ParnaIl Aircraft since 1914 ,_~enneth E Wlxey The only surviving ParnaH aeroplane. ParnaH Elf G-AAIN at Old Warden in 1981 after restoration by the Shuttleworth Trust. It has a 120hp Cirrus HermesIIengine. (John A LongLRPS) ~ (1) ::J ~ef ::J .ti-l. (1) ~ '"C~z :r:-:+r () :;0....;1..... (1) i~ tT1~~ tJ)....;Ii; trj tJ)~~ ........ CD ~ ........ ~ ~. (1) ~ Contents Introduction 7 Acknowledgements 11 Parnal! Works Lineage Chart 12 Family Business 13 The Fishponds Connection 25 George Parnal! and Company 36 Parnal! Aircraft Limited 53 Parnal! and Sons Limited - Aircraft Built under Contract 1914-1918 69 Avro 504 69 Short 827 74 Short Bomber 77 Hamble Baby 80 Parnal! ScoutlZepp-Chaser 85 Parnal! Panther 88 George Parnal! and Company 1920-1935 100 Parnall Puffin 100 Parnall Plover 105 Parnall Possum 112 © Kenneth EWixey 1990. Parnall Pixie Series 118 Parnall Perch 133 FirstpublishedinGreatBritainby Autogiros 137 PutnamAeronauticalBooks,animprintof ConwayMaritimePressLtd, De Havilland D.H.9A Contracts 142 24BrideLane, FleetStreet Parnall Peto 146 LondonEC4Y8DR Parnall Pike 160 Parnall Imp 164 Published and distributed intheUnitedStates ofAmericaand CanadabytheNavalInstitutePress Parnall Pipit 167 Annapolis, Maryland21402 Parnall Parasol 175 LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNo. 89-64220 Parnall Elf 181 ISBN 1-55750-930-1 Parnall Prawn 190 Parnall GAI31 193 Thiseditionisauthorizedforsaleonlyin theUnitedStatesanditsterritoriesand possessions, Hendy 302/302A 197 and Canada Miles M.l Satyr 200 Percival Gull Four 203 Allrights reserved. Unauthorisedduplicationcontravenes Parnall F.5133 Project 207 applicablelaws. Parnall Aircraft Limited 1935-1939 214 ManufacturedinGreatBritain Parnall Heck 214 ParnallType 382(Heck Mk.III) 220 5 Appendix A: Individual Aircraft Notes Appendix B: Dispositions ofCertain Parnall-Built Aircraft on Naval Duty 1918 Bibliography Index Introduction When Great Britain went to war with Germany in August 1914, the aeroplane was still at a very rudimentary stage in its development. Indeed even as the hostile nations clashed, there persisted a school of thought among some military officers that those flimsy contraptions oflinen and spruce, which would admittedly carry a man aloft, would nevertheless be of little strategic value in the ensuing conflict. It was conceded that aeroplanes madeexcellentreconnaissancevehiclesfromwhichobservation reports onenemytroop movementscould beobtained,butotherthanthat quite a number of the more short-sighted generals and admirals could foresee no advantagein theemploymentofaeroplanes as akeyweaponin contemporary warfare. Before the First World War the apathy of the majority of British politic~anstowards supportingthe development ofmilitary aviation in the United Kingdom was hard to understand inviewofthe rapidlyworsening political situation in Europe. While Germany proceeded with the construction of her giant Zeppelin airships, together with the less impressive but numerically superior Military Aviation Service, the British Government was extremely reluctant to give financial backing to the country'saviationindustrysuchasitwas. Haditnot beenfortheinitiative ofprivate enterprise, Britain would undoubtedly have been in even worse straits regarding her military aviation requirements when the war started. As it was, thanks to the more far-sighted military pundits such as Maj Brooke-Popham, Capt Hugh Trenchard (later a Viscount and Marshal of the Royal Air Force), Capt (later Rear Admiral Sir) Murray Sueter, Capt (laterAirChiefMarshal Sir)PhilipJoubertdelaFerte, andCmdrCharles RumneySamsonRN, to name butafew, Britainwas ableto preparemore readily in the field ofair power. Politically one member of Parliament in particular had the tenacity of purpose and firm beliefin the aeroplane as a military weapon, enough to continuously warn the British Government ofthe day that they neglected thedevelopmentofBritishmilitaryairpowerattheirperil. That