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90-518: The Gloster Gamecock was a biplane fighter designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Gloster . The Gamecock was a development of the earlier Grebe Mk III , an early interwar fighter procured by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Work on the type commenced in 1924 as a response to Air Ministry Specification 37/23 . The principal difference between the two aircraft was the adoption of

180-498: A 'Canadian break' manoeuvre and crashed near Forfar , Angus , with both crew ejecting. The squadron deployed once again for an APC at Luqa in November 1975, this time operating alongside Avro Vulcans and Avro Shackletons . Between February and March 1978, No. 43 (F) Squadron participated in another APC at RAF Luqa. On 9 July 1981, the squadron lost Phantom FG.1 XT866 after an instrument failure on approach to Leuchars which led to

270-511: A Kukko captured a Soviet Ilyushin DB-3 bomber. On 29 January 1940, the fighter had strafed a pair of Soviet DB-3s when they landed on Finnish soil (which they mistook for Estonia) to transfer fuel from one plane to the other. The strafed crews hurried into the one plane which had enough fuel remaining and escaped, leaving the DB-3 behind to be captured by the Finns. At least one Kukko remained operational with

360-646: A W shape cabane, however as it does not connect the wings to each other, it does not add to the number of bays. Large transport and bombing biplanes often needed still more bays to provide sufficient strength. These are often referred to as multi-bay biplanes . A small number of biplanes, such as the Zeppelin-Lindau D.I have no interplane struts and are referred to as being strutless . Because most biplanes do not have cantilever structures, they require rigging wires to maintain their rigidity. Early aircraft used simple wire (either braided or plain), however during

450-412: A biplane aircraft, two wings are placed one above the other. Each provides part of the lift, although they are not able to produce twice as much lift as a single wing of similar size and shape because the upper and the lower are working on nearly the same portion of the atmosphere and thus interfere with each other's behaviour. In a biplane configuration with no stagger from the upper wing to the lower wing,

540-525: A decrease in sorties, with only 26 border patrols, three scrambles and three shows of force. January 1967 saw less than 20 sorties being carried out, however February saw an increase to 53 sorties – including a twelve-ship strike being launched in Wādī Bana on 24 February. On 15 May, No. 43 (F) Squadron carried out a preemptive strike on an arms shipment in Jabal Al Urays to prevent it from being received by

630-551: A documented jet-kill, as one Lockheed F-94 Starfire was lost while slowing down to 161 km/h (100 mph) – below its stall speed – during an intercept in order to engage the low flying Po-2. Later biplane trainers included the de Havilland Tiger Moth in the Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and others and the Stampe SV.4 , which saw service postwar in the French and Belgian Air Forces. The Stearman PT-13

720-509: A faster and more comfortable successor to the Dragon. As the available engine power and speed increased, the drag penalty of external bracing increasingly limited aircraft performance. To fly faster, it would be necessary to reduce external bracing to create an aerodynamically clean design; however, early cantilever designs were either too weak or too heavy. The 1917 Junkers J.I sesquiplane utilized corrugated aluminum for all flying surfaces, with

810-465: A formation on the squadron's first sortie into German territory, strafing motor transport and railway communications. The squadron ended the war in Austria and was disbanded on 16 May 1947. On 1 February 1949, No. 266 Squadron was renumbered to No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron, flying Gloster Meteor F.4s from RAF Tangmere , Sussex . The squadron moved to RAF Leuchars , Fife , in 1950 and in 1954 became

900-413: A fort destroying an arms dump in the process. Between 10 and 25 June, the squadron deployed to RAF Masirah to undergo a training exercise which included high level reconnaissance sorties over Sharjah , United Arab Emirates , and Muscat , Oman , as well as practising a hypothetical war situation. On 1 September 1965, 13 sorties were flown which saw multiple strikes being carried out against dissidents in

990-422: A given wing area. However, interference between the airflow over each wing increases drag substantially, and biplanes generally need extensive bracing, which causes additional drag. Biplanes are distinguished from tandem wing arrangements, where the wings are placed forward and aft, instead of above and below. The term is also occasionally used in biology , to describe the wings of some flying animals . In

