Percival Mew Gull

n 1934, Edgar Percival opened his own works at Gravesend Airport in Kent where work was started on a single seat racing aircraft inspired by the success of the Gull. This, the Percival E.1, was rapidly completed and entered in that year’s King’s Cup race at Hatfield on 13 July where it lapped at 191mph but finished unplaced.

Subsequent versions of the racer, now known as Mew Gulls, were successively modified through E.2 and E.3 versions, with variations in the type of engine fitted and the sizes of the wing, fuselage and empennage, until the sixth and last, E.3H – registered G-AFAA.

About this aircraft

This aircraft was originally registered as ZS-AHM and named ‘The Golden City’. It was one of three Mew Gulls intended to take part in the Schlesinger Race in 1936 but retired due to fuel issues. In 1937, it was sold to Alex Henshaw and re-registered G-AEXF. Henshaw won the 1937 Folkestone Trophy but suffered engine failure during that year’s King’s Cup. Following this, a number of modifications were made including a new Gipsy Six R engine, a de Havilland constant speed propeller and the fuselage was remodelled above the top longerons to give a lower profile. With these modifications, Henshaw won the 1938 King’s Cu

Following this, further modifications were made including a radio and long-range fuel tanks in preparation for Alex Henshaw’s out-and-home Cape record flight. He took off on 5 February 1939 and returned from Cape Town 4 days 10 hours 16 minutes later, a record that stood for over 70 years!

In 1985, the aircraft was purchased by Desmond Penrose who had the aircraft restored to original 1939 configuration; however, in 1991 the aircraft suffered a forced landing and had to be restored once again. It was sold to the Real Aeroplane Company in 2002 before finally joining the Collection in October 2013.

Specification