Gloster VI

The Gloster VI was a pioneering British racing seaplane built by the Gloster Aircraft Company in the early 1920s. Developed for the 1923 Schneider Trophy competition, the aircraft embodied the company’s ambition to push the limits of speed and aerodynamics. Its airframe combined a sleek, wooden monocoque fuselage with a cantilever wing of high aspect ratio, covered in doped fabric, which gave the aircraft a low drag profile. Power was supplied by a single Napier Lion VIIa water‑cooled V‑12 engine, delivering approximately 450 hp through a two‑blade wooden propeller. The Lion was mounted in a streamlined cowling and drove a radiators placed in the wing roots, further reducing frontal area. Although the Gloster VI never flew in the race—mechanical problems forced its withdrawal—it set a world speed record of 190 mph (306 km/h) during a test flight, demonstrating the potential of high‑performance monoplane designs. The aircraft’s innovative use of monocoque construction and advanced cooling arrangements influenced later Gloster models such as the Gladiator and the Meteor, marking the Gloster VI as a crucial stepping stone in Britain’s transition from wood‑based biplanes to all‑metal, high‑speed fighters.