Schneider Trophy in 1931, the Gloster VI was still in service with theHigh Speed Flight as a trainer.[7]
Data from[8]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
