The Operational Career of the Gloster G.60b Pioneer F.Mk.2

[simmie]

Previously, in the war time service career of the Gloster Pioneer F.Mk.1 stated that the Air Ministry had ordered 9 airframes, which Glosters had delivered 7 before the order was cancelled in an attempt to ease the companies work load, and it was felt the Pioneer had fulfilled its required duties.

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, as the order to scrap it had never been issued, before Glosters proposed that it be completed as a trials aircraft for some of the other engines that were reaching flight trial stage at that time.  These were principally 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, only after work to modify the fuselage 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.

After the delegation reported their finding to their respective governments, an approach was made for a Pioneer to make a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Canada; this was undertaken by W4057, the 5th aircraft completed.

As the tour got 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 solved 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.  The programme became known as the "Commonwealth Fighter Programme", or to some of the older Civil Servants within the ministry the "Empire Fighter Programme".

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 was 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.

[simmie]

New Zealand 
On August 8 1948, 75 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force took delivery of its first four de Havilland Australia Pioneer F.2s, at their home base Ohakea. Ten additional airframes were to follow, and by May 1949 the total RNZAF order of 30 was completed. 2 Squadron, based at RNZAF Woodbourne in the nation's South Island, received twelve airframes, and the Central Flying School at RNZAF Wigram was allocated the final two machines, in order to give students their first jet experience (and, unofficially, a way for the instructors to unwind).

The 30 aircraft received serials in the series NZ2965 to NZ2995, and were all equipped with the factory-standard wing-mounted 20mm Hispano cannon armament. Some of 2 Sqn's aircraft received a special modification under a secret programme, "Operation Mana", which saw six of the unit's machines gain underwing hardpoints for bombs or unguided rockets. These aircraft then saw limited service in the Korean conflict, where they proved to be somewhat underpowered for the ground attack role.

By 1952 the Chief of Air Force, Air Vice Marshall Sir Euan Simpson, had begun investigations into a replacement for the Pioneer. In November of that year it was announced 24 CAC CA-27 Avon Sabres would be purchased for the dual fighter/ground-attack role, and the first examples arrived at Ohakea and Woodbourne in February 1953. By year's end all surviving Pioneers had been put into mothballs at RNZAF Rukuhia, and eventually the majority sold for scrap.

Only three escaped the gas axe: NZ2968 was purchased by a private collector and put into storage at his Mapua, Nelson property; NZ2987 went to a museum in Gisborne; and NZ2993 was kept as a gate guard for RNZAF Ohakea. In 1982 this aircraft was removed from its perch and entered a full restoration to airworthy condition, emerging in September 1986. The aircraft was a star at the RNZAF's 50th anniversary celebrations in April 1987, but was permanently grounded in 1990 and installed in the Wigram Air Force Museum. She remains on display to this day, in her original 2 Sqn marks with yellow and black checks.

Written by Sqn Ldr Zac Yates, Senior Archivist RNZAF

[dogsbody]

Any word on the Canadian F.2's ?

[bobbo]

Did any of them possibly make it to the Irish Republic?

Bobbo

[simmie]

I am awaiting the Canadian  and Oz installments.

I couldn't say about Ireland, its possible.