7th
Gloster G.60 Pioneer
The operational career of one small aircraft very rarely has the massive effect than that of the Gloster G.60 Pioneer F.Mk.1. Although only in service for around 15 months, and never facing the enemy in combat, it helped to advance the cause of the jet engine massively, laying wasted the last official opposition and creating a knowledgebase that is still being mined to this day.
As is often the case, it all began with a set of fortunate happenstance. Frank Whittle had had personal contact on a number of occasions with George Carter, Gloster’s chief Designer
In March 1938 the Air Ministry awarded Power Jets Ltd a contract for a flight ready engine, and also started looking for a company to build an aircraft for it to power. Gloster’s were fortunate that at this time there design office was in a period of slackening work load. Carter travelled to Lutterworth and was permitted to observe an engine test underway, he began design work immediately upon his return to Gloster’s at Hucclecote.
Contract SB/3229 was awarded to Gloster’s for the construction of an aircraft to specification E.28/39 on 3rd February 1940. The second paragraph of the contract stated that “The primary object of this aeroplane will be to flight test the engine installation but the design will be based on the requirements for a fixed gun interceptor fighter as far as the limitations of the size and weight imposed by the power plant permit. The armament equipment called for in this specification will not be required for the initial trials, but he contractor will be required to make provision in the design for the weight and space occupied by these items”. This equipment included 4* 0.303” machine guns, wing mounted with 2000 round of ammunition.
The airframe was laid out to be small, compact and simple. A low winged monoplane with a single fin and rudder. The centrally mounted engine was fed by nose pitol inlet, the ducts passing either side of the cockpit and the 81 Gal fuel tank, before feeding the engine sealed in its plenum chamber. The exhaust passed straight out the rear of the fuselage. Carter decided to accept the power loss of the long duct instead of the uncertainty of the air flow around a horizontal tail suspended between twin booms.
The initial construction of both prototypes (W4041 and W4046) was initiated at the Experimental Department at Hucclecote, before the threat of enemy action forced a dispersal of W4041 to the premises of Regent Motors, Cheltenham. From, there W4041 was taken by road back to Hucclecote for initial taxi trials on the 7th April 1941. A further move, again by road, to RAF Cranwell for flight trials followed. The first flight took place on the 15th May 1941.
On the 12th January 1942, Sir Henry Tizard, Chief Scientific Advisor to the RAF, wrote that “Consideration should be given to the possible use of the experimental single engined machine (E.28/39) as a fighter”. Churchill agreed, after studying the latest ULTRA intercepts and reports from agents in southern Sweden of trials at Rostock-Marienehe, on the Baltic, of the Heinkel He 280, “The Tizard Note” as it became know was stamped “Action This Day”.
The immediate response to this new urgency was to increase the pace of construction of the second prototype W.4046. This was soon followed by an order of a further 9 copies of the second airframe to be constructed in the same dispersed facilities as the first two aircraft.
W4046 took to the air 4th March 1942 from Hucclecote, and joined the first aircraft in an accelerated flight trial programme. Meanwhile the Air Ministry began the search for a suitable base for the new trials unit. It was required to be far enemy interference and isolated for security. But, it also required access to major transport routes for the supply of personnel, spares and regular updates.
The search resulted in the selection of RAF Edzell (45/NO630690) as the base for the new squadron. Situated 8 miles inland from the North-East coast of Scotland its sole occupant was No.44 MU, although it was also used as a landing ground by 8 SFTS at RAF Montrose (54/NO725600).
All the new squadron’s personnel were routed through and technically assigned to RAF Montrose, which being on the LNER East Coast Mainline, made the delivery of spares easier. Anything that had to be moved more urgently could be handled through the station at Laurencekirk village.
Additional hangerage had already been constructed in January 1941 (2 K types and 1 L type). The first of the two runways was completed 1st April 1942, just in time for the arrival of W4046, temporarily wearing the assigned squadron codes (XX-A) to attend the formation ceremony for 606 Squadron (County of Angus) RAuxAF. W4046 returned to Edgehill after the ceremony to join W4041 in flight test.
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The crest of 606 (County of Angus) Squadron RAuxAF.
It shows the county crest with the Latin moto “Per bovis vires”
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Although no Photographs are known to exist, this profile of W4046/G approximates its appearance at the time of its arrival at RAF Edzell, based on eyewitnesses.
The first aircraft actually assigned to the squadron on a permanent basis was the 3rd aircraft constructed, W4049/G (XX-B) arrived directly from Edgehill after completing its first flight on the 15th May 1942. This was the first aircraft to be fitted out with its specified armament of 4* 0.303” machine guns and a GM-1 reflector sight, and it was initially used for firing trials against airborne targets provided by No.2 flying Instructors School at RAF Montrose.
