Gloucestershire Aircraft Company


Genealogy (Gloucestershire Aircraft Company)
1917 | Gloucestershire Aircraft Company |
1926 | Gloster Aircraft Company |
1960 | Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Limited |
1963 | Hawker Siddeley Aviation |
1977 | British Aerospace |
1999 | BAE Systems |
Gloster Aircraft Company

Although deeply involved with the war effort producing sub-contract aircraft, Gloster is probably best known for its involvement with new technology, and especially that of the turbo-jet engine being developed by Sir Frank Whittle and his Powerjets Company.
On 15th May 1941, the first test flight of the Gloster E28/39 took off from RAF Cranwell (although during early taxying trials at Brockworth, it is also claimed it became airborne). This aircraft led the way for the introduction of the Gloster Meteor, the only Allied jet-fighter to be used in World War II. Production of the Gloster Meteor continued post-war, with more than 3,800 aircraft being built.

In 1952, Gloster Aircraft turned their attention to delta-winged aircraft with the development Gloster Javelin although the restricted facilities at Brockworth meant that aircraft were finally completed and flown from nearby RAF Moreton Valence.
In 1961, Gloster Aircraft Company merged with Sir WG Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Limited Aircraft Limited to form Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Limited. In 1963, this was changed once again to become the Avro Whitworth Division of Hawker Siddeley Aviation and so finally, the Gloster name finally disappeared from aviation.
The factory at Brockworth was closed in 1964, although BAE Systems still retains premises in nearby Hucclecote.
Genealogy
Gloucestershire Aircraft Company | |
1926 | Gloster Aircraft Company |
1960 | Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Limited |
1963 | Hawker Siddeley Aviation |
1977 | British Aerospace |
1999 | BAE Systems |
Aircraft
1921 | Mars | 1927 | Goldfinch |
1921 | Sparrowhawk | 1927 | Gambet |
1922 | Mars VI Nighthawk | 1928 | Gnatsnapper |
1922 | Mars X Nightjar | 1929 | Gloster VI |
1923 | Gannet | 1929 | A.S.31 Survey |
1923 | Grebe | 1932 | TC.33 |
1923 | Grouse | 1932 | TSR.38 |
1924 | Gorcock | 1934 | Gauntlet |
1924 | Gloster II | 1934 | Gladiator |
1925 | Gloster III | 1937 | F.5/34 |
1925 | Gamecock | 1939 | F.9/37 |
1925 | Guan | 1941 | E.28/39 |
1925 | Goral | 1944 | Meteor / Meteor F8 Prone Pilot |
1926 | Goring | 1948 | E.1/44 |
1927 | Gloster IV | 1954 | Javelin |