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Percival Prentice

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Prentice
A Percival P.40 Prentice T.1 of No. 16 Reserve Flying School based at Derby (Burnaston) Airport in service in May 1953
General information
TypeMilitary trainer aircraft
ManufacturerPercival
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Primary usersRoyal Air Force
Argentine Air Force
Indian Air Force
private pilot owners after disposal by the RAF
Number built526
History
Manufactured1947–1949
Introduction dateNovember 1947
First flight31 March 1946
Retired1953

The Percival Prentice was a basic trainer of the Royal Air Force in the early postwar period. It was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. Front seating was in a side-by-side configuration with a rear seat provided.

Design and development

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Designed to meet Air Ministry Specification T.23/43, the Prentice was the first all-metal aircraft to be produced by the Percival Aircraft Company. The first (of 5) prototypes, Prentice TV163[1] was first flown by Leonard Carruthers from Percival's factory at Luton Airport, Bedfordshire, on 31 March 1946. Early trials revealed lateral instability with inadequate rudder control and poor spin recovery, which required extensive tests with revised tail configurations. These resulted in modifications to the fin, rudder, elevators and upturned wingtips.[2]

An unusual design feature was the provision for three seats. While the instructor and pupil were equipped with dual controls in a side-by-side arrangement in the front, a second pupil sat in the rear seat without controls to receive "air experience". Both pupils could communicate with the instructor. Night flying training was to be carried out in daylight by means of amber screens incorporated into the canopy and the use of special goggles. The amber screens were folded back when not in use.[3]

The RAF ordered a total of 455 Prentices (95 were subsequently cancelled) and there were also a limited number of export sales. When the Percival factory was concentrating on production of the Percival Proctor and development of the Merganser as the Prince light transport aircraft, production of 125 aircraft was sub-contracted to the Blackburn Aircraft works at Brough.[4]

Operational service

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After the above modifications, the Prentice was passed into RAF service, initially with the regular Flying Training Schools (FTS) including the RAF College, Cranwell, where they replaced the remaining de Havilland Tiger Moths. Later deliveries went to the Reserve Flying Schools (RFS). The type was used as a pilot trainer until 1952 at the RAF College where it was replaced by the de Havilland (Canada) Chipmunk and in late 1953 at the other schools, when it was replaced by the Percival Provost.[5] Two Air Signals Schools also operated the type to train air signallers, until the last were withdrawn from No.1 ASS at RAF Swanton Morley, Norfolk, in mid 1956.[6]

Civilian operations

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A preserved Percival Prentice giving a pleasure flight in 2007

In 1956 252 redundant RAF Prentices were bought by Aviation Traders Ltd, a company owned by Freddie Laker.[7][8] and were stored at Stansted and Southend. Most were eventually scrapped but 28 were converted for civil use with two seats and two jumpseats behind the two pilots' seats, separated by a structure which housed the original 4-channel radio. This version had quite poor performance with four passengers. One aircraft (G-AOKL) was based at Stansted Aerodrome near London around 1963 and used by the resident parachute club for parachuting with at least three jumpers. One aircraft (G-APJE) was converted to a seven-seat layout for pleasure flights operated by Jock Maitland at Ramsgate Airport. A nine-seater was under development at Southend to have been fitted with Gipsy Queen 70-2 but the project was abandoned before flight. One (G-AOPL) was acquired from Shackleton Aviation at Sywell by Captain Jon Cousens, a Desert Intelligence Officer in the Trucial Oman Scouts and flown to Sharjah in 1967; later being flown on to South Africa where it remained until it ceased flying.

Forty-two aircraft were built under licence by Hindustan Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.[9]

Three fictional civilian Percival Prentice are featured in The Black Island (French: L'Île noire), the 7th volume of The Adventures of Tintin, the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The planes are used by money forgers, flying over Sussex and Scotland.

Variants

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Prentice T.1
Standard three-seat trainer for Royal Air Force and export. 251 hp (187 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Queen 32 engine. 463 built.[10]
Prentice T.2
Fitted with supercharged 296 hp (221 kW) Gipsy Queen 51.[10] One built.[9]
Prentice T.3
Fitted with 345 hp (257 kW) Gipsy Queen 70-2.[10] 62 built.[9]

Operators

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 Argentina
 Canada
 India
 Lebanon
 United Kingdom

Surviving aircraft

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Prentice T.1, Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica, Argentina
Argentina
India
New Zealand
United Kingdom
United States

Specifications (T.1 - Gipsy Queen 51)