politician was Winston Churchill, First Lord ofthe Admiralty, a keen airman, and first member ofthe British Government to pilot his own aeroplane. Eventually Prime Minister Herbert Asquith requested that the Imperial Defence Committee putforward proposalsfor the creation ofan efficient British air force. As a result the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) came into being on 13 April, 1912. The new Service was at first divided into a 6 7 MilitaryWingand aNavalWing, butundertheauspiciouseye ofWinston tioned BritishNieuport& General Aircraft, whenthatconcernwasforced Churchill,who wasalreadysettingup asystemofseaplanestationsaround to close down in 1920, an arrangement which also included the services of Britain's coasts, the Naval Wing developed its own specialist techniques, H P Folland, British Nieuport & General's design engineer who would and on 1July, 1914, became the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). become chiefdesigner to the Gloster Aircraft company. Meanwhile the seething cauldron of political unrest in Europe finally Meanwhile an equally well-known company in the West Country, spilled over on 28 June, 1914, when the Austrian Archduke Franz recognised for its woodworking skills, was Parnall & Sons Ltd ofBristol. Ferdinand and hiswifeSophiewereassassinatedinthetownofSarajevoin This firm, which specialised in shopfitting and allied equipment, was Serbia.Thiseventhad withintwo monthsspreadits politicalconsequences requested by the Admiralty to undertake the manufacture and across the nations, and inflicted upon the world its first experience of reconditioning ofnaval aeroplanes. The contracts covered types designed global conflict. byAvro, Sopwith, FaireyAviationand ShortBrothers, and beforetheend On the outbreak of this first world war, Britain possessed few British of the war, two designs created by Parnall's themselves after built military aeroplanes, the majority in service being of French origin. encouragement from the Admiralty. This progressive development in the This state of affairs was soon rectified when British aeroplane company's history was to result in a lengthy association which Parnall's manufacturers began producing an increasing number of their own enjoyedwiththe Admiralty, Air Ministryand the Britishaircraftindustry. products. Indeed, Great Britain became a major producer of military This relationshipinducedthe production ofaseriesofnavalaeroplanes, aeroplanes, and during four years of war her aircraft industry grew in albeit mostly prototypes and experimental machines for the Air Ministry, proportion until, by the time ofthe Armistice in November 1918, it was as well as a number of civil types, including Parnall's own designs and employing350,000 men and women. those built under contract for other aeroplane manufacturers. The earlier During the four years of war from 1914 to 1918, this growing body of types of aircraft originated in Bristol both with Parnall & Sons Ltd, and aircraftworkers betweenthemproduced 55,000aeroplanesofall typesfor with George Parnall's own company after its formation at the Coliseum militaryservice. Thisrapid expansionoftheaviationindustrywasdue not works in Park Row, Bristol. However, the majority of aeroplanes only to the more prominent manufacturers such as the Royal Aircraft produced by George Parnall & Co were designed and built at Yate in Factory(RAF) at Farnborough, A VRoe& Co Ltd(Avro), the British& Gloucestershire, after the company moved there in the mid-1920s. Colonial Aeroplane Co Ltd (later Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd), Aircraft Parnall& SonsLtdofFishponds, Bristol(untilrecentlyamemberofthe Manufacturing Co Ltd (Airco and later de Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd), Avery Group, but now part of GEC), still flourish as manufacturers of SopwithAviationCoLtd, ShortBrothers, and Vickers(Aviation)Ltd, but high-class shopfittings and other components. also