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1080-783: A local dissident leader. The squadron carried out another attack on Wādī Bana on 21 June, using RP-3 high explosive rockets and the Hunter's gun pack. August saw the Fighting Cocks flying 101 sorties, this included an attack by eight Hunter FGA.9s on the fort at Shurjan , that had been taken over by the National Liberation Movement , which was struck by 89 rockets and 2,940 rounds of ammunition. Sorties ramped up even further in September, seeing 142 missions being flown in total, with up to five air cover sorties being flown each day from

1170-407: A loss of control, both crew safely ejected. No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron celebrated their 70th anniversary in 1986 by giving Phantom FG.1 XV571 a special commemorative scheme. The Fighting Cocks briefly operated three Phantom FGR.2s ( XV406 , XV470 and XV489 ) between May 1988 and July 1989. No. 43 (F) Squadron's last Phantoms departed Leuchars on 31 July 1989 in preparation for conversion to

1260-507: A minimum of struts; however, it was relatively easy to damage the thin metal skin and required careful handling by ground crews. The 1918 Zeppelin-Lindau D.I fighter was an all-metal stressed-skin monocoque fully cantilevered biplane, but its arrival had come too late to see combat use in the conflict. By the 1930s, biplanes had reached their performance limits, and monoplanes become increasingly predominant, particularly in continental Europe where monoplanes had been increasingly common from

1350-505: A particularly attractive reputation amongst the general public for the aerobatic displays that would often be performed at air shows and other major public events during the latter half of the 1920s. Pilots typically regarded the Gamecock as being an enjoyable aircraft to fly while also being a good gun platform. It was also known for a relatively high number accidents, which was a contributing factor towards its relatively brief service life with

1440-645: A relatively brief flying career with the RAF. The aircraft served considerably longer with the Finnish Air Force ; it was produced under licence for the service under the local name Kukko and saw action during the Winter War of 1939–1940 against the Soviet Union . The origins of the Gamecock can be found in the earlier Gloster Grebe . During the mid-1920s, this fighter had proven itself to be relatively popular amongst

1530-463: A small degree, but more often was used to improve access to the cockpit. Many biplanes have staggered wings. Common examples include the de Havilland Tiger Moth , Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann and Travel Air 2000 . Alternatively, the lower wing can instead be moved ahead of the upper wing, giving negative stagger, and similar benefits. This is usually done in a given design for structural reasons, or to improve visibility. Examples of negative stagger include

1620-473: A somewhat unusual sesquiplane arrangement, possessing a more substantial lower wing with two spars that eliminated the flutter problems encountered by single-spar sesquiplanes. The stacking of wing planes was suggested by Sir George Cayley in 1843. Hiram Maxim adopted the idea for his steam-powered test rig, which lifted off but was held down by safety rails, in 1894. Otto Lilienthal designed and flew two different biplane hang gliders in 1895, though he

1710-547: Is better known for his monoplanes. By 1896 a group of young men in the United States, led by Octave Chanute , were flying hang gliders including biplanes and concluded that the externally braced biplane offered better prospects for powered flight than the monoplane. In 1903, the Wright Flyer biplane became the first successful powered aeroplane. Throughout the pioneer years, both biplanes and monoplanes were common, but by

1800-474: The Bristol Jupiter radial engine for the Gamecock. in the place of the somewhat unreliable Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar . Various structural improvements were made to the fuselage, the armament was also revised to include internally-mounted machine guns . On 22 February 1925, the prototype Gamecock performed its maiden flight . Evaluation flights at RAF Martlesham Heath resulted in considerable praise for

1890-524: The Bristol M.1 , that caused even those with relatively high performance attributes to be overlooked in favour of 'orthodox' biplanes, and there was an allegedly widespread belief held at that time that monoplane aircraft were inherently unsafe during combat. Between the years of 1914 and 1925, a clear majority of new aircraft introduced were biplanes; however, during the latter years of the First World War,

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1980-638: The First World War -era Fokker D.VII fighter and the Second World War de Havilland Tiger Moth basic trainer. The larger two-seat Curtiss JN-4 Jenny is a two bay biplane , the extra bay being necessary as overlong bays are prone to flexing and can fail. The SPAD S.XIII fighter, while appearing to be a two bay biplane, has only one bay, but has the midpoints of the rigging braced with additional struts; however, these are not structurally contiguous from top to bottom wing. The Sopwith 1½ Strutter has

