A Firecracker with a V-12

This Week’s Hints to help you along:

  • Sporting a supercharged V-12 engine imported from Central Europe.
  • One of the few planes to bear a swastika with two air forces.
  • Its fate remains entirely unknown — though it flew for three years.
  • Fast, light and maneuverable — but are those fixed landing gear?

So do you know what this aircraft is?

 

 

 

Post a REPLY below with your best guess!

Click here to check out last week’s What’s That?

 

11 thoughts on “A Firecracker with a V-12

  1. Jim Abbott says:

    I’ve no idea what it is but I suspect it’s a racer of some sort based on the extreme pitch of the prop. Jim A., Tucson, AZ

    Reply
    1. HW says:

      The canopy certainly reminds us of a racing plane…. However, no. This was designed as a military fighter plane.

      Reply
    1. Bill Critch says:

      It’s a Percival allright. A Mew Gull ca. 1934/1935 used in the King’s Cup Air Race powered by a Gypsy Six. Could be the completely re-designed model Type E-2. Flown by Alex henderson to Cape of Good Hope, SA, and back in 4 days, 10 hours 16 minutes. It survived the World War 2 and was restored in1992 and designated E.3H
      Info from Complete Encyclopedia of World aircraft, Edited by David Donald Pub 1997

      Reply
      1. Bill Critch says:

        Funny, my reference doesn’t show the V-12. Guess it IS a mystery

        Reply
      2. Ray Windlow says:

        A Percival that wore “swastikas” with 2 air forces?
        Maybe you missed that hint!

        Reply
  2. Nigel Dingley says:

    This is not a Mew Gull although it does bear a superficial resemblance. The fuselage, cockpit canopy and tail are all not the same as the Percival design. Also it the Mew Gull was powered by a variety of DH Gipsy Six or French Regnier engines, both of which were inverted straight six cylinder and not super or turbocharged. Also majority fitted with variable pitch propellers. Mew Gulls did not have any military use. More information on the Mew Gull and other Percival and Hunting designs can be found in the following book;
    ‘On the Wings of A Gull’ – Hunting and Percival Aircraft – Published by Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. (ISBN 978-0-85130-448-9) – http://www.air-britain.co.uk

    Reply
    1. Bill Critch says:

      Good one. The mists of aviation history are wonderful to explore. Thanks

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Nigel Dingley Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.