Comper Aircraft Company
Comper Swift
The Comper Swift is a British single‑seat sporting monoplane built by the Comper Aircraft Company in the early 1930s. Designed by Sir John Comper, the Swift first flew on 31 March 1930 at Croydon Airport and quickly gained a reputation for speed and agility. Its wooden airframe featured a low‑wing, cantilever design with a smooth, plywood‑covered fuselage that reduced drag. Powered typically by a 75 hp Blackburn Cirrus Major engine, the aircraft could reach 150 mph and climb to 10 000 ft in just over ten minutes, performance that made it competitive in both club races and record attempts. The Swift’s simple controls, fixed split‑type landing gear, and open cockpit appealed to private owners and flying clubs, while its lightweight construction allowed easy handling for pilots with modest experience. Production ended after only 27 units were completed, but the type left a lasting imprint on British light aviation, demonstrating that high performance could be achieved with modest power and economical design. Its successes in the 1930 King's Cup Race and subsequent air‑races cemented the Swift’s status as an iconic example of interwar sport aircraft.