2070-684: The Grumman Ag Cat are available in upgraded versions with turboprop engines. The two most produced biplane designs were the 1913 British Avro 504 of which 11,303 were built, and the 1928 Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 of which over 20,000 were built, with the Po-2 being the direct replacement for the Soviet copy of the Avro 504. Both were widely used as trainers. The Antonov An-2 was very successful too, with more than 18,000 built. Although most ultralights are monoplanes,

2160-613: The Kukko ( Finnish language for "rooster"), commenced at the Finnish National Aircraft Factory in 1929. The Kukko was in frontline service with the Finnish Air Force throughout the 1930s, although the type was progressively relegated to training duties towards the end of the decade. Finnish Kukkos saw combat during the Winter War of 1939–1940 against the Soviet Union . In perhaps the type's highest profile engagement,

2250-595: The Lite Flyer Biplane, the Sherwood Ranger , and the Murphy Renegade . The feathered dinosaur Microraptor gui glided, and perhaps even flew, on four wings, which may have been configured in a staggered sesquiplane arrangement. This was made possible by the presence of flight feathers on both forelimbs and hindlimbs, with the feathers on the forelimbs opening to a greater span. It has been suggested that

2340-539: The Nieuport-Delage NiD 42 / 52 / 62 series, Fokker C.Vd & e, and Potez 25 , all serving across a large number of air forces. In the general aviation sector, aircraft such as the Waco Custom Cabin series proved to be relatively popular. The Saro Windhover was a sesquiplane with the upper wing smaller than the lower, which was a much rarer configuration than the reverse. The Pfalz D.III also featured

2430-757: The Panavia Tornado F.3 . The first Tornado F.3s arrived at Leuchars in September 1989. With the Tornado F.3, the squadron participated in the 1991 Gulf War and maintained a presence in the Iraqi no-fly zones . Later, No. 43 (F) Squadron crew and personnel were tasked with QRA duty (short notice air defence 'scrambles'), both in Fife, and in the Falklands as part of No. 1435 Flight and participated in Operation Telic . The squadron

2520-569: The Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars , Scotland , in the air defence role, until it was disbanded in July 2009. The squadron was formed at Stirling , Scotland , on 15 April 1916, from No. 18 Reserve Squadron as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps , and was equipped with various types, which it used for training until December 1916 when Sopwith 1½ Strutters arrived. These were taken to

2610-494: The Sopwith Dolphin , Breguet 14 and Beechcraft Staggerwing . However, positive (forward) stagger is much more common. The space enclosed by a set of interplane struts is called a bay (much as the architectural form is used), hence a biplane or triplane with one set of such struts connecting the wings on each side of the aircraft is a single-bay biplane . This provided sufficient strength for smaller aircraft such as

2700-612: The Special Air Service , with assistance being given on 1st and top cover being provided on 15th. The squadron celebrated its 50th anniversary on 15 April 1966 with three separate flypasts, the first being an 18-ship in the form of a 43. On 11 May, the squadron conducted a strike on two houses in the village of Al-Mazabah which were reported to hold military supplies. On 31 June, four Hunters from No. 43 (F) Squadron launched an attack on dissidents who were preparing to free political prisoners from Jaʿār prison, while caught by surprise

2790-541: The Western Front the following month, where it operated as an Army squadron carrying out fighter reconnaissance duties. In September 1917, Sopwith Camels arrived, and the squadron undertook ground attack duties; the squadron continued in this vein until the end of the war. It was based at La Gorgue in northern France from 15 January until 22 March 1918. The squadron received Sopwith Snipe in August 1918 and conversion

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2880-419: The lift coefficient is reduced by 10 to 15 percent compared to that of a monoplane using the same airfoil and aspect ratio . The lower wing is usually attached to the fuselage , while the upper wing is raised above the fuselage with an arrangement of cabane struts , although other arrangements have been used. Either or both of the main wings can support ailerons , while flaps are more usually positioned on

2970-550: The 14 September onwards. On 24 September, six Hunters launched as a show of force to three different forts in Wādī Hadhramaut , which were over 250 miles away from Khormaksar, after the Hadhrami Bedouin Legion called for assistance. October 1967 was the squadron's busiest month while based at RAF Khormaksar with a 159 sorties being flown, with an average of 1 hour 40 minutes each. On 14 October 1967, No. 43 (F) Squadron

3060-503: The CR.42 was able to achieve success in the defensive night fighter role against RAF bombers that were striking industrial targets throughout northern Italy. The British Fleet Air Arm operated the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber from its aircraft carriers, and used the type in the anti-submarine warfare role until the end of the conflict, largely due to their ability to operate from

