Percival Proctor III

Percival Proctor

KrajuUk
RoliRadio trainer/communications aircraft
Pierwszy lot8 października 1939
Zbudowany1143

Tthe Percival Proctor – brytyjski samolot szkolno-treningowy i komunikacyjny z okresu II wojny światowej. Proctor był jednosilnikowym, dolnopłatem jednopłatowym z miejscami siedzącymi dla trzech lub czterech, w zależności od modelu.

Źródła: Percival Proctor na Wikipedii

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From Luxury Tourer to Military Drudge

Tthe Percival Proctor was a military derivative of the elegant pre-war Vega Gull. While its predecessor was a record-breaking civilian speedster, the Proctor was “beefed up” for the rigors of service life. It became the standard radio trainer for the RAF and Royal Navy during WWII, used to teach thousands of wireless operators how to use the cumbersome T/R 1154/55 radio sets they would later operate in heavy bombers like the Lancaster.

Attribute Technical Specification (Proctor Mk IV)
Roli Radio Trainer / Communications / Liaison
Załogi 3 or 4 (depending on variant)
First Flight October 8, 1939
Zespół napędowy 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Queen II 6-cylinder inverted inline
Horsepower 210 hp (157 kW)
Prędkość maksymalna 160 mph (257 km/h)
Cruise Speed 140 mph (225 km/h)
Zakres 500 miles (805 km)

Design Refinement & Military Tweaks

  • The “Preceptor” Redesign: The Mk IV (originally intended to be named the Preceptor) featured a significantly larger, deeper fuselage than the earlier marks. This allowed it to carry a crew of four—a pilot, an instructor, and two students—making it a much more efficient classroom in the sky.
  • Wing-Folding Capability: Inherited from the Gull family, the Proctor’s wings could be folded back along the fuselage. This was a critical feature for the Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy), allowing the aircraft to be stored in the cramped hangars of aircraft carriers.
  • Wooden Construction: The airframe was primarily built of wood (spruce and plywood) covered in fabric. While this saved strategic metals during wartime, it led to the type’s eventual downfall in the 1960s when concerns about “glue failure” in aging wooden airframes saw most Proctors grounded.
  • The “Emergency Bomber”: In 1940, during the height of the invasion scare, a variant (P.29) was tested as an emergency light bomber capable of carrying 16 small 20lb bombs under the wings to attack landing craft on British beaches.

Post-War Service & Civil Success

  • The “Proctor 5”: After the war, Percival produced the Proctor 5, a dedicated civilian model based on the Mk IV. It was popular with charter companies and wealthy private owners as a fast, comfortable four-seat “air limousine.”
  • Record-Breaking Pedigree: In 1946, the famous long-distance pilot Jim Mollison flew a Proctor 5 from England to Brazil, a journey of over 4,600 miles, proving that the Proctor still possessed the long-range DNA of its Vega Gull ancestors.
  • Global Operator: Proctors were used by over a dozen nations post-war, including the Belgian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force (used by the Governor-General), and the French Air Force.
  • Rare Survivors: Because of the wooden structural issues, very few airworthy Proctors remain today. One of the most famous survivors is NP294, which was famously found in a private garden being used as a child’s plaything before being rescued for restoration.

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