In August 1942, the aircraft was dismantled, crated and transported by road to the Clyde. Here it was loaded aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth for transport to Canada for cold weather trials. During the course of these trials it was initially found to be difficult to get the engine to start in the cold weather. It was necessary to provide warm air to the rear bearing of the engine, especially as temperatures dropped during the winter. The aircraft was operated from a number of different stations including RCAF Claresholm, Alberta and RCAF St Honore, Quebec.
Upon the completion of these trials, in spring 1943, the aircraft was once again dismantled and moved by rail to Wright Field, Ohio. Here, the aircraft was demonstrated to senior USAAC officers and was involved with comparison trials with a Bell XP-59A Airacomet. In addition, the aircraft was involved in attempts to increase its fuel capacity by trialling under wing tip drop tanks. These to be problematic as they initially failed to separate together, resulting in asymmetric handling. The fault was finally traced to poorly installed wiring in the port wing. This aircraft was handed over to the USAAC in June 1943. Its ultimate fate is unknown at this time.
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This is W4049/G at the time of the Tip tank trials at Wright Field.
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W4049/G after she was handed over to the USAAC and transferred to the Muroc Dry Lake facility. Note it is still wearing its British serial number, there is no record of any US issued.
The 4th aircraft to be delivered was W4053/G (XX-C) which arrived at Edzell 29th June 1942. This aircraft arrived with the newly developed ventral tank. This consisted of a ½ tear drop shaped installation, attached by 4 bolts under the aircrafts centre section. After completing a number of longer duration flights across country, escorted at all times by a Hurricane borrowed from RAF Montrose defence flight. After approximately 3 months of this the aircraft was returned to Hucclecote to have the machine guns removed and replaced by a pair of 20mm long barrel Hispano cannons with 120 round magazines. This resulted in the wing gaining a bulge similar to the Spitfires. Firing trials were again carried out against airborne targets. However, these were cut short when the aircraft was lost, due to bird strike, in May 1943. The aircraft had been investigating the possibility of deck trials at nearby RNAS Arbroath/HMS Condor (54/NO620435), home of 767 Sqn Deck Landing School. The pilot escaped, after ditching in the sea away from the town, after a Sea Gull was sucked in to the engine after an attempted simulated carrier take off. The wreck was quickly recovered from the sea, but was declared a write-off, the remains being destroyed for security purposes.
The 5th aircraft, W4057/G (XX-D) arrived in mid August 1942. Its ventral tank was removed, cut down and modified by the squadrons own personnel too allow the carriage of a number of practice bombs. It then carried out a series of bombing trials, both at high and low level. While aiming was difficult with GM-1 sight, the trials proved to be most successful and were extended to include the installation of a GM-II sight and dive bombing. It also gained a similar cannon installation to W4053/G following its loss. Some Army Co-operation and Close Air Support work was undertaken with the Commandos training in the Spean Bridge area.
This aircraft was forced back to Hucclecote in January 1943 after sustaining damage while carrying out operations from a grass field. The nose wheel dug in after breaking trough into a rabbit warren following a landing at Stravithie, Fife (59/NO540125). Upon its return to Edzell in July in now sported a clear vision bubble canopy, which it retained till it was declared surplice in September 1944. It was leased back to Glosters for an extended trials programme, with W4041/G and W4046/G till after the end of the war.
With the end of hostilities, this aircraft was sent off to tour Australia, Canada and New Zealand, following a request from the three air forces. While it was there the aircraft it was demonstrated at a number of airbases around each country, introducing them to the new power plant and its particular complications.
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W4057 while on her tour of Australia, Canada and New Zealand in 1945/1947.
It still wears then crest and flashes of 606 Sqn.
It was this visit that was to start a new chapter in the Pioneer story, which resulted in it finally getting to show its teeth in action in an oriental sky.
The 6th aircraft, W4061/G (XX-E) was to spend very little of its life at Edzell. Its first flight occurred on the 30th of September 1942. It was almost a month before it arrived with the squadron as it had encountered instrumentation difficulties during its shakedown trials.
Almost as soon as it had arrived at Edzell, at the end of October, it was dismantled and packed up for the long sea voyage to North Africa, arriving in Alexandria early January 1943; it was to carry out hot and high trials. After reassembly, the aircraft suffered the first of its long catalogue of engine difficulties due to sand ingestion during ground running. This resulted in the engine having to be flown by RAF Avro York back to the U.K for urgent inspection, repair and rectification. The RAF engine fitters and Whittle technicians, with the aircraft, began work on the spare engine to trying and bodge an improved filter for its rear bearing. This was partially successful, and at least allowed the trials programme to be started. It took 2 months for a new engine to arrive from the U.K, with a more effective solution. The spare engine was found to have suffered compressor damage from sand ingestion and the rear bearing was only fit for scrap.