3150-518: The Caribou , performed the first non-stop flight between the Canadian mainland and Britain in 30 hours 55 minutes, although the intended target for this long distance flight had originally been Baghdad , Iraq . Despite its relative success, British production of the Dragon was quickly ended when in favour of the more powerful and elegant de Havilland Dragon Rapide , which had been specifically designed to be

3240-820: The FG.1 (which had an extendable nose wheel oleo strut among a few other differences), as opposed to the FGR.2 operated by other RAF units, due to the cancellation of refit works on HMS Eagle. In November 1970, the squadron deployed eight Phantoms to RAF Luqa , Malta , to participate in Exercise Lime Jug 70, which aimed to improve co-operation between the RAF and Royal Navy . The Fighting Cocks deployed ten Phantoms to RAF Luqa between February and March 1973 for an Armament Practice Camp (APC), and were later joined by aircraft from HMS Ark Royal . No. 43 (F) Squadron lost its first Phantom on 18 September 1975, when XV580 lost control during

3330-421: The Finnish Air Force up until September 1944, at which point the last example was scrapped. Data from The Era-Ending Gamecock General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Related lists Biplane Biplanes offer several advantages over conventional cantilever monoplane designs: they permit lighter wing structures, low wing loading and smaller span for

3420-503: The First World War, the British Royal Aircraft Factory developed airfoil section wire named RAFwire in an effort to both increase the strength and reduce the drag. Four types of wires are used in the biplane wing structure. Drag wires inside the wings prevent the wings from being folded back against the fuselage, running inside a wing bay from the forward inboard corner to the rear outboard corner. Anti-drag wires prevent

3510-565: The French Nieuport 17 and German Albatros D.III , offered lower drag than a conventional biplane while being stronger than a monoplane. During the Interwar period , numerous biplane airliners were introduced. The British de Havilland Dragon was a particularly successful aircraft, using straightforward design to could carry six passengers on busy routes, such as London-Paris services. During early August 1934, one such aircraft, named Trail of

3600-445: The Gamecock I entered service with 43 Squadron at RAF Henlow , with 23 Squadron , also based at Henlow, following in May that year; 23 Squadron would also be the last of the six RAF squadrons operating the fighter, flying its examples up until July 1931. 3 Squadron and 17 Squadron operated Gamecocks that had been modified for these squadron's night interception duties. The type acquired

3690-644: The Germans had been experimenting with a new generation of monoplanes, such as the Fokker D.VIII , that might have ended the biplane's advantages earlier had the conflict not ended when it had. The French were also introducing the Morane-Saulnier AI , a strut-braced parasol monoplane , although the type was quickly relegated to the advanced trainer role following the resolution of structural issues. Sesquiplane types, which were biplanes with abbreviated lower wings such as

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3780-621: The Hunter FGA.9, which began to arrive in May 1960. The Fighting Cocks relocated to RAF Nicosia , Cyprus , in June 1961, before further relocating to RAF Khormaksar , Aden , on 1 March 1963, becoming part of Middle East Command (MEC). Within five days of arrival, No. 43 (F) Squadron was flying sorties in the Beihan region as a show of force against the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen , and by

3870-829: The Jabal Khuder region. Operations were briefly suspended for a month on 25 September after the constitution of the Aden Protectorate was suspended by the High Commissioner of Aden Sir Richard Turnbull . The squadron ended the year with a strike being conducted on 31 December in the Wādī Taym area in support of 45 Commando who requested assistance. On 16 and 29 January 1966, the Fighting Cocks flew naval co-operation exercises with HMS Eagle , which saw 2 versus 2 combat being carried out against de Havilland Sea Vixens . February saw operations being carried out in support of

3960-446: The RAF – of the 90 operated by the service, 22 were lost in landing or spin accidents, often involving structural failure. The Gamecock also shared the earlier Grebe's undesirable tendency for flutter . To reduce this problem, Gloster tested alterations to improve the aircraft's flying qualities. The improved Gamecock II was introduced in 1928 with a longer upper wing and a modified tail unit, amongst other refinements. Gloster promoted

4050-523: The aircraft; few changes were made as a result. During September 1925, the Air Ministry placed an initial order for 30 production aircraft to fulfil Specification 18/25. Further orders would quickly follow; the first production Gamecock flew in March 1926 and was delivered two months later. While the type was often praised for its manoeuvrability and speed, it suffered a high rate of accidents in service, leading to