to the numerous smaller firms throughout Britain which undertook This firm owes its origins to Parnall's nineteenth-century family sub-contract work on behalfofaeroplane manufacturers and government business, a concern from which were to evolve two entirely separate . departments to produce aeroplanes and their manycomponents. companies bearing the names of Parnall. Both establishments would ,I The majority of these early military aircraft were constructed mainly accomplish much to further the cause of British aviation over three from wood, so it was not surprising when companies renowned for their decades from 1915 until 1945. Indeed Parnall & Sons of Fishponds expertise and skill in cabinet-making, woodworking and joinery, were continued producing aircraft components well into the 1960sfor both the called upon to consider the construction ofwooden aeroplanes and parts. civil and military market. A number of these sub-contractors became so successful at aeroplane It should, perhaps, be explained that George Parnall sold his Yate manufacture that it was not long before they had continuous production aircraftworksin 1935, butthe concernwhichtookit overstillretained the lines ofcomplete new aeroplanes awaiting delivery to the squadrons. The name ofParnall in its title when it became Parnall Aircraft Ltd, and this significance of the effect some of the contractors were having by their company's part in the history of Parnall's is fully described in the main inroads into the aircraft industry was soon made apparent. Forexample, text. SamuelWaring(laterLord Waring) ofthe Waringand Gillowpartnership The primary aim ofthis book is to firmly establish the name ofParnall was responsible for founding the British Nieuport& General Aircraft Co in its richly deserved niche in the annals of British aeronautical Ltd at Cricklewood, an event which followed an agreement with the achievements. Itisintended also as atributeto acomparativelysmall, but FrenchNieuportconcernto constructthatcompany'saeroplanesinGreat nevertheless, proud pair offamily businesses which, through their largely Britain. AtCheltenham,the high-class woodworkingfirm ofH H Martyn unsung efforts, managed to uphold that hallmark of quality one expects & Co Ltd, became part of a new venture when it helped form the from British companies steeped in traditions ofcraftsmanship. Gloucestershire Aircraft Co Ltd (later Gloster Aircraft). The first section ofthe book relates to the historical background and This company eventually acquired the design rights of the aforemen- environment surrounding Parnall & Sons at Bristol, from thefirm's early 8 9 beginnin~s. This in~lu?es the historical association of the Fishponds ~actorywith ea~ly aVI~tlOn, i~s acquisition by Parnall's and the company's mvolvement with vanous aircraft work at the site from 1939 until the mid-1960s. This first part also covers the story of George Parnall's break with Acknowledgements Avery's, theforming ofhis owncompanyinParkRow, themoveto Yate, a summar?oftheyearsatYateuntil 1935,his retirementand untimelydeath. !tcontamstoo thestoryofYate'scontinuinginvolvementwiththeaircraft The author wishes to express his sincere gratitude to the following official mdustry from 1935 until the end of the Second World War, and what establishments, private companies and individuals without whose ready followed. help this book would never have materialised. 