Gloster II
Gloster Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1924 · light aircraft
The Gloster II was a British racing floatplane of the 1920s. It was a single-engined biplane built to compete in the 1924 Schneider Trophy race.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.18 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Small single-bay biplane with short-span wings
- Twin-float undercarriage, with radiators mounted on the float struts
- Closely faired Napier Lion engine in the nose
A small single-seat biplane of fabric-covered wooden construction on twin floats, powered by a closely faired Napier Lion engine.
Specifications
- The Gloster II has a length of 8.18 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.1 m (20 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Air Ministry ordered two aircraft from Gloster, developed from the earlier Gloster I racer. The first flew on 19 September 1924 and sank when its undercarriage collapsed on landing; the pilot, Hubert Broad, escaped unhurt.
Variants
Two were built. The second aircraft was converted to a landplane to test equipment for the Gloster III.
Where you'll see it
The race was postponed to 1925, so neither aircraft competed. The second aircraft was lost in a high-speed crash landing at RAF Cranwell in June 1925 after elevator flutter.
Related aircraft
- Gloster Gamecock
- Gloster Gorcock
- Gloster Grebe
- Gloster III
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- Albatros L.66
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