Gloster II

{{Short description|1920s British sport floatplane}}  {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2019}} {{Infobox aircraft | name = Gloster II | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Racing seaplane | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[United Kingdom]] | manufacturer = [[Gloster Aircraft Company]] | design_group = | designer = [[Henry Folland]] | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 2 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = 19 September 1924 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = [[Nieuport Nighthawk|Gloster I]] | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Gloster II''' was a British racing [[floatplane]] of the 1920s. A single-engined [[biplane]], two were built to compete in the 1924 [[Schneider Trophy]] air race. However the crash of the first [[prototype]] during testing meant that it could not be made ready for the race, which was postponed. The second aircraft was also lost in a crash.

==Design and development== The 1923 [[Schneider Trophy]] race for [[seaplane]]s had been won by the [[United States Navy]] with the [[Curtiss CR|Curtiss CR-3]], a floatplane which outclassed Britain's entry, the [[Supermarine Sea Lion II|Supermarine Sea Lion III]] [[flying boat]].<ref name="Mondey p40">Mondey 1981, p. 40.</ref> In a change from previous years, where Britain's entries had been privately funded, the British [[Air Ministry]] ordered two racing seaplanes from the [[Gloster Aircraft Company]] to compete for the 1924 race.<ref name="James p107">James 1971, p. 107.</ref>

The resulting aircraft, designated the '''Gloster II''', was a floatplane development of Gloster's earlier [[Nieuport Nighthawk|Gloster I]] racing aircraft, which had won the annual [[Aerial Derby]] air race three years running between 1921 and 1923, and had attempted unsuccessfully to break the [[Flight airspeed record|World airspeed record]] in 1922.<ref name="James 69-73">James 1971, pp. 69–73.</ref> It was a small single-seat [[biplane]] of fabric covered wooden construction, powered by a closely faired [[Napier Lion]] engine. It had short-span single bay wings and a twin float undercarriage, with radiators mounted on the struts supporting the floats.<ref name="James p107"/>

The first aircraft, with the [[United Kingdom military aircraft serials|serial number ''J7504'']], was ready for flight testing in September 1924.<ref name="James p107"/> However, when attempting to land after its first test flight, on 19 September 1924, the undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft sank, with pilot [[Hubert Broad]] escaping unhurt.<ref name="Flight 1924 p630">''Flight'' 25 September 1925, p. 630.</ref><ref name="Jackson p313">Jackson 1973, p. 313.</ref> There was insufficient time to prepare the second aircraft for the race, scheduled for October, but as no other European nation had an entry ready to compete, the Americans postponed the race until 1925.<ref name="Mondey p40-1">Mondey 1981, pp. 40–41.</ref>

The second aircraft was converted to a landplane and used for flight testing equipment to be used for the [[Gloster III]] racer being designed for the 1925 competition. It was lost in a high-speed crash landing at [[RAF Cranwell]] following [[Elevator (aircraft)|elevator]] [[Aeroelasticity#Flutter|flutter]] in June 1925, the pilot, Larry Carter, being seriously injured, fracturing his skull.<ref name="James p109-10">James 1971, pp. 109–110.</ref><ref name="Flight 1925 p374">''Flight'' 18 June 1925, p. 374.</ref>

==Specifications (Gloster II seaplane)==

{{Aircraft specs |ref= Gloster Aircraft since 1917 <ref name="James p110">James 1971, p. 110.</ref> |prime units?=imp  |crew=1 |length ft=26 |length in=10 |length note= |span ft=20 |span in=0 |span note= |height ft=11 |height in=0 |height note= |wing area sqft=165 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight lb=2500 |empty weight note= |gross weight lb=3100 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Napier Lion VA]] |eng1 type=W-12 water-cooled piston engine |eng1 hp=585 |eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=fixed-pitch propeller |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note=  |max speed mph=225 |max speed note= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed note= |stall speed mph= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed note= |range miles= |range note= |ferry range miles= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading lb/sqft=18.8 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass={{cvt|0.19|hp/lb}} |more performance= }}

==See also== {{aircontent  |related=*[[Nieuport Nighthawk|Gloster I]] *[[Gloster III]] *[[Gloster IV]] |similar aircraft= *[[Curtiss CR]] |sequence= |lists= |see also=*[[Schneider Trophy]]

}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}} *"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1924/1924%20-%200630.html British Schneider Cup Seaplane Lost]" ''[[Flight International|Flight]]'', 25 September 1924. p. 630. *"[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1925/1925%20-%200374.html? The Accident to the Gloster II]". ''Flight'', 18 June 1925. p. 374. *Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919: Volume 2''. London:Putnam, Second edition 1973. {{ISBN|0-370-10010-7}}. *James, Derek J. ''Gloster Aircraft since 1917''. London:Putnam, 1971. {{ISBN|0-370-00084-6}}. *Mondey, David. "Britain Captures Schneider Trophy". ''[[Air Enthusiast]]'', Seventeen, December 1981 – March 1982. Bromley, Kent, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 36–50. {{refend}}

[[Category:1920s British sport aircraft]] [[Category:Schneider Trophy]] [[Category:Floatplanes]] [[Category:Gloster aircraft|II]] [[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]] [[Category:Biplanes]] [[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1924]] [[Category:Single-engined piston aircraft]]