Percival

Q6 Petrel

The Percival Q6 was a twin engine, low-wing monoplane of wooden construction, powered by a pair of Gipsy Six engines.  Originally designed as a civil transport aircraft it was later utilised by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy as a communication platform.

The ‘Type Q’ was Percival’s first twin-engine aircraft and was constructed of wood, with a plywood and fabric covering.  Initially, two versions were designed: The Q4, a four-seat executive transport aircraft and the Q6, a six seat feeder-liner although it was only the Q6 which saw production.

The first prototype (G-AEYE) flew for the first time at Luton Airport on 14th September 1937, with production commencing in 1938 and the first airframe being sold to Sir Phillip Sassoon, a leading politician of the day. The prototype was followed by 26 production aircraft, a number of which were exported including one to King Ghazi of Iraq, two to the Lithuanian Government and two to the Egyptian Government.

Civilian aircraft were subsequently impressed for RAF use during the Second World War and were informally known as the Petrel, although this was not an official Air Ministry designation.'  

Unusually, the type was built with either a fixed, or a retractable undercarriage with the fixed undercarriage featuring a ‘trousered’ undercarriage leg beneath the engine nacelle which was very similar to that of the DH89 Dragon Rapide.  Only four of the aircraft used the optional retractable undercarriage.