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Percival Prentice T.1

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1947,[22][23]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2-3
  • Length: 31 ft 3 in (9.53 m)
  • Wingspan: 46 ft 0 in (14.02 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 10.5 in (3.924 m) with tail in rigging position
  • Aspect ratio: 6.94[24]
  • Airfoil: RAF 48[25]
  • Empty weight: 2,891 lb (1,311 kg)
  • Gross weight: 3,860 lb (1,751 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 40 imp gal (48 US gal; 182 L) fuel in two wing tanks ; 4.9 imp gal (6 US gal; 22 L) oil
  • Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Queen 51 6-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engine, 296 hp (221 kW) supercharged
or 251 hp (187 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Queen 32 un-supercharged engine

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 171 mph (275 km/h, 149 kn) at 6,800 ft (2,073 m)
153 mph (133 kn; 246 km/h) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn) at 5,400 ft (1,646 m) maximum continuous
147 mph (128 kn; 237 km/h) at sea level maximum continuous
154 mph (134 kn; 248 km/h) at 12,200 ft (3,719 m) maximum economic
129 mph (112 kn; 208 km/h) at sea level maximum economic
  • Stall speed: 62.4 mph (100.4 km/h, 54.2 kn) flaps up
51 mph (44 kn; 82 km/h) flaps down
  • Range: 505 mi (813 km, 439 nmi) at sea level maximum economic
517 mph (449 kn; 832 km/h) at 12,200 ft (3,719 m) maximum economic
  • Endurance: 3 hours 55 minutes maximum economic at sea level ; 3 hours 43 minutes 139 mph (121 kn; 224 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
  • Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,070 ft/min (5.4 m/s) initial
960 ft/min (4.88 m/s) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)
  • Wing loading: 12.65 lb/sq ft (61.8 kg/m2)
  • Power/mass: 0.0769 hp/lb (0.1264 kW/kg)
  • Take-off run: 600 ft (183 m) from grass in still air at sea level ISA
525 ft (160 m) from hard runway in still air at sea level ISA
  • Take-off distance to 50 ft (15 m): 1,110 ft (338 m) from grass in still air at sea level ISA
1,035 ft (315 m) from hard runway in still air at sea level ISA

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Silvester 1987, p. 94
  2. ^ Silvester 1987, pp. 91-93
  3. ^ Marsh, Jeff. "Percival "Prentice" T1". Air Atlantique Classic Flight Project, 20 September 2005. Retrieved: 14 May 2009.
  4. ^ Silvester 1987, p. 96
  5. ^ Silvester 1987, pp. 95-97
  6. ^ Sturtivant 1997, p. 61.
  7. ^ Jackson 1974, p. 345
  8. ^ Silvester 1987, p. 98
  9. ^ a b c d e f Birtles Aircraft Illustrated December 1975, p. 489.
  10. ^ a b c Birtles Aircraft Illustrated December 1975, p. 487.
  11. ^ Birtles Aircraft Illustrated December 1975, p. 492.
  12. ^ Halley 1985, pp. 76–82.
  13. ^ Cater & Caballero (IPMS Magazine May 2013)
  14. ^ "The Museum Collection". National Transport & Toy Museum. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  15. ^ a b c "Percival Prentice". Demobbed. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Aircraft List". Newark Air Museum. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  17. ^ "THE AIRCRAFT". Aero Legends. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  18. ^ "OKAY, WHAT'S ALL THE HURRY?". Classic Air Force. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  19. ^ Simpson, Andrew (2013). "PERCIVAL PRENTICE T.1 VS618 /G-AOLK MUSEUM ACCESSION NUMBER X005-0834" (PDF). Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Aircraft Listing". Midland Air Museum. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  21. ^ "FAA REGISTRY [N1041P]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  22. ^ Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1947). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1947 (35th ed.). London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co.
  23. ^ Thetford 1976, p. 430
  24. ^ Bridgman 1951, pp. 70c–71c.
  25. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.

Bibliography

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  • Birtles, Philip J. "The Percival Prentice". Aircraft Illustrated, Vol. 8, No. 12, December 1975. pp. 487–493.
  • Bridgman, Leonard. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1951–52. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd., 1951.
  • Ellison, Norman H. Percivals Aircraft (The Archive Photographs Series). Chalford, Stroud, UK: Chalford Publishing Company, 1997. ISBN 0-7524-0774-0.
  • Halley, J.J. Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100-VZ999. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. 1985. ISBN 0-85130-136-3.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 3. London: Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-85177-818-6.
  • Silvester, John. Percival Aircraft 1933–1954 (Parts 1–4). Aeroplane Monthly, Vol. 11, No. 1–4, January–April 1983.
  • Silvester, John. Percival and Hunting Aircraft. Leicester: Midland Counties Publications 1987. ISBN 0-9513386-0-9.
  • Sturtivant, Ray. Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1997. ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
  • Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1976. ISBN 0-370-10056-5.
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