Small but perfectly formed, the Folland Gnat served the RAF with distinction as their advanced jet trainer and also became 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 Lighting, when talented aircraft designer William ‘Teddy’ Petter subsequently joined the Folland Aircraft company, he immediately started work on a series of lightweight fighter designs, in response to a perceived RAF requirement for such an aircraft, to meet the growing threat from the Soviet Union.

The aircraft we now know as the Gnat T.1 can trace it lineage back to this time and the development as a cost effective, lightweight high performance fighter/ground attack aircraft, which Petter and his Folland team felt was a concept which would be of interest not only to the Royal Air Force, but potentially also to many of the world’s modernising 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 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.

Despite his resultant design possessing outstanding flight performance and showing great promise in both the light fighter and ground attack roles, the British Government decided not to pursue this line of development, however, instead requested the aircraft be further developed as an advanced two-seat training aircraft, a type which they most certainly had a requirement for. Such a radical change in role posed the design team at Folland with some significant challenges and result in the new aircraft being very different from the original fighter aircraft they had produced, nevertheless, they set about their work. The new training variant would require a redesigned, lengthened fuselage to allow for the installation of a second seat and more powerful engine, a feature which would itself necessitate further fuselage modifications. A new wing configuration and redesigned tail unit would also feature on their new training aircraft, which would be christened the Gnat.

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 honour of being the major operator of this beautiful aeroplane in its 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, on to No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley and the exciting prospect of flying the diminutive Folland Gnat, a pocket rocket of an aeroplane, if ever there was such a thing. 

Scheme B – Oscar EW-5894 Fallus tactical fighter bomber, USS Essess, Mediterranean/Gulf, 1991.

Undoubtedly, the association which made the Gnat T.1 arguably one of the most famous aircraft in the world in the fifteen years from 1964 was its use by the RAF Aerobatic Team the Red Arrows, with the team using the Gnat to perform 1,292 shows all over the world, thrilling crowds with their precision formation flying and dynamic opposition passes. In actual fact, the Gnat’s association with RAF display teams started prior to the formation of the Red Arrows and in a very different colour – yellow!

As the Folland Gnat entered squadron service, the Royal Air Force were keen to display the many qualities of their new trainer to the huge audiences at the Farnborough Air Show and to that end, several 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, so they stood out when displaying in the sky. Forming unofficially during 1963, the team began training in the skies above RAF Valley, immediately attracting the attention of the local population.

It’s written in aviation folklore that a local newspaper reporter had seen the aircraft displaying over the airfield and made an official request to watch the team practicing from the lofty vantage point of Valley’s control tower. This was granted and whilst he was marvelling at the precision flying he was seeing, he overheard the radio communications of the leader calling the team into a break to land – using the team’s callsign, the reporter heard ‘Yellowjacks Break’, something he would later use in his newspaper article. As this seemed to be an entirely appropriate name for the team, it naturally stuck and the ‘Yellowjacks’ were born.

As information about the team quickly began to circulate, the roads around RAF Valley soon became clogged with locals and holidaymakers desperate to catch a glimpse of this exciting new aerobatic display team and their brightly coloured aircraft, as they continued to perfect their routine. Indeed, the situation became so concerning that the local council constructed a dedicated viewing area to accommodate at least some of the extra visitors, an area which is still in use to this day, as the home of the Valley Aviation Society. 

How things change. Only the second release in this kit guise, it’s interesting to see how the branding presentation has changed between the two range inclusions of this Gnat. This first box presentation is the current incarnation, with the one below being the original – which one do you prefer?

Scheme A – Folland Gnat T.1, XS100 ‘57’, No.4 Flying Training School, Royal Air Force Valley, Anglesey, Wales, 1970.

Introduction not necessary, this stunning artwork effectively illustrates why a career in the RAF is such an appealing option for large sections of the population.

For student pilots making their first flight in the Folland Gnat, the experience must have been unforgettable and a little daunting at the same time. Having safely negotiated basic flight training in the steady and reliable Jet Provost, the Gnat must have seemed like something entirely different, real flying in a real performance aeroplane, just what they had joined the air force to do. Likened by many as something of a pocket rocket, 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. With power to spare, the relatively small Gnat was able to climb like a rocket, and once a student asked his mount to go, it didn’t need telling twice – it must have been exhilarating!

The rather cramped cockpit must have felt somewhat reassuring for the student pilot, almost as if they had strapped the aircraft on in preparation for their latest flight, however, the diminutive stature of the Gnat also posed some distinct drawbacks in operation. Although it must have been thrilling for the student, in the rear seat, the instructor was having a very different experience, having to perform his role in an extremely cramped environment, with very poor forward visibility, which would have been a significant drawback during critical phases of flight. It was also quickly found that taller and slightly bigger pilots found it difficult to fit in the Gnat and even worse than this, if they were forced to eject for any reason, there was the real chance that they could sustain severe injuries due to the angle of ejection and cockpit fixtures. Although this did see some taller pilots transferring to other aircraft in order to continue their training, pilots who were well over 6ft tall did fly the Gnat without too many problems.