Folland Gnat

Folland Gnat
Country	UK
Role	Fighter and trainer
First flight	18 July 1955
Built	449

The Folland Gnat is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft.

Source: Folland Gnat on Wikipedia

Hawker Siddeley Gnat T1
Photographers	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	60

Folland Gnat 19

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General Characteristics (Gnat T.1 Trainer Variant)

The Folland Gnat was a British-designed swept-wing jet aircraft originally conceived as a small, affordable light fighter (Gnat F.1). Although the Royal Air Force (RAF) did not adopt the fighter variant, it purchased the two-seat trainer version (Gnat T.1) extensively. The Gnat is most famous for its use by the RAF’s Red Arrows aerobatic team from 1965 to 1979 due to its agility.

Property	Typical Value (Gnat T.1 Trainer)
Role	Advanced Jet Trainer / Aerobatic Display
Manufacturer	Folland Aircraft (later Hawker Siddeley)
First Flight (Gnat Fighter)	July 18, 1955
Crew	2 (Student and Instructor, in tandem)
Wingspan	7.32 m (24 ft 0 in)
Length	11.53 m (37 ft 10 in)
Max Takeoff Weight	4,378 kg (9,650 lb)
Units Built (Total)	~449 (including HAL Ajeet)

Design and Powerplant

Engine: One Bristol Siddeley (later Rolls-Royce) Orpheus 101 turbojet engine.
Thrust Output: Approximately 20.9 kN (4,700 lbf) of static thrust.
Fuselage: Small, simple, all-metal construction, designed for ease and affordability of manufacture, reflecting designer W. E. W. Petter’s philosophy of a lightweight fighter.
Variants: The trainer (T.1) variant featured a different, larger wing with integral fuel tanks, conventional flaps/ailerons, and an enlarged tail section compared to the original fighter (F.1).
Ejection Seats: Equipped with Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seats (on later models).
Success Abroad: The fighter version was notably successful in the Indian Air Force (IAF), where it was license-built by HAL as the Ajeet (“Invincible”) and earned the nickname “Sabre Slayer” during conflicts with Pakistan.

Performance and Armament (Fighter F.1 & Trainer T.1)

Maximum Speed: Approximately Mach 0.95 (around 1,024 km/h or 636 mph). Could exceed Mach 1 in a shallow dive.
Service Ceiling: 14,630 m (48,000 ft).
Range (Ferry): Approximately 1,200 km (750 miles) with external tanks.
Rate of Climb: High rate, often cited around 20,000 ft/min.
Armament (Fighter F.1): Two 30 mm ADEN cannon (one mounted in each air intake lip).
External Stores (F.1): Two underwing pylons for drop tanks or external ordnance (e.g., 500 lb bombs or unguided rockets).
Trainer Role (T.1): The RAF’s Gnat T.1 trainer was unarmed and focused purely on providing a high-performance platform to transition pilots to frontline jet fighters like the English Electric Lightning.