Легкий истребитель Gnat скуадрон-лидера Б.Сиканда из 23-й АЭ ВВС Индии

HAL Gnat Mk 1.

Gnat. Сначала в качестве истребителя, а затем как тренировочный самолет, Gnat использовался в Индии с 1958 года. Самолетами данного типа были вооружены восемь эскадрилий индийских ВВС. Индийские Gnat принимали участие в войнах с Пакистаном 8 1965 и 1971 годах, хорошо проявив себя в маневренных воздушных боях. С появлением самолета Ajeet самолеты Gnat стали использоваться для тренировки летчиков. Изображен такой учебный самолет в декоративной окраске.

Этот финский истребитель Gnat F.Mk 1 был модифицирован для выполнения задач тактической разведки с установкой перспективного АФА в нижней передней части фюзеляжа, финские специалисты были столь впечатлены характеристиками Gnat, что предпочли эти машины предлагавшимся по более низкой цене американским истребителям F-86 Sabre.

Широко известные по службе в пилотажной группе "Red Arrows", самолеты Gnat прежде были основными машинами пилотажной группы "Yellowjacks", которую расформировали в 1965 году и на ее основе создали бренд "Red Arrows".

Прототип самолета Gnat представлял собой увеличенный Midge с новым двигателем Orpheus. Первый полет он выполнил 18 июля 1955 года. Самолет отличался чистотой аэродинамики и отличной маневренностью.

GN-101 flew the last-ever Finnish Gnat flight on October 24, 1972. It is kept at the Finnish Air Force Museum at Tikkakoski.

В 1958-1959 годах Финляндия закупила 13 самолетов Gnat. На двух из них в носовых частях фюзеляжей смонтировали аэрофотоаппараты, превратив самолеты в фоторазведчики, остальные использовались как истребители.
Hawker Siddeley Gnat in Finnish service.

GN-103 ‘on guard’ at Halli.

GN-104 is dramatically displayed outside the Finnish Air Force Museum at Tikkakoski.

GN-112 after retirement at Luonetjarvi in July 1978. It flew its last mission on May 15, 1972, and was kept in the same condition.

Nose detail on GN-113 ‘Kreivi von Rosen’.

Hameen Lennosto emblem on the tail of HavLLv 11 GN-113.

Истребитель Фоллэнд "Нэт"

Both the Gnat (shown) and Hound are in comparatively good shape but both have stern warnings not to touch. Located in a police training park, perhaps the Gnat is used for SWAT training... ouch! To get a bird’s-eye view of the pair on Google Earth, enter the co-ordinates 28.67266, 77.13864.

Kennet Aviation’s Folland Gnat XP504/G-TIMM has been repainted as the third prototype, XM693, which wore company-applied silver / yellow training colours. Seen here at Cranfield on April 25, 1993, the Gnat is available for airshows - ring Gordon Fraser on 0635 873485 (evgs) for details.

Folland Gnat G-TIMM.

Folland Gnat T.1 XP505 served with the Flight Systems Squadron at Bedford on low-level gust and turbulence research for which it was equipped with nose and wing tip sensor probes. It was delivered to Bedford in May 1969 and sold to the Science Museum on April 29, 1984.

В качестве учебного самолета Gnat T.Mk 1 оказался скоростным и маневренным. Однако очень малый размер его кабины вводил свои ограничения, и рослые курсанты не могли обучаться на этих самолетах. В этих случаях использовался Hawker Hunter T.Mk 7 с его просторной кабиной, в ней пилоты располагались плечом к плечу.

В качестве истребителя самолет Gnat не отвечал требованиям британских ВВС, но его двухместный вариант стал одной из лучших учебно-тренировочных машин своего времени.

Unusually for an RAF aircraft, the Gnat's ejection seat was not supplied by Martin-Baker, but by Saab.

Predecessors of the 'Red Arrows', the Folland Gnat T.1s of the 'Yellowjacks' display team, 1964. Note that the leader's aircraft, XR992, has a black fin.

The Red Arrows’ Synchro Pair Gnats converging over Dartmouth in September 1979. The picture was taken from the riverbank.

A characteristically superb portrait of Folland Gnat T.1 G-BVPP/XR993 with Ray Hanna at the controls and Boz Robinson in the back seat during the photographic sortie on July 7, 1998.

