Folland Gnat – Flying in the face of convention

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates, and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

With so many new model release additions joining the Airfix range at this present moment, it didn’t take us long to decide that it was time to unleash the latest double blog weekend on our loyal Workbench audience, as we try to keep pace with all the new model arrivals. The subject of this latest kit update is the return of our 1/48th scale Folland Gnat, particularly as it’s returning with the two scheme options with which this delightful model made its range debut back in 2014. A famous British jet trainer from the 1960s and 70s, the Gnat continues to attract new modelling admirers to this day, by virtue of its diminutive size and stunning good looks. How two fully equipped RAF airmen managed to squeeze themselves inside the cockpit of a Gnat, is another story altogether.

With this beautiful little model already in our warehouse and available, we will be marking its re-introduction by looking at the history of this jet which not only trained hundreds of pilots, but also became one of the most famous in post war history, as the mount of the celebrated Red Arrows. We will also take a closer look at the two scheme options which feature with this kit, and by showcasing a selection of built model images finished in both, attempt to help readers decide which of the two gets their vote, in advance of this kit taking up residency on their own workstations.

We have a true British aviation ‘Pocket Rocket’ for your consideration in this second blog release of the weekend.

Folland’s flying fun machine

Small but perfectly formed, the Folland Gnat served the RAF with distinction as their advanced jet trainer throughout the 1960s and 70s, whilst also becoming one of the most famous aircraft in the world as the mount of the Red Arrows.

In the years which followed the end of the Second World War and with aviation in the grip of a jet powered revolution, it seemed as if the search for ever greater speed was producing a new breed of larger aircraft types, even those which were intended to perform the fighter/air defence role. Even though the majority of the world's aircraft designers appeared to be following this development path, and having himself been previously involved in the development of both the Canberra and Lightning, when talented aircraft designer William 'Teddy' Petter joined the smaller Folland Aircraft Company, he had a clear vision. He wanted to put his new company on the map, from a design perspective, enabling them to compete for lucrative military orders.

Establishing a team of talented designers and engineers around him, he led that team in immediately exploring options for lightweight fighter designs, in response to a perceived RAF requirement for such an aircraft, to meet the growing threat from the Soviet Union. Initially proceeding using company investment alone, he chose to break with popular convention at that time in producing a small, lightweight design which was both easy to produce and maintain, yet still possessed impressive performance.

The aircraft most aviation enthusiasts now know as the Gnat T.1 can trace it lineage back to that time, and the development as a cost effective, lightweight high performance fighter/ground attack aircraft. Petter and his Folland team were of the opinion that an aircraft such as this would be of interest not only to the Royal Air Force, but potentially also to many of the world’s modernising, cash strapped air forces. His thinking was that rather than equipping air forces with ever larger, ever more complex and ever more expensive aircraft, surely a highly manoeuvrable and incredibly effective type which was intentionally less complex and had low production and operating costs would provide its parent air force with a much more operationally appealing aircraft option. Crucially, they would be able to afford more of them, create a more effective deterrent threat in the process.

Despite his resultant design possessing outstanding flight performance and showing great promise in both the light fighter and ground attack roles, the Air Ministry were still unimpressed, but whilst deciding not to pursue their interest in that aircraft, did instead convince Petter to consider developing the aircraft still further, but not as a lightweight fighter, as an advanced two-seat training aircraft, something they certainly did have a requirement for. 

Such a radical change in requirement did present the design team at Folland with some significant challenges, resulting in the new aircraft being very different from the original fighter aircraft they had been working on, nevertheless, they set about their work with renewed enthusiasm. The new training variant would require a redesigned and lengthened fuselage, both to allow for the installation of a second seat and the installation of a more powerful engine. A new wing configuration and redesigned tail unit would also be features of their new training aircraft, an aircraft which would subsequently be christened the Folland Gnat.

A selection of built Gnat kit imagery featuring both of the scheme options available with this incredibly popular kit. They clearly show the diminutive stature of this exciting little jet.

