Gloster F.9/37 origins and development....

[jcf]

Chris's Gloster Gladius build in Current and Finished Projects:
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21222.0.html
has prompted me to post some info on the aircraft.

Part 1

The story begins in 1933 with specification F.5/33 for a two-seat fighter with turret armament, basically a replacement for the Hawker Turret Demon.
Gloster's design to F.5/33 was twin-engined with a four-gun power-operated turret and nose-mounted MGs to be powered by two 625 hp Bristol Aquila sleeve-valve engines.
No prototypes were built to F.5/33, the two other design studies to the specification were the Armstong-Whitworth AW.34 and the Bristol 140.

In 1935 the work on F.5/33 formed the basis of design work to meet specification F.34/35. This resulted in a proposal for a twin-engined two-seat-fighter, mounting a four-gun power-operated turret and with a fixed armament in the nose. RAF serial number K8625 was allocated for the prototype but it was abandoned when the Boulton Paul Defiant to spec. F.9/35 was ordered.
(See first image)

Specification F.9/37 was issued on 15th September 1937, calling for a twin-engined fighter capable of at least 300mph. The G.39 was designed to the specification. Two cockpits housed the  pilot and an observer-gunner. Armament was a pair of 20mm cannon in the nose and a retractable turret with four .303 MG for the observer-gunner. Engines specified were R-R Kestrel or Bristol Taurus.
(See second image, the James and Buttler books state that the photo is of a model of the F.34/35, I feel that it is actually of the original G.39 - F.9/37 configuration)

In late 1938 the decision was taken to eliminate the amidships cockpit/turret and the G.39 was thus completed as a fixed armament single-seater.
Two forward firing 20mm Hispano cannon were placed beneath the pilot just forward of the rear spar and wee inclined at a 'no-allowance' angle of 12 degree to the line of flight. A proposal was made in November of 1938 to replace the turret with a battery of 20mm cannon fixed a the same angle in the upper fuselage behind the pilot to fire forward over the cockpit. (As to the number of cannon in this battery; Buttler states three, James and Mason give the quantity as four). The idea was accepted but photographic evidence suggests that the rear cannon were never fitted to either prototype, both aircraft did carry their nose armament.

L7779 was completed with two 1,050 hp Bristol Taurus T-S(a) and achieved a level speed of 360 mph.
After being damaged in a landing accident on 27 July 1939 the aircraft was re-engined with 900 hp Bristol Taurus T-S(a) IIIs.
The aircraft did not fly again until April 1940, top speed was reduced to 332mph and other performance suffered equally.
Due to engine and airframe serviceability problems trials were not completed until July 1940.

L8002 was completed with the 885hp Rolls-Royce Peregrine, top speed was further reduced to 330 mph.
(See third image for L8002)

Jon
Sources:
"Gloster Aircraft since 1917", Derek N. James, 2nd ed, 1987, Putnam
"The British Fighter since 1912", Francis K. Mason, 1992, Putnam/Naval Institute Press
"BSP: Fighters & Bombers 1935-1950", Tony Buttler, 2004, Midland

[jcf]

Part 2: F.18/40 Reaper

Although the G.39 - F.9/37 was not selected for production the issuance of specification F.18/40 for a new two-seat day and night-fighter seemed to offer another chance. Prior to the issuance of the specification in June 1940, Gloster had begun working on re-engining the G.39 design (already nicknamed Reaper in house) and fitting Merlin XXs to the airframe was considered to be a relatively small job. A two seat Merlin engined night-fighter with a strengthened airframe, nose mounted AI radar and a belly mounted battery of four 20mm was proposed on 8th July 1940. The proposal was seen to have merit and the go-ahead was given on October 13th to convert one of the F.9/37s to F.18/40 and a cockpit mock-up was examined on 26th October.
(See first image)

It became clear by December that there was no way to have appreciable numbers of F.9/37 or F.18/40 before the end of 1942. Air Staff wanted the Reaper as a night-fighter, but the MAP felt that Gloster's time and resources would be better used on their jet fighter projects and that the Reaper would be dated by the time it entered service. Gloster's chief designer George Carter felt that Reaper would not be in production within 18 months and stated that he did not have enough design staff to undertake it and the jet fighter. De Havilland was asked at the end of December 1940 if a night fighter version of the Mosquito could be quickly developed to the latest standards. On 1st May 1941 both MAP and the Air Staff agreed that the Reaper should not proceed and that the Mosquito would be considered to fill the night fighter requirements.

So there you have the short version of what happened in the Real World.

Jon

[kitbasher]

Take a look at the 'My Bid for SMW2008 Fame and Fortune' at  http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21075.msg299160.html#msg299160 and you'll see something not dissimilar emerging.  British yes, Gloster no.  Definately a product of the imagination, but inspired by a dim memory of something seen in a mid-70s issue of Aircraft Illustrated and based upon a real life aspiration by a real life designer.  Hopefully more will appear on that thread soon.   

[kitnut617]

I really like the Reaper, you can see where the Meteor got it's fin and rudder shape from this design.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

So there was no chance that this aircraft, if placed in service would have been mistaken for a Bf-110?  The arrangement sure does make it look like a distant relative from Bavaria.

[redstar72]

So there was no chance that this aircraft, if placed in service would have been mistaken for a Bf-110? 

Yes, maybe it was possible. Even Hampdens were sometimes mistaken with the 110s!

But this looks more like twin-finned Fw 187 version - even engine nacelles and canopy shape are quite similar. (Yes, I know that Fw 187 wasn't in service too...  ).

And the F.34/35 looks much like twin-finned Beaufighter, isn't it?

[The Wooksta!]

The more I look at it, the more I think it could be bashed from a Meteor (Matchbox NF kit possibly?) with the Magna kit of the Peregrine F9/37.  The fuselage just screams Meteor! at me.

[The Wooksta!]

I really like the Reaper, you can see where the Meteor got it's fin and rudder shape from this design.

TBH, you can see the Meteor in the Gloster F5/34 design!  Common design elements or shapes turn up in the designs of any long running company like threads in a tapestry.

[JayBee]

Too true. You can actually trace the Hawker Fury (Bi-plane) right through to the Harrier and Hawk.

AH! Hawker

[rickshaw]

Take a look at the 'My Bid for SMW2008 Fame and Fortune' at  http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,21075.msg299160.html#msg299160 and you'll see something not dissimilar emerging.  British yes, Gloster no.  Definately a product of the imagination, but inspired by a dim memory of something seen in a mid-70s issue of Aircraft Illustrated and based upon a real life aspiration by a real life designer.  Hopefully more will appear on that thread soon.   

You are aware of the contribution that your build made to the Remember Eureka! thread?

[kitbasher]

You are aware of the contribution that your build made to the Remember Eureka! thread?

I am now, flattery indeed.  All along I thought I'd made it all up when in fact it really existed!