Фолллэнд «Нэт» долгое время являлся основным самолетом пилотажной группы «Красные стрелы».

Один из пилотажных «Нэтов» сохранен как выставочный экспонат

The dream team - from left to right: Mark Hanna, AVM Boz Robinson and Ray Hanna beside the Gnat in July 1998. The consummate performer, Ray joined the Red Arrows in 1965 and served as the team’s leader during 1966-70, during which time he was instrumental in establishing the Gnat as a firm favourite with the public.

"Yellowjack'' Gnat T.1 G-MOUR, painted to represent XR991 of the famous RAF team of 1964, takes off for its display.

The Folland Gnat.

Wearing the ‘B Condition’ marking G-39-10 at Farnborough in summer 1958, the third Finnish Gnat GN-103. GN-101 -102 and -113 all initially flew as G-39-6, -7 and -11 respectively

Gnat;

First of six Folland Gnat light fighters (XK724) ordered by the Ministry or Supply for evaluation-shown here with C.T.P. Squadron Leader E. A. Tennant, D.F.C., at the controls. First flew on 26th May. Armed with two 30-mm. Aden cannon, the Gnat F. Mk. I has successrully completed the first phase or its air-firing programme. Span 22 ft. 2 in.; length 29 ft. 9 in.; wing sweep 40 degrees. Other data - withheld.

Folland Gnat I XK724 for RAF evaluation

Fo.145 Gnat F.1 XK740 was one of six single-seat fighters ordered by the Ministry of Supply tor trials, fn the event the R.A.F. did not adopt this version

GNAT (XK724) . First armed Gnat has a Folland patented conical blast suppressor fitted to each of the side intakes. The conical suppressor allows the 30-mm. Aden shells to pass unimpeded but forces the blast and debris out via the four holes in the shell-collector boxes.

The first Finnish-contract Folland Gnat (GN 101).

The first two Gnats were ferried to Hameen Lennosto, arriving on July 30, 1958, at Luonetjarvi. GN-102 taxies in after landing, with First Lieutenant Heikki Hietamies at the controls.

GN-103 over southern England shortly before the ferry flight to Finland, which took place on July 3, 1959. All the Gnats were painted in the standard British camouflage scheme of Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey tops with High Speed Aluminium undersurfaces.

One of twelve Gnat fighters delivered to the Finnish A.F., GN103

The Finnish Gnat GN-104.

GN-104 of HavLLv 11 showing off weaponry at Luonetjarvi in the late 1960s. Both inner wing pylons carry six 3in rockets. Behind on the ground are 25-year-old German SC 250 bombs

GN-105 of HavLLv 11 in 1964. During the course of the year, the main landing gear doors received the last digit of the aircraft’s serial number and later the inner wing pylons were fitted. The small bump under the nose houses a G.90 camera gun.

Line-up of Gnats at Folland’s Chilbolton airfield. Three Finns are included, with GN-107 in the foreground. In between are two Indian Air Force examples with one of the Ministry of Supply evaluation examples in the background.

GN-108 at Luonetjarvi, together with GN-101. The former faced a fuel transfer problem on April 10, 1964, which altered the centre of gravity causing the aircraft to spin into the ground.

Hawker Siddeley Gnat Mk. I fighter (foreground) and Gnat reconnaissance-fighter of No 21 Squadron, Finnish Air Force

Bristol Siddeley photographers paid a visit to Luonetjarvi in February 1961 and caught GN-111 taxying back from a training mission. This particular aircraft was the last of the fighter versions and arrived 12 months earlier on February 11, 1960.

GN-112 and GN-110 seen from the control tower of Luonetjarvi in summer 1962. GN-112 and -113 were reconnaissance fighters, both arriving on October 15, 1960.

It is expected that the Hindustan Aircraft Ltd ., of Bangalore, India, will manufacture the Folland Gnat. The one depicted belongs to the Ministry of Supply.

Early production Gnat fighter, IE1059, for the Indian A.F.

First photograph to be published showing the first of the Folland Gnat light fighters in the colours of the Indian Air Force. The Gnat will eventually be produced under licence in India by the Hindustan Aircraft Company. Serial number of the first Indian Gnat is IE 1059.