The first production Gnat T.1 trainers for the Royal Air Force were delivered to the Central Flying School at Little Rissington in early 1962, but it would be No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley who would take the accolade of being the major operator of this beautiful little aeroplane in an advanced jet pilot training role. With the RAF now operating an 'all jet' training programme, once they had safely negotiated the ab initio and basic flight training phases, it was on to the jets, first in the Jet Provost and if successful there, on to No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley and the exciting prospect of flying the diminutive Folland Gnat, an aircraft student pilots and instructors alike regarded as something of a pocket rocket. 

For most people though, the Gnat is remembered as the mount of spectacular aerobatic display teams of the 1960s and 70s, first with RAF Valley’s Yellowjacks and more famously with the Red Arrows, who used these diminutive jets for 14 display seasons. As the Folland Gnat entered squadron service, the RAF were keen to display the many qualities of their new trainer to the huge audiences at the Farnborough Air Show, and a group of instructors at RAF Valley thought they had just the thing. 

With many RAF stations boasting a solo display aircraft, instructors at No.4 Flying Training School had the idea of forming a display team consisting of five aircraft (two either side of the leader) and as the project began to gain some momentum, it was decided that the aircraft should be painted in an unusual colour scheme. Forming unofficially during 1963, the team began training in the skies above RAF Valley, immediately attracting the attention of the locals.

Local aviation folklore has it that a locally based reporter on Anglesey had seen the aircraft displaying over the airfield and made an official request to watch the team practicing from the lofty vantage point of RAF Valley’s control tower. This request was duly granted, and whilst marvelling at the precision flying he was allowed to watch from such an advantageous position, he overheard the radio communications of the leader calling a break to land – using the team’s callsign, the reporter heard ‘Yellowjacks Break’, something he would later use in his report article. 

As this seemed to be an entirely appropriate name for a team of yellow painted jets, it naturally stuck and the Yellowjacks Display Team was born.

No.4 Flying Training School were keen to show off their new Gnat jet trainers, which they did in some style with their Yellowjacks team.

As information about the team began to circulate more widely, the roads around RAF Valley began to fill with local people and holidaymakers all desperate to catch a glimpse of this exciting new aerobatic display team and their brightly coloured aircraft on practice days. Indeed, the situation became so serious that the local council had to build a dedicated viewing area to accommodate at least some of the extra visitors, an area which is still in use to this day, but now as a car park and meeting point for members of the Valley Aviation Society. 

The colour of the aircraft was extremely popular with enthusiasts and the public alike, particularly as the jets looked absolutely stunning against a clear blue sky, especially whilst streaming their white smoke. It was however, quickly discovered that the Gnats were much less visible on grey and overcast days, which would be quite a significant problem considering the unpredictability of the good old British weather.

At that time, there were quite a number of RAF display teams on the Airshow display circuit, and service officials were becoming increasingly concerned that individual units were spending far too much time on unofficial flying activities, in addition to the sheer number of teams being a cause of some confusion amongst the general public. 

Wanting to regain some central control over the situation, but also wanting to maintain the undoubted public popularity of the ‘Yellowjacks’, the yellow Gnats were ordered down to Little Rissington at the end of the display season, where they would go on to form the nucleus of a new, official RAF Aerobatic Display Team, one which continued to utilise the exceptional qualities of the Folland Gnat, but exchanging their striking yellow scheme for an even more iconic look. This new team would go by the name of ‘The Red Arrows’.

Becoming some of the most famous aircraft in post war RAF history, the Gnats of the Red Arrows would go on to thrill millions of spectators with their displays of precision flying 1,292 times over the next 14 years, creating a proud record of flying excellence which is upheld by current members of this world famous team.

A model kit delight in 1/48th scale

Over the years, Airfix modelling enthusiasts have always been able to count on any catalogue or annual range of kits to provide plenty of choice when it comes to selecting a suitable model subject to enjoy, with some options proving to be more irresistible than others. Due to its links with the Red Arrows, and by virtue of the fact that as a training aircraft, it will have come into contact with more people than most, the Folland Gnat has appeared regularly in various ranges over the years, starting with the introduction of our originally tooled 1/72nd scale kit back in 1964.