4140-407: The biplane naturally has a deep structure and is therefore easier to make both light and strong. Rigging wires on non-cantilevered monoplanes are at a much sharper angle, thus providing less tension to ensure stiffness of the outer wing. On a biplane, since the angles are closer to the ideal of being in direct line with the forces being opposed, the overall structure can then be made stiffer. Because of

4230-598: The competition aerobatics role and format for such a biplane well-defined by the mid-1930s by the Udet U 12 Flamingo and Waco Taperwing . The Pitts Special dominated aerobatics for many years after World War II and is still in production. The vast majority of biplane designs have been fitted with reciprocating engines . Exceptions include the Antonov An-3 and WSK-Mielec M-15 Belphegor , fitted with turboprop and turbofan engines respectively. Some older biplane designs, such as

4320-470: The drag from the number of struts used. The structural forces acting on the spars of a biplane wing tend to be lower as they are divided between four spars rather than two, so the wing can use less material to obtain the same overall strength and is therefore lighter. A given area of wing also tends to be shorter, reducing bending moments on the spars, which then allow them to be more lightly built as well. The biplane does however need extra struts to maintain

4410-542: The end of World War I . At the start of World War II , several air forces still had biplane combat aircraft in front line service but they were no longer competitive, and most were used in niche roles, such as training or shipboard operation, until shortly after the end of the war. The British Gloster Gladiator biplane, the Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco and Soviet I-153 sesquiplane fighters were all still operational after 1939. According to aviation author Gianni Cattaneo,

4500-493: The end of the month had managed 264 flying hours. While based at RAF Khormaksar, No. 43 (F) Squadron operated alongside Nos. 8 and 208 Squadrons as part of the Khormaksar Tactical Wing. On 20 June 1963, the squadron sent a detachment of Hunters to Bahrain , relieving No. 8 Squadron, before returning on 22/23 August. The Fighting Cocks sent another detachment on 24 September, this time to Nairobi , Kenya , with

4590-558: The engine bay. One of the more distinctive changes on the new aircraft was the adoption of internally-mounted machine guns in place of the Grebe's external armament arrangement along the top of the fuselage. Less than six months after the specification, Gloster had completed construction of the prototype, J7497 , which was fitted with the Jupiter IV engine; by this time, orders for a further two prototypes had been ordered. On 20 February 1925, it

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4680-452: The first production Hawker Fury Mk.I in May 1931. Prior to the outbreak of World War II the squadron re-equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk.Is . On 3 February 1940, three No. 43 Squadron Hurricanes based at RAF Acklington intercepted and shot down a Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 bomber at Whitby. The formation was led by Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend . The other two pilots were Flying Officer "Tiger" Folkes and Sergeant James Hallowes. It

4770-574: The first to receive the Hawker Hunter F.1 , replacing the Meteor F.8. No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron began receiving its first Hunter F.4s on 24 February 1956, before receiving four Hunter F.6s on 2 November 1956 however these were only operated until early December. The Hunters of No. 43 Squadron featured in the 1957 film High Flight . The squadron began to receive the Hunter F.6 for the second time on 10 January 1958, these were operated until being replaced by

4860-416: The gap between the wings, which add both weight and drag. The low power supplied by the engines available in the first years of aviation limited aeroplanes to fairly low speeds. This required an even lower stalling speed, which in turn required a low wing loading , combining both large wing area with light weight. Obtaining a large enough wing area without the wings being long, and thus dangerously flexible

4950-477: The hind limbs could not have opened out sideways but in flight would have hung below and slightly behind the fore limbs. No. 43 Squadron RAF Number 43 Squadron , nicknamed the Fighting Cocks , was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron originally formed in April 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps . It saw distinguished service during two world wars, producing numerous "aces" . The squadron last operated

5040-612: The low speeds and simple construction involved have inspired a small number of biplane ultralights, such as Larry Mauro's Easy Riser (1975–). Mauro also made a version powered with solar cells driving an electric motor called the Solar Riser . Mauro's Easy Riser was used by "Father Goose", Bill Lishman . Other biplane ultralights include the Belgian-designed Aviasud Mistral , the German FK12 Comet (1997–),