1."he second p~rt of the book is devoted mainly to those aeroplanes Aircraftand ArmamentExperimentalEstablishment, BoscombeDown; designed and bUIlt by Parnall, and to types designed by other aircraft Beaumont Aviation Literature; British Aerospace (Aircraft Group), manufacturers which were produced by Parnall under contract for both Kingston-upon Thames and Filton; J M Bruce; L Callaway (ex-works military and civil use. . manager, George Parnall& Co, Yate);IanCarnochan(onetime PRO,T I E:achaircrafttype, includingthose builtundercontract,isdescribed and Jackson Ltd, Yate); Ted Chapman; the late Capt Frank T Courtney (one avallab~e data given. Numerous pho'tographs (a number previously time free-lance test pilot); Doubleday & Co Inc; E Draycott (ex-ground unpubl1shed) and av~ilabledrawingsservetoportraythevarious subjects. engineer, works inspector at George Parnall & Co, Yate); Fleet Air Arm ~uch ofthe techmcal data and details appertaining to certain Parnall Museum, Yeovilton; Mrs Margaret Fry (ex-women's supervisor, George designed aeroplaneswerelostinthe Germanairattacks onthe Yateworks Parnall & Co, Yate); Norman Hall-Warren (ex-design staff, George in 1941,and as a.co~s.equence, despitetheexhaustiveresearchbyanumber Parnall & Co, Yate); Eric Harlin; Imperial War Museum; the late A J of ve~y h~lpful m?1Vlduals and the author, information regarding a few Jackson; T I Jackson Ltd, Yate; Philip Jarrett; George Jenks (Avro ~achm~s IS un~v01dably sparse. Alsoinoneortwocases,veryfewsuitable Historical Research Group); John A Long (Parnall & Sons Ltd) Illus~ratlOns eXist of a ~articular aeroplane, thus accounting for the poor Fishponds, Bristol; Macdonald& Janes; David Male; MinistryofDefence 9uaht~photographswhich mayoccasionallydepictacertainmachine. The (Air Historical Branch); Mark Parnall of Launceston, Cornwall; Brian mcluslOn ofdetails extract~d from t?epersonal flight log ofthe late Capt Pickering, MilitaryAircraftPhotographs;thelateStephenPiercey(Flight Frank T Courtney are by kmd permiSSIOn ofCapt Courtney hims.elf. International); Putnam & Co; Elfan Ap Rees (British Rotorcraft Museum); Richard Riding(Aeroplane Monthly); BruceRobertson; Rolls Royce (Aero-engine division), Bristol; Royal Aeronautical Society; Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough (Main Library); Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon; Shell UK (Aviation division); G Stuart-Leslie; Westland Helicopters Ltd, Yeovil; J W Williamson (Parnall & Sons Ltd), Fishponds, Bristol. Finally I would like to record an appreciation ofmy wife's forbearance during those periods ofresearch when silence was golden! Kenneth E Wixey Brockworth Gloucestershire. 11 10 Parnall Works Lineage Chart 1820 WilliamPamallstarted businessNarrowWine Street,Bristol,asweights and measuresmanufacturer. ./. 1889 Limitedcompanyknownas 1906-1907 Pamall&SonsLtdbythen Fishpondsfactorybuiltand established. Produced usedbyBrazilStraker. weighingmachinesand Motorvehiclesand shopequipment. omnibusengirsproduced. ./. 1914----------~ 1918 GeorgePamallManaging Fishpondssiteacquiredby DirectorofPamall&Sons CosmosEngineeringCo. Ltd.Shopfitte1rsandcabinet Producedaero-<:ngines. makers. ~ This Avro 504K (F8748) is believed to be one ofthe final batch ofthis type built by 1923 1915-1918 Parnall&Sons at Bristolduringthe First World War. (MAP) Fishpondsworksacquired Premisesacquiredat byWTAveryafterPamaH Coliseum,Park Row, &SonsLtdmovedthere Bristol;Brislington,Mivart j from NarrowWineStreet. Street,BristolandQuakers Family Business Shopfittersandassociated Friars. Allonaircraft '""i,m,"' production.-----------...,. 1920 GeorgePamall& Co Inthe year 1337adukedomwascreatedfor Edward the BlackPrince.The formed in Bristol.Aircraft productionand area chosen was a beautiful expanse ofcountryside forming the extreme 1932 shopfittings.Company southwestern peninsula of England, tapering from the River Tamar - a officesin Londonand WTAveryboughtGeorge natural boundary with Devonshire - to Land's End and the Lizard Point, Pamall'sshopfitting Bristol. respectively the westernmost and southernmost points of the mainland. business.Thismovedfrom 1925 +_-----------1 Coliseumworksto GeorgePamall& Co This, one ofEngland's most beautiful counties, still retains its title ofthe Fishponds.Shopfittingand movedaviationworksto Royal Duchy ofCornwall. alliedequipment. Began Yateaerodrome. aircraftcomponent 1 1932 On the west side ofthe Cornish peninsula, amidst a magnificent stretch productionin 