It has to be said that most of those releases presented the kit as a Red Arrows Gnat, but those looking to take on a more standard training jet appearance for their build could always follow guidance in the Airfix Magazine, or delve into the aftermarket decal world.

This original tooling was replaced with an impressive new kit featuring all the latest industry developments in 2012, an at this current moment, we’re delighted to say that we have examples of both our 1/72nd and 1/48th scale Folland Gnat kits available.

Although the Gnat is definitely on the small side as far as a two seat jet trainer goes, it is a particularly attractive aeroplane to look at, so when our 1/48th scale example of the aircraft was released in 2014, you can imagine how popular a range addition this proved to be. Even though everything about the Gnat is small, in this larger scale, it really does allow us to better admire the clean lines of this beautiful little aeroplane, and from a displayed built model perspective, a 1/48th scale Gnat is definitely something of an attention grabber.

For this reason, we’re delighted to have a kit which many regard as their favourite of recent years back in the range once more, and as there isn’t a Red Arrow or Yellowjack livery in sight when it comes to the scheme options available, this is probably an appropriate point to take a closer look at what schemes are included now. 

Scheme A – Folland Gnat T.1 XP500, No.4 Flying Training School, Royal Air Force Valley, Anglesey, Wales, 1973.

For student pilots making their first flight in the Folland Gnat, the experience must have been absolutely unforgettable. Having already safely negotiated basic flight training in the steady, but rather sedate Jet Provost, the Gnat must have seemed like something entirely different, offering the sheer excitement of flying, surely the reason they had joined the RAF in the first place. Regarded as something of a ‘Hot Ship’ by all those who flew them, the Gnat was a delight to fly, fast and manoeuvrable and the ideal aircraft for future fast jet pilots to gain their first taste of real speed. 

The rather cramped cockpit must have felt somewhat reassuring for the student, almost as if they had strapped the aircraft on in preparation for their latest flight experience, however, the diminutive stature of the Gnat also posed some significant problems, many of which would become worse the longer the aircraft remained in service. 

Although it must have been quite the thrill for student pilots, in the seat behind them, the instructor was having a different experience altogether, with his work environment being extremely cramped, with very poor forward visibility, which must have been quite alarming during critical phases of flight. It was also quickly discovered that taller pilots found it extremely difficult to fit in the cockpit of the Gnat, and worse than this, should they be forced to eject from the aircraft in an emergency, there was a distinct possibility of sustaining severe injury due to the location of the main instrument panel and the crews legs. This had to be avoided at all costs, and swiftly resulted in taller pilots being transferred to other aircraft to continue their training, such as the Hawker Hunter.

Built sample model images of this kit finished in the lead scheme of two included with this release.

Although the Gnat was unquestionably a pretty looking aeroplane to look at, it must have been an absolute nightmare for engineers and technicians to work on. With all this advanced equipment crammed into such a small airframe, and with space always at such a premium, a high degree of dexterity must have been desirable for engineers stationed at RAF Valley, with the ability to contort their limbs being a welcome bonus. Despite this, the Gnat proved to be a successful training aeroplane, serving for 16 years with No.4 FTS at RAF Valley, as well as being the high profile mount of both the Yellowjacks and Red Arrows display teams during their service life.

This particular Gnat was the first T.1 aircraft from the main production order to make its first flight, which it completed on 25th June 1962. She would be accepted into service with the RAF at the beginning of 1964 and would go on to have an active service career in the role for which this aircraft was developed, that of an advanced jet trainer. Interestingly, she wouldn’t be one of the aircraft used by the Red Arrows during their extensive time spent with the Gnat.

In this handsome scheme, she is resplendent in the later high-visibility training presentation adopted by the Royal Air Force, and makes for an interesting comparison with the second option available, which is the earlier incarnation – which one to you prefer. More importantly, which one do you think looks better on a Gnat?

Scheme B – Folland Gnat T.1 XM709, Central Flying School, Royal Air Force Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, England, 1973.