5130-519: The lower wing. Bracing is nearly always added between the upper and lower wings, in the form of interplane struts positioned symmetrically on either side of the fuselage and bracing wires to keep the structure from flexing, where the wings are not themselves cantilever structures. The primary advantage of the biplane over a monoplane is its ability to combine greater stiffness with lower weight. Stiffness requires structural depth and where early monoplanes had to have this provided with external bracing,

5220-589: The main purpose being to provide a flying display at the Royal Show, before returning to Khormaksar on 6 October. The squadron briefly relocated to RAF Muharraq , Bahrain, from late December 1963 until late February 1964. Between April and May 1964, the squadron participated in the Radfan Campaign known as Operation Nutcracker, providing close air support (CAS) for ground troops. On 17 April 1964, Hunter FGA.9 XG136 crashed while carrying out manoeuvres, killing

5310-596: The mission was reported as unsuccessful. 106 sorties were flown in August 1966, the most since June 1964, which primarily included shows of force . On 13 September, three strikes were carried out – one on Wādī Bana and a further two on Wādī Yahar, the attacks were launched as a way of dissuasion towards local dissidents. On 28 October, No. 43 (F) Squadron provided top cover for the Irish Guards , HMS Fearless and Westland Wessex HC.2s of No. 78 Squadron as part of Operation Fate, which saw an assault on Hawf . December saw

5400-561: The most famed copies was the Siemens-Schuckert D.I . The Albatros D.III and D.V , which had also copied the general layout from Nieuport, similarly provided the backbone of the German forces during the First World War. The Albatros sesquiplanes were widely acclaimed by their aircrews for their maneuverability and high rate of climb. During interwar period , the sesquiplane configuration continued to be popular, with numerous types such as

5490-435: The name Gamecock ; these were to be powered by the improved Jupiter VI engine, as fitted to the third prototype. During March 1926, the first production aircraft performed its maiden flight; delivered of the type commenced two months later. During July 1926, a second order from the Air Ministry for 40 more Gamecocks was received by Gloster; in November of that same year, another 18 aircraft were also ordered. During March 1926,

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5580-588: The night ground attack role throughout the Second World War. In the case of the Po-2, production of the aircraft continued even after the end of the conflict, not ending until around 1952. A significant number of Po-2s were fielded by the Korean People's Air Force during the Korean War , inflicting serious damage during night raids on United Nations bases. The Po-2 is also the only biplane to be credited with

5670-483: The outbreak of the First World War biplanes had gained favour after several monoplane structural failures resulted in the RFC's "Monoplane Ban" when all monoplanes in military service were grounded, while the French also withdrew most monoplanes from combat roles and relegated them to training. Figures such as aviation author Bruce observed that there was an apparent prejudice held even against newly-designed monoplanes, such as

5760-427: The pilot Flying Officer Herring. In July 1964, the Fighting Cocks had their Hunters pooled with No. 8 Squadron. On 11 August, another Hunter was lost when XE624 suffered an engine flame out shortly after take-off and couldn't be recovered, pilot Fg. Off. Burrows safely ejected. On 18 August, the squadron carried out a strike on the Jabal Fahman mountain where dissidents where supposed to be located. In October 1964

5850-469: The pilots of the Royal Air Force (RAF), which typically praised it for its high maximum speed for the era and its manoeuvrability. It was recognised that the Grebe also had some shortcomings, even in its later models. A prominent failing was the unsatisfactory performance of the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engine, which had developed a reputation with ground crews for its poor reliability as well as being difficult to service. Gloster became keenly interested in

5940-404: The project immediately thereafter. Gloster's design team, headed by Henry Folland , had also identified numerous improvements, typically relating to the aircraft's structure, that could be made. The fuselage was composed almost completely out of wood, although steel tie-rods were used for internal bracing, as well as a combination of aluminium and asbestos for a fireproof bulkhead at the back of

6030-424: The reduced stiffness, wire braced monoplanes often had multiple sets of flying and landing wires where a biplane could easily be built with one bay, with one set of landing and flying wires. The extra drag from the wires was not enough to offset the aerodynamic disadvantages from having two airfoils interfering with each other however. Strut braced monoplanes were tried but none of them were successful, not least due to

6120-457: The relatively compact decks of escort carriers . Its low stall speed and inherently tough design made it ideal for operations even in the often severe mid-Atlantic weather conditions. By the end of the conflict, the Swordfish held the distinction of having caused the destruction of a greater tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft. Both the German Heinkel He 50 and the Soviet Polikarpov Po-2 were used with relative success in