Hawker Siddeley Gnat light fighter built under licence by HAL

The small size of the Gnat is accentuated alongside the type it replaced in IAF service, the Dassault Ouragan - named Toofani (Hindi for Hurricane) in Indian service. The French-built Toofani was used in the reconnaissance role during the Sino-Indian conflict of late 1962.

The Fo 145 Gnat, the example illustrated being one of the Folland-built batch for the IAF.

HAK Gnat Mk I fighter, fitted with underwing drop-tanks

HAL Gnat Mk I single-seat fighter of the Indian Air Force

Погрузка истребителя "Нэт" в C-119 для доставки в Индию

HAL-built Gnat lightweight fighters were extensively employed in the intercept role, and IAF sources allege that this type remains supreme in low-altitude fast manoeuvring style combat.

"Нэты" из 2-й эскадрильи ВВС Индии на стоянке авиабазы Хальвара

"Нэт" скуадрон-лидера Б.Сиканда, доставшийся пакистанцам

Фоллэнд "Нэт", "Шершень II" и "Матица"

An Indian Air Force pilot in the cockpit of a Folland Gnat. The diminutive fighter entered front-line service with the IAF in 1960 and proved popular with its pilots.

Flown for the first time on 27 th August the Folland Gnat Trainer is seen here during its final constructional stage.

The all-white Gnat Trainer.

An early Gnat T.1 trainer before delivery to C.F.S.

Hawker Siddeley Gnat T.Mk 1 advanced trainer from the RAF Central Flying School

Hawker Siddeley Gnat T.Mk.l (Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 101 turbojet engine)

Operated from Kemble the C.F.S. Gnats are used for the applied flying phase of instructor training

Hawker Siddeley Gnat XP505 of RAE Bedford's Flight Systems Division, recently flew again after a long refit. The three lengthy probes are to record in-flight turbulence measurements.

XM691, the first of fourteen development Gnat T.1s

Hawker Siddeley Gnat of the Red Arrows aerobatic team.

Another aerobatic team appearing at Farnborough consists of five all-yellow Gnat T.1s from No. 4 F.T.S. at Valley, Anglesey. Led by F/Lt. Lee Jones, the team gave its first public performance on 25th July at R.N.A.S. Culdrose, Cornwall

"Red Arrows" Gnats during a 1967 display

Two-seat Gnat T.1s of the R.A.F.'s "Red Arrows" team

General view of the SBAC area seen during September 1960 showing, among others, the Gnat, Sea Vixen, Belvedere, Heron, Jet Provost, Comet, EP-9, Scout, Wasp, Whirlwind and Wessex. Note the exhibition area and the chalets, and compare with the area covered by these today.

Third HS.125 prototype G-ARYC became a test-bed for BSE (later Rolls-Royce) at Filton. It is seen here being readied to flight test the Viper 600. Gnat T.1 behind.

The Gnat’s front cockpit before the aircraft was painted.

Proud owner Tim Manna in the rear seat of Gnat G-TIMM / XP504 / “XM693”. He acquired the trainer in November 1991; it was restored in Ambrion Aviation’s hangar at Leavesden, making its first post-restoration flight a year later.

Dave straps into a Gnat. Note the yellow-and-red arming handle behind his head. This system makes it obvious if the seat is 'armed,' because when set to 'safe' the handle sticks into your neck!

FOLLAND GNAT MK. 1: Now cleared for service with the Indian Air Force, and with deliveries to Finland nearing completion, the Gnat Mk. 1 appears to be nearing the end of its production run, in this country at least. Powered by a 4,850-lb.s.t. Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 701, its dimensions are: Span 22 ft. 2 in.; length 29 ft. 9 in.; height 8 ft. 10 in.; wing area 136.6 sq. ft.

FOLLAND GNAT TRAINER: Another of Farnborough's debutantes, the Gnat Trainer was scheduled to fly for the first time as we closed for press. Fourteen for R.A.F. evaluation will be delivered next year. These will be powered by the 4,230-lb. s.t. Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 100. Dimensions: Span 24 ft.; length 30ft. 9 in.; height 10ft. 3 in.; wing area 75 sq. ft.

Hawker Siddeley Gnat T.Mk I two-seat advanced trainer

Folland Gnat T.1

Folland Gnat T.Mk.1

The Fo 145 Gnat, the example illustrated being one of the Folland-built batch for the IAF.