Gloster Goldfinch

The Gloster Goldfinch was a single-engined, single-seat, high-altitude biplane fighter of all-metal construction from the later 1920s. In January 1926 the Air Ministry funded Gloster Aircraft to build an all-metal version of its Gamecock for the high-altitude role, which called for a supercharged engine, and the result strongly resembled the Gamecock but had a longer forward fuselage. Only one aircraft was built, in two forms: a first build with all-metal wings and a mixed metal and wood fuselage, later rebuilt with an all-metal fuselage and a narrower, taller fin and rudder. It was powered throughout by a supercharged 450 hp Bristol Jupiter VIIF. After its first flight in May 1927 it went to Martlesham Heath in December and proved fast with a rapid climb, though its spinning was substandard; it failed to meet the load and fuel requirements of specification F.9/26, which the Bristol Bulldog won, and it was used for trials until October 1928.