1939. Shopfittingsideofbusiness of coastline overlooking the Atlantic near Bude, lies the parish of St ---------- soldtoWTAveryat Gennys. Asectionofthis coastatStGennys, aboutoneand ahalfmilesin 1 1935 Fishponds. Movedthere GeorgePamallsoldworks fromtheColiseumworks. length, and includingwhat is possibly the highest coastal cliffin England, 1941--------, toNashandThompson. isthepropertyoftheNationalTrust. TheTrustwaspresentedwiththeland PamallAircraft Ltd BecamePamallAircraft acquired premisesat Ltd.Aircraft,components by the Parnall family whose ancestral home is situated in the parish, and Neasden,Dursley,and andgunturretsuntil 1945. was given to the Nation as a memorial to Dennis Parnall, an RAF fighter othersitesforaircraft ~ pilot and one ofthe immortal 'few'who fought in the Battle ofBritain in componentproduction. 1945-1958 ---~ NamealteredtoPamall 1940. Like so many of Britain's young men, Dennis Parnall paid the 1942-1944 (Yate)Ltd. Builtdomestic supreme sacrifice when his fighter was shotdown over the Channel. fNoerwPfaamctaolrlyAbirucirltafattLYtdat.e apPlicances·l Dennis was one of three sons born to George Parnall, the other two 1958-1961 being Basil, who unfortunately died as a boy, and Alan, also a pilot with Joined RadiationGroup. the RAFwho attainedtherank ofWingCommander. Alan Parnalldied in Jackson'smovedfrom LutontoYatel. Domestic 1967. appliances. George Parnall himself, although of true Cornish ancestry, was a Bristolianbybirth, andfirmly establishedthe nameofParnall, notonlyin 1967 BecameTIJacksonLtd. Bristol's commercialworld, but laterin the field ofaviation. Domesticequipment. 13 Toestablishtheeventswhichfinally resulted intheestablishmentoftwo 90 entirely separate concerns under the name of Parnall, both of which evolved from the original family business, itisfirst necessary to render an account of the history of Parnall & Sons Ltd, from which the firm of George Parnall& Co eventually branched out. Intheyear 1820acertainWilliamParnallmadearrangementsto opena businessinNarrowWine Street, Bristol,fromwhere hebegantrading asa 350 COUNTER COFFEE BOX. 351 COUNTER COFFEE BOX. 'weights and measures manufacturer'. Overthe ensuingyears the business ThreecomJpaapratmnneendtsan.d..ornISa-mine.n1t5ed/.w2it1h-igno.l1d7l/e6tt-e2r4s·1a0n.d2b0o/.rde2r7s'.1,,·D._22-,--/6---Wt~'~t'h---=t.h:c2~e-=.i~=--:02",~?,a--.r~t,nm-=;=--t4_1=h·~-=3Wd:!-O/~_'_Il'=--=:2~n:-=i~=--~~~5/=--.W_jth_la-=~~=~i:c.~~-c:1~O~~_·" expanded, eventually progressing to cabinet making, the fabrication of shopfronts, shopfittings and their associated equipment. Bythe year 1889 the firm was established as a limited company known as Parnall & Sons Ltd. Duringthefollowing decadethecompanygainedareputationsecond to none for its quality of workmanship in the field of shopfitting and ancillaryapparatus,includingaveryfine range ofweighingand measuring machines. In 1898 the attention ofW& T Avery, the well-known weights NEW COUNTER COFFEE BOX. 353a PERFECTION COFFEE BOX. and measures manufacturers, was drawn to the weighing machine side of Handsomeornamental~ised.foot,largedoublegoldbeadingallround, elabor~telyfinishedlUlWldandcolours,threedivisions. Handsomeandhighlyfinished.withpl)[;sbedmahoganya.G.moulded 24-m.47/6 27-in.57/6 30-in.67/0 covers,newshapedbody,witha.G.moulddfoot,richlyorllamented'vitJ: Parnall'sbusiness. Averymadeasuccessfultake-overbidwhichresultedin Ifdoneinbur2n4i-sihne.d52g/o6ld,very2ef7f-eicnt.i6v2e/-6- 3D-in.72/G hC~igffheleypshlaandte.d~cI.IrIocUoalonudrsl.eafVbeorrydeerf,f~atn,,l!vwe.rineninburnishedgold,let~ it becoming involved with the manufacture of Parnall-designed weighing T1l1l1BoIIllveryeQIlvenlen\touervefrom,andIIIspooiallyrecommended. 2!.in.55/_27·in.G2!G30-in.70/-If.{compartmentstolargesizes,7j6extn TheeoTenlBtand~tlalelnetdnnglees"Bhoelhneorwpi."