6210-408: The replacement of the Jaguar with another engine and took an interest in the promising Bristol Jupiter radial engine that could deliver similar performance to the Jaguar while lighter and considerably less complex. During the summer of 1924, the Air Ministry issued Specification 37/23 , which was tailored around the development of a Jupiter-powered version of the Grebe. Gloster commenced work on

6300-429: The role of Tornado F.3 Operational Conversion Unit , with No. 56 Squadron reforming in the ISTAR role. No. 43 (F) Squadron stood down on 13 July 2009 for the fourth time in its history, with it initially rumoured that it would reform as the third operational Eurofighter Typhoon squadron. The Squadron Standard, presented in person by HM The Queen at RAF Leuchars on 4 June 1957, was laid up on Sunday 22 May 2016 in

6390-442: The series of Nieuport military aircraft—from the Nieuport 10 through to the Nieuport 27 which formed the backbone of the Allied air forces between 1915 and 1917. The performance of the Nieuport sesquiplanes was so impressive that the Idflieg (the German Inspectorate of flying troops) requested their aircraft manufacturers to produce copies, an effort which was aided by several captured aircraft and detailed drawings; one of

6480-528: The squadron carried out 15 strikes – 11 in Dhala on the 6th, with the rest in Mudiyah on the 29th. From 8 to 16 October, five pilots from No. 43 (F) Squadron and five from No. 8 Squadron spent a brief deployment with six Hunters at RAF Masirah on Masirah Island , which ended with the loss of Fg. Off. Stephens who was killed after flying into the sea on the return journey to Khormaksar. On 15 November, MEC announced to

6570-516: The squadron carried out an 15-ship flypast in the form of a 78 to celebrate No. 78 Squadron being presented its squadron standard. Sorties picked back up in March, with 94 being flown in total, with 80 of these being a response to MiGs from the United Arab Republic Air Force who were entering into Aden's airspace. On 8 May, a pair of Hunters carried out a strike on a dissident position near Al-Khuraybah , with another pair attacking

6660-693: The squadron covered the Dunkirk retreat, and fought in the Battle of Britain . In November 1942, No. 43 Squadron moved to North Africa , now flying Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vcs . In 1944, as the tide of war turned in favour of the Allies, the squadron moved to France , where it was known by the local French population as "les coqs Anglais". By then the squadron's main role was ground attack, strafing and occasionally dive bombing enemy targets. On 9 September 1944, Wing Commander Barrie Heath , flying Spitfire Mk.IX MJ628 , led

6750-629: The squadron that operations in Radfan would be limited to solely providing CAS for the army. Few operational tasks were taken in December 1964, with one of the few sorties being an attack on a gun emplacement at Beihan on the 5th. In January 1965, sorties increased with an attack being carried out by eight Hunters on 16 January against a dissident camp and supply dump in the Wādī Yahar region. More strikes were carried out on 25, 26 and 29 January. On 11 February,

6840-415: The structural problems associated with monoplanes, but offered little improvement for biplanes. The default design for a biplane has the wings positioned directly one above the other. Moving the upper wing forward relative to the lower one is called positive stagger or, more often, simply stagger. It can increase lift and reduce drag by reducing the aerodynamic interference effects between the two wings by

6930-423: The trials were considered to be a clear success. By July 1925, in excess of 50 flying hours had been attained with the first prototype; no major changes were made at this stage of the aircraft's development as no major flaws or concerns were reported. Having been sufficiently convinced, in September 1925, the Air Ministry placed an initial order for 30 production aircraft to meet Specification 18/25, which were given

7020-665: The two planes when the high pressure air under the top wing and the low pressure air above the lower wing cancel each other out. This means that a biplane does not in practice obtain twice the lift of the similarly-sized monoplane. The farther apart the wings are spaced the less the interference, but the spacing struts must be longer, and the gap must be extremely large to reduce it appreciably. As engine power and speeds rose late in World War I , thick cantilever wings with inherently lower drag and higher wing loading became practical, which in turn made monoplanes more attractive as it helped solve

7110-467: The type to overseas operators and the Finnish Air Force had shown interest in the Gamecock I, resulting in an aerial demonstration being performed over Helsinki on 25 March 1927. The following year, the Gamecock II won a Finnish government contest, leading to a licensing arrangement being made with Gloster, along with an order for a pattern aircraft. Licensed production of the Gamecock, known locally as