The RAF’s Central Flying School was originally established in May 1912 and was intended as an institution both to train future flight instructors and to test the competency of individual aircrews, whilst at the same time acting as a review body for the training system as a whole. It would go on to produce a constant stream of highly proficient qualified flying instructors, although the structure of the school would be modified significantly during wartime conditions. CFS instructors would ultimately train thousands of pilots destined for military service all over the world, airmen who would eventually help to secure a hard fought victory for the Allied nations in two world wars.

The Central Flying School was re-established at the Gloucestershire airfield at Little Rissington in 1946, a location which has since become synonymous with the unit and the training of pilots. Interestingly, at the time of its construction, Little Rissington had the distinction of being the highest airfield in regular use here in the UK, being approximately 750 ft above sea level, something which did make it susceptible to suffering from poor weather conditions at times over the years. Almost as soon as the CFS arrived, the airfield was effectively cut off from the rest of the country by severe blizzards during the winter of 1946/47, and it would be two days before an intrepid party from Little Rissington made it to the sanctuary of the Old New Inn at Bourton-on-the-water, and civilization.

The primary role of the CFS at Little Rissington was to provide advanced flying training for qualified military pilots, and indeed was the only RAF school to be engaged in the training of flying instructors, a role it continued to perform throughout the transition from piston to jet powered aircraft. The first jets to arrive at the airfield were de Havilland Vampire T.11s, but these were soon joined by the new Jet Provost which was to play such a significant role in the future training of RAF pilots. The first course of Qualified Flying Instructors (QFIs) to successfully graduate from a Jet Provost program left the CFS for service postings in November 1959.

The Folland Gnat must have been an exhilarating aircraft to fly, particularly when making your first flight after advancing from the Jet Provost.

Taking RAF jet training to new levels of both speed and capability, the first production Folland Gnat T.1 trainers arrived at Little Rissington in 1962, with those first aircraft looking resplendent in a striking all silver livery. With the Gnats being diminutive, slippery customers, they must have looked rather smart darting around Gloucestershire skies in that presentation.

By the mid 1960s, the silver Gnats had inherited ‘dayglo’ orange extremities, all intended to make the aircraft more visible from the ground and crucially, to other aircraft in the air, a conscious effort to reduce the potential for accidents at a time of heavy flying commitments. Updated once again during the early 1970s to the A scheme previously featured above, modellers working on Gnat projects actually have quite a number of different scheme options in which to consider finishing their models, particularly if you include those worn by the  aerobatic display team operators of the aircraft. One thing is certain, no choice is a bad choice, because a Gnat will look great in any of them.

This particular Gnat XM709 was the last of 14 pre-production aircraft to be constructed, making its first flight on 5th January 1962. Delivered to the RAF early the following month, she would be sent to Dunsfold for flight development trials, before taking her place amongst the training aircraft at the Central Flying School airfield at Little Rissington. During a long service career, she would wear most of the scheme permutations applied to the aircraft, but would eventually be sold at an MoD auction in a relatively dilapidated state.

Sold to a private buyer following her withdrawal from service, she would travel to Florida, where he is still thought to be today, a stored airframe used as a spares donor for airworthy examples of the aircraft on the other side of the Atlantic.

For those of us who grew up watching the Red Arrows displaying prior to being allocated their current Hawk jets, we still have a real affection for the Folland Gnat, and even though the RAF only purchased 105 of them, they still rank as one of the most memorable types to see post war RAF service. Small, but a real Hot Ship, the Gnat may have failed to impress the Air Ministry as a lightweight fighter aircraft, however, it would go on to be one of the highest profile aircraft to ever see Royal Air Force service.

As a model kit, this 1/48th scale beaut is an absolute cracker, one which builds into a stunningly accurate representation of the distinctive Folland Gnat. If 1/72nd scale is more your thing, we also have some Gnat trade for you at the moment, as both the 1/48th and 1/72nd scale Gnat kits are currently in stock and available. 

One to keep an eye out for – in 1/48th scale the Gnat is an irresistible build proposition.

A really handsome looking aeroplane, this Gnat kit would look great displayed next to something like an English Electric Lightning, with the size difference between the two clearly highlighting the challenges Teddy Petter and his team faced when trying to convince Air Ministry officials about the benefits of his new lightweight fighter back in the 1950s.

We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence. 

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