Gloster Grouse
Gloster Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1923 · light aircraft
The Gloster Grouse was a British single-seat light biplane of 1923, designed primarily for air racing and demonstrating Gloster's early prowess in high-performance small aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Small streamlined fuselage with radial engine |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- 1920s British single-seat racing biplane
- Short-span single-bay wings optimised for speed
- Small streamlined fuselage with radial engine
A neat single-bay biplane with closely stacked wings, a round-cowled radial engine, and a streamlined wooden fuselage — typical of early Gloster lightplane design.
Specifications
- The Gloster Grouse has a length of 6.2 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.48 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 193 km/h (120 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Built by the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company (soon renamed Gloster), the Grouse appeared in a period when British air racing was flourishing. It was used to evaluate light engines and assess performance for future Gloster racing designs.
Variants
Two or three examples were built with different engine fits; no production series followed.
Where you'll see it
The Grouse was used in private hands and racing circles; it did not enter military service.
Related aircraft
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