These trials produced much useful data about the performance of jet engines at high temperatures and the effects of sand ingestion. The aircraft was eventually to return to the U.K, but it was declared surplus and scrapped in July 1944.
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W4061/G at the time of the hot weather trials in Egypt.
The 7th aircraft, W4066/G (XX-F), was to be the completed as Glosters was by now fully involved in the Meteor programme. Gloster management had taken the decision to ask the Air Ministry to terminate the contract early due to the pressure of work.
The aircraft first flew on the 24th of November 1942, and although assigned to 606 Sqn, it was never to visit Edzell. It was to spend its entire service career attached to 541(PR) Sqn at RAF Benson.
The aircraft was to only one to be fitted with a pressurised cockpit, also, its ventral tank had been modified to carry 3 camera, a 14” F.24 at the front and two 5” F.24s obliquely to the sides.
Painted to same high altitude blue as PR Spitfires, it was to carry out high altitude photo reconnaissance trials. The imagery produced was found to much clear than that from the Spitfires due to much less vibration. The aircraft was used to carry out a photographic survey of the country to help in post-war rebuilding. One of is last sorties was to carry of high altitude over flights of the Normandy beachheads area starting on D+10, once air superiority was assured.
With the rapid progress that Glosters were making with the Meteor started to result in the F.Mk.1s entering flight test, so 606 Sqn started to wind down its activities at RAF Edzell until it was finally stood down 9th October 1943. The squadron standard was taken off to RAF Cranwell to await its future reformation.
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W4066/G while attached to 541(PR) Sqn at RAF Benson circa mid 1944.
The 8th Pioneer F.Mk.1, serial number W4072/G, was incomplete when the air ministry issued the stop work order, in January 1943 that Glosters had requested.
The airframe sat for 6 months before Glosters proposed that it be completed as a trials aircraft for the other engines that were reaching flight trial stage. These were the De Havilland H.1 Goblin and the Metrovick F.2/4. Both of these would have required expensive modifications to the airframe and as a result of this and the availability of Meteor airframes for the same purpose, the proposal was quietly dropped. However, this was only after work on the fuselage to modify it to accommodate a Metro Vick F.2/4 had started, unofficially.
The design office kept the project alive, however, and moth balled the incomplete airframe while it worked on up dates and improvements. Then in late August 1944 Glosters was visited by a join Canadian/Australian/New Zealand delegation of Air Force officer, during which they spotted the incomplete airframe of W4072/G lying in a corner of the experimental workshop. George Carter explained to them the work that had been done to improve the design and that which the design team had intended to develop.
Upon the delegation reporting to their respective governments, an approach was made for a Pioneer to make a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as is explained in the entry for W4057, the 5th aircraft completed.
As the tour was underway the three governments made a joint approach to the Air Ministry and Glosters to obtain a licence to produce the Pioneer F.Mk.2.
The British Air Ministry grabbed this opportunity with both hands as it seemed to solve a number of problems. Firstly, it would lift some of the work load off Glosters as they were still weighed down by developing the Meteor. Secondly, with the crumbling of the alliance with the Soviet Union, it was felt, in Whitehall, that potential allies should be helped to strengthen their armed forces against any potential future conflicts. And with Meteors and De Havilland’s vampire in short supply, and the few that were available going to the RAF. Finally, the programme would be a much needed source of income to the country, which was in particularly perilous economic circumstance.
Avro Canada and De Havilland Australia were to build the aircraft, which were to be powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire, as they had taken over the Metro Vick F.2 programme.
Other changes were the adoption of the same clear view canopy as W4057. Additional fuel tanks were fitted in over the top of the engine, making use of the space created by the Sapphires much narrower girth compared to the Rolls Royce Welland previously installed. A new wing was also developed which was very similar to that of the late model Spitfires, with a total of 4* 20mm cannon. The greater installed power allowed the carriage of under wing stores.
The first of the Mk.2’s to fly was W4072 at Hucclecote on the19th February 1946. It completed its flight test programme at Boscombe Down before it was dismantled and shipped out to Canada to serve as a pattern aircraft. A second Mk.2 (W4073) followed it out of the factory, flying on the 25th April 1946. It also went to Boscombe Down, before being crated and shipped as the Australian pattern aircraft.
