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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0743.PDF
NOVEMBER 12, 1925 TWO "GLOSTER" MACHINES The "Grouse II" and the "Grebe II" UNTIL recently it has not been possible to describe in detailone of the most successful machines turned out by the Glou- cestershire Aircraft Company, i.e., the famous " Grebe."This machine has now been supplied in very large numbers to squadrons of the Royal Air Force and, in accordance withthe Air Ministry's regular procedure, when a type has been put into quantity production, it is usually given free asregards publication of detailed descriptions. At the outset Some time ago, however, we are informed, one of theGloucestershire " Grebes " was tested in this manner by one of the Martlesham pilots. Taking the " Grebe " upto a great altitude, the pilot put his machine into a long, steep dive and, when a speed of something like 240 ni.p.h.had been reached, he flattened out suddenly and " zoomed," expecting the wings to break, and being ready to leave themachine in his parachute, Cjuite contrary to all expectations. THE GLOSTER " GROUSE II ": Front View. The engine is an Armstrong-Siddeley " Lynx. it should be pointed out that the Gloucestershire AircraftCompany is now also in a position to supply the " Grebe " to any foreign Government contemplating the purchase ofBritish aircraft. The " Grebe " is, as already mentioned, one of the mostsuccessful service machines ever produced by the Gloucester- shire Company, and its qualities are, of course, well knownin this country. By way of illustrating the remarkable quality of the design and workmanship of the " Grebe,"we may call attention to a test recently made, and about which, the " Grebe " did not break its wings, and a perfectly normallanding was subsequently made. On careful examination afterwards, it was found that nothing had broken in themachine structure, and the only adjustment requiring to be made to put the machine into flying trim again was thetightening up oi some of the bracing wires which, not unnatu- rally, had stretched under the terrific loads imposed. Thetest is not only an eloquent piece of testimony to the excellence of the design and construction of the Gloster " Grebe," butalso to the courage of the pilot. It will readily be realised THE GLOSTER " GROUSE II ": Three-quarter front view. so far, little has become known. In the United States it hasbeen the custom for some time for test pilots deliberately to attempt to break their machines in the air by diving them atvery high speed and then flattening out suddenly. This has been possible in America because American pilots are equippedwith parachutes. In this country, however, it has not been customary to fit parachutes as a standard part of the equip-men t, and it was not until recently that, the Air Ministry having placed an order in America for parachutes, it has becomepossible for British pilots to earn- out this kind of test. that for the pilot deliberately to do something which hisknowledge and all his instincts tell him to be wrong, requires remarkable courage and a vast amount of will power. : Although the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company is preparedto supply the " Grebe " type in any quantity, it is pointed out that a very unique combination is available in theGloster " Grouse II," and " Grebe II." The former is a two-seater training machine, quite remarkably easy to fly,and yet capable of all kinds of evolutions in the air, while the latter is, of course, a single-seater fighter equipped with a)) 743
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