Gnosspelius Gull
Short Brothers · United Kingdom · first flew 1923 · light aircraft
The Gnosspelius Gull was a 1920s British experimental ultra-light monoplane designed by Major O. T. Gnosspelius and built by Short Brothers at Rochester for the 1923 Lympne light aircraft trials.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Circular section monocoque fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat high-wing monoplane
- Circular section monocoque fuselage
- A single engine driving two pusher propellers by chains
A 679 cc Blackburne Tomtit V-twin motorcycle engine drove a pair of 4 ft (1.2 m) diameter pusher propellers through chains.
Specifications
- The Gnosspelius Gull has a length of 5.94 m (19 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.07 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 110 km/h (68 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The first aircraft first flew on 26 May 1923 with Short test pilot John Lankester Parker at the controls. The design used a small step in the upper surface of the wing at its thickest point to reduce drag.
Variants
Two were built by Shorts. The second was unregistered and flew at Lympne as No. 19.
Where you'll see it
The second aircraft crashed at Cramlington on 18 June 1926, killing the pilot.
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