The first licence built aircraft were rolled out from the Avro Canada plant at Malton, Ontario and the De Havilland Australia factory at Bankstown, Sydney, NSW. There first flights occurring on the 17th June 1947 and the 27th November 1947 respectively. They were the first jet powered aircraft built in these respective countries.
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The first Australian built De Havilland Australia Pioneer F.Mk.2. This aircraft is now in the RAAF Museum.
In the RAAF, the RCAF and RNZAF, the Pioneer served in to the early 50’s, providing the service with much invaluable experience with the new technology of jet propulsion
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A De Havilland Australia Pioneer F.Mk.2 of the RNZAF.
RNZAF aircraft were built up from De Havilland Australia CKD’s by De Havilland New Zealand, Roagotia, Wellington
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A Pioneer F.Mk.2 serving in Korea.
All three air forces plus the RSAAF loaners served in the Korean War. One RAAF aircraft managed a Mig 15 kill flown by Sqn Ldr John ‘Maverick’ Lacey.
By mid 50’s aircraft were being passed down to Auxiliary units and/or exported to Africa and the Far East.
Tuesday 29th April
(All times are local to Saigon, this is GMT +7hrs)
Before the sun had managed to pierce the dark cloak of night, events were changing the carefully laid out plans of the Joint Commonwealth fleet.
03:30:
The guard post outside the Defence Attaché Office (DAO) compound is hit by a NVA rocket. The two US Marine guards are killed; they are the last US casualties of the war.
03:58:
An US Air Force Boeing C-130E (72-1297), of the 314th Airlift Wing USAF was hit by a rocket as it taxied to collect evacuees; this combined with further rocket fire resulted in the closing of the base. The Dutch now fell back on the British plan B. The Dutch Embassy flashed the code word ‘Westminster’ to Ark Royal to initiate the change in plan. On Bulwark, the Captain in charge of the SAS detachment was woken and asked to report to the bridge, as the rest of his men were roused.
04:30:
The NVA launched a massive artillery and rocket barrage of the city. Shells fell in the city centre sending chaos through the crowds of people at embassy gates. They also hit the American Embassy, the Presidential Palace and the airport at Tan Son Nhut.
05:40:
The first Westland Elephant HC.Mk.3 helicopters (848 Sqn FAA) lifted off as the first light of dawn speared across the sky and pierced the darkness. They made their way to the British embassy. The Canadian CV-124.Mk.1As lifted off from both destroyers and moved over to the Bulwark to embark the lead platoons of the Canadian Airborne.
Over on the Foch, a pair of Grand Rotojet lifted off with Foreign Legion onboard and made their way the French embassy. They were escorted by 3 Bell/Aerospatiale model 500 Cobra Kadets. The French Navy Bell/Aerospatiale C-145A lifted off with a C-144A with the GSG-9 onboard, heading for the West German Embassy. The remaining Cobra Kadets flew in escort.
The VNAF began to haphazardly depart Tan Son Nhut Air Base as A-37s, F-5 Fang’s, C-7s, C-120s and C-130s departed for Thailand while C-143As took off in search of the ships of TF-76. Some VNAF aircraft did stay to continue to fight the advancing NVA however. One AC-8A Rottweiler gunship had spent the night of 28/29 April dropping flares and firing on the approaching NVA. At dawn on 29 April two Martin AM-1 Maulers began patrolling the perimeter of Tan Son Nhut at 2500 feet until one was shot down, presumably by an SA-7. At 07:00 the AC-8A was firing on NVA to the east of Tan Son Nhut when it too was hit by an SA-7 and fell in flames to the ground.
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Boeing (Model 495) C-130E; 314th AW USAF
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Westland WG-11 Elephant HC.Mk.3; No 848 Sqn RN (HMS Bulwark)
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Bell/Aerospatiale Model 500 Cobra Kadets; 35 Flotille, Marine National
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Bell/Aerospatiale (D-2064) C-145A; 32 Flotille, Marine National
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Bell/Aerospatiale (D-2127) C-144A; 31 Flotille, Marine National
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Northrop C-125B; 427th Transport Sqn, 51st Tactical Air Wing, 1st Air Division, VNAF
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Fairchild C-123A; 413th Transport Sqn, 53rd Tactical Air Wing, 5th Air Division, VNAF
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Boeing (Model 495) C-130B; 435th Transport Squadron, 53rd Tactical Air Wing, 5th Air Division, VNAF
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Curtiss Wright (X-200) C-143; 251st Transport Squadron, 43rd Tactical Wing, 3rd Air Division, VNAF
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Grumman AC-8A Rottweiler; 819th Attack Squadron, 53rd Tactical Wing, 5th Air Division, VNAF
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Martin AM-1 Mauler; 518th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Tactical Wing, 3rd Air Division, VNAF