<lne.dAeoniryeoii.ololU'toorder,bntblacl: and measuring contrivances. The name of Parnall & Sons Ltd was, however, retained for trading purposes. The head of Parnall's at the time of the Avery take-over was John Parnall, who through his Cornish ancestry and business connections in Bristol, would, in 1903, be elected as president of the Bristol Cornish Association. On the first day of February 1873 John Parnall's wife had 358a TEA OR COFFEE BOX. given birth to a son - George Geach Parnall - and he in turn was Withthre~compartments,dcsk.i1hapedslopinglidl:l;theITootfittedwith 358b IMPROVED COFFEE BOX. beaUmgallround,handsomelywritten,anddecoratedingold. Desk-shaped,withpolishedmahoganya.G.mouldetlcovers,strongll ~ff~urcompartmentstol::ugel'sizCti,5/_c;l;tra. madeandwcllfinished.withgoldletteringaudi.muct"S. Speciallyadapta: 20-10.30/- 2i.in.35/- 28-m.40/. forroughwear. 24-iu.35/- 27·in.42j6 3il-in.50j. If4compartmentst<ll~..sizes,7/6ntn.. Covel'li~twldaglWlstIIledgewhenopeg. 358c I I, I~ TEA, COFFEE, OR COCOA BOX. COFFEEBOXANDSHOWCASE COMBINED. Useful.fordisplayinggoodsonthecounter,andto~er"corweigh;; ,J!!ffcctiveinapP?,'lrane~andveryUBCful. TheSampleShowCaseisfitted from. JapanuedandOrllamelltedingold,aw!fittedwithpoli~hedbnI aWn~Itb,lrrpnealeaitcleolmgelnaptsaosro,tI.mIwIelgtnhotlspdol.Uh..l.l"hVeedr2y-b1l,Jr1a:0ss.ts6sb.0te!/l.aed,ianngd,a2on7f.dsinui.pse7dr0uio/s.rt-qtiugahlit3t.0y-aiJnna.dp8afSinn!ni.sehd. WWbeiaittdhhingbgrilaatsrsbobeueanadd.idnitgnh,ge,t22op22,xxo1l0r0,,p1l2a55ijn/..erU2st4yxxllelI1,w,31i0t8h//o-.ut22b7r7a:.x'<>I8122h,,2e3a15d/1i--ng.3300xxI3l,a4,G:l: DON'T FORGET oUI' full Name and AddI'ess'- - oldT~~mlPARNALL &SONS, LTD., NARROW WINE STREET, BRISTOL.IEstf~~r COPyftlQHTCATAl.OGUENo.26. And at10 ROOD LANE, LONDON, E.C.:{f itt~ These eight illustrations depict a variety ofcounter-type containers, advertised in an earlyParnall&Sonscatalogue. (KE Wixey Parnallcollection) HambleBabyConvertN2059 nearingcompletioninthe Coliseumworks ofParnallat ParkRow, Bristol.TheParnallcjnP.lj74appearsbeneathserialnumber. AnAvro504 isunderconstructioninthe background. (KE Wixey Parnallcollection) 14 15 eventually to become managing director of the Avery-owned Parnall scenes during the First World War when aeroplanes were 'wheeled' out company, a position he still held when Britain went to war with Germany onto the street awaitingdespatch! on4 August, 1914. The Brislington factory was concerned chiefly withexperimental work, George Parnallhadcontinuedto uphold and developfurtherthefamily and it was there that thefirst Pantherprototype was developed. Propeller business in Narrow Wine Street, and after the start ofthe war it was not long before the firm's expertise in woodcraft was sought after in connection with the manufacturer ofwooden aeroplane structures. A number of contracts were awarded to the Parnall company for the construction ofaeroplanes for the Admiralty, and a variety oftypes were produced. These included Avro 504s, Sopwith (Fairey) Ramble Baby seaplanesand landplanes, Shortseaplanes and Shortbombers. In addition .... , Parnall& Sonsdesigned andbuilttwo aircraftoftheirowncreationbefore the cessation ofhostilities, the single-seat Scout (Zepp-Chaser) and two seat Panther, the Panther reaching eventual production status albeit with another aeroplane manufacturer. - Obviously the undertaking of such an influx of aviation work necessitated the acquisition of additional premises by Parnall, and sites ~.., r were taken over at the Coliseum works, Park Row, in Bristol; at Eastville (Mivart Street), in Brislington; and at Quakers Friars. The Coliseum works (the building itself was originally a roller-skating rink and later site for several trade exhibitions) and the Mivart Street factory became responsible mainlyfor constructional work; Mivart Street concentrated on propeller production. Older Bristolians have recalled Thisrareprintpurportstobean in-flightviewoftheParnallPantherprototypeN.91.It Harold Bolas,chiefdesignerwith Parnall&Sonsand laterGeorgeParnall&Co,from is infact afaked picture; neverthelessitdepicts well the Panther's