7200-400: The upper and lower wings together. The sesquiplane is a type of biplane where one wing (usually the lower) is significantly smaller than the other. The word, from Latin, means "one-and-a-half wings". The arrangement can reduce drag and weight while retaining the biplane's structural advantages. The lower wing may have a significantly shorter span, or a reduced chord . Examples include

7290-445: The war. ( Robert Johnstone Owen). The squadron was re-formed at RAF Henlow , Bedfordshire , on 1 July 1925, (or 1 July 1923), once again equipped with Sopwith Snipes . In 1926, the squadron converted to Gloster Gamecocks , thus inspiring the squadron badge and the nickname "The Fighting Cocks". The black and white checkered markings also date from this era. The squadron flew Armstrong Whitworth Siskins from 1928 and received

7380-434: The wings from folding up, and run from the underside of the outer wing to the lower wing root. Conversely, landing wires prevent the wings from sagging, and resist the forces when an aircraft is landing, and run from the upper wing centre section to outboard on the lower wings. Additional drag and anti-drag wires may be used to brace the cabane struts which connect the fuselage to the wings, and interplane struts, which connect

7470-421: The wings from moving forward when the aircraft stops and run the opposite direction to the drag wires. Both of these are usually hidden within the wings, and if the structure is sufficiently stiff otherwise, may be omitted in some designs. Indeed many early aircraft relied on the fabric covering of the wing to provide this rigidity, until higher speeds and forces made this inadequate. Externally, lift wires prevent

7560-476: Was awarded the "Freedom of the City" of Stirling in 2005, the squadron being Stirling's home squadron in the past. To mark the 90th anniversary of the Fighting Cocks , the squadron's flagship ZG757 received an all gloss black paint scheme, which was later reduced to just a gloss black spine and tail and 90th anniversary emblem on the tail. In April 2008, the squadron absorbed No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron to perform

7650-632: Was completed in October, but the Armistice prevented these playing a major part in the conflict, instead they were taken to Germany for occupation duties until August 1919, when the squadron moved to RAF Spitalgate and was disbanded on 31 December 1919. During the course of the war, ten aces served in the squadron, including Henry Woollett , Cecil Frederick King , John Lightfoot Trollope , Geoffrey Bailey , Harold Balfour , Charles C. Banks , Hector Daniel , George Lingham , and John Womersley , all surviving

7740-407: Was delivered to RAF Martlesham Heath to commence a comprehensive evaluation; its maiden flight was performed two days later. Within weeks of its arrival, the prototype's Grebe-style unbalanced rudder was replaced by a redesigned horn-balanced counterpart. It was determined to possess excellent manoeuvrability, in part due to its engine being placed so close to the aircraft's centre of gravity, and

7830-589: Was formally disbanded, marked by a flypast of six Hunters, however operations officially continued up until November when South Yemen was given independence, with the last No. 43 (F) Squadron sortie being carried out on 9 November against rebels in Kirch. No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron received its first McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1 ( XT874 ) on 6 June 1969 at RAF Leuchars. The squadron officially reformed at Leuchars on 1 September 1969, operating as part of Northern Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). The Fighting Cocks received

7920-404: Was more readily accomplished with a biplane. The smaller biplane wing allows greater maneuverability . Following World War I, this helped extend the era of the biplane and, despite the performance disadvantages, most fighter aircraft were biplanes as late as the mid-1930s. Specialist sports aerobatic biplanes are still made in small numbers. Biplanes suffer aerodynamic interference between

8010-649: Was the first German aircraft to fall on English soil in World War II (although it was not the first to be shot down in the United Kingdom, that having occurred in Scotland). Townsend visited the German rear gunner in hospital the next day, and visited him again in 1968 when Townsend was writing his highly-successful book about the Battle of Britain, "Duel of Eagles," which recounts the incident in detail. Still flying Hurricanes,

8100-741: Was widely used by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) while the US Navy operated the Naval Aircraft Factory N3N . In later civilian use in the US, the Stearman became particularly associated with stunt flying such as wing-walking , and with crop dusting, where its compactness worked well at low levels, where it had to dodge obstacles. Modern biplane designs still exist in specialist roles such as aerobatics and agricultural aircraft with

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