pronounced humped 19I7until 1929,isseeninfrontofParnallElfG-AAFH.TheElfwasBolas'slastdesign profile. (KE Wixey Parnallcollection) for Parnall beforeleavingfor theUnited States. (Norman Hall-Warren) 16 17 production was transferred from Mivart Street to Brislington in 1916, while staffat Quakers Friars involved themselves mainly in covering and doping the various aeroplanes components. By the time ofthe Armistice in November 1918, the Parnall works had between them completed at least 600 military aeroplanes, a substantial contribution to the expansion of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and consequently the Royal Air Force (RAF), which was formed bythe amalgamation ofthe RNAS and RFC on 1April, 1918. During the First World War Parnall & Sons acquired the services of Harold Bolas, a young man who was quickly promoted to chief aircraft designer, and who was eventually tojoin George Parnall's own company and remain with them until 1929. Harold Bolas was a graduate of ManchesterUniversity, afirst classlacrosse player, and whoin 1910began an aviation career with the AID at the Army Aircraft Factory at Farnborough. Theworkwas mainlyconcernedwithmakingmodifications to some of the Army airships then under construction at Farnborough, and Bolas found himself assigned to tasks alongside such men as F M Onceinstalled atthe Admiralty, Harold Bolasbecameinvolved withdesign ofthefirst Green, S W Hiscocks and Geoffreyde Havilland. A.D. flying-boat, a production version ofwhich is shown here; NI522 ofthe RNAS. ()M Bruce/GSLesliecollection) With the start of the war Bolas was commissioned in the RNAS and appointed to a position with the Admiralty's Air Department. He there became involved with detailed design work on the A.D. Flying-Boat, a project with Reginald J Mitchell (later of Schneider Trophy and Spitfire project in which he was closely associated with Harold Yendall and fame); the result ofthe two men's ideas was the A.D. Navyplane, with a Clifford W Tinson. Lieut Linton Hope was responsible for designing the tailplanesupported byfour booms and, liketheflying-boat, incorporating flying-boat's hull, and the complete aircraft was built by Pemberton awooden monocoque structure. Billing Ltd. This embodied a crew nacelle weighing only about 80lb complete with , Harold Bolasundertook nextthedesign ofatwo-seat,two-bay, biplane seat and floor fittings. It was this form ofmonocoque constructionwhich mounted on floats and powered by a pusher engine. He worked on this was to influence Harold Bolaslater,whenhedesignedthe ParnallPanther. The A.D. Navyplane was not a success chiefly because ofthe inferior types of powerplant installed. The Admiralty did place an order for six 11 machines, butonlyone(9095)wascompleted,therestofthecontractbeing I cancelled after tests held in 1917 proved unsatisfactory. Harold Bolaswas released bythe Admiraltyonaloanbasisto Parnall& Sons,joining the firm in 1917, and quicklyfinding himselfin the position ofchiefdesigner. Bolaswas mostlyconcernedwiththe Brislingtonfactory and, although priority was being given to Government contract work on aircraftdesigned byothermanufacturers,itwas notlongbeforeplanswere developed for the building of his first design for Parnall. This was the N.2A, later named Panther, a two-seater spotter reconnaissance biplane for the Royal Navy. Six prototypes were completed, but two production orders awarded to the company by the Air Ministry were cancelled after Parnall's controllinggroup, W T Avery, disagreed with the Ministry over the cancellation ofthe second contract. Afterthewarthecompanyreadjusteditselfto therequirementsofpeace, and under Avery's jurisdiction Parnall returned to the business of TheArmyairshipGammaIIrepresentsthetypeofvesselsonwhichHaroldBolasbegan manufacturing shopfittings and associated equipment. George Parnall, work at Farnboroughin 1919.(Hampshire County Library) however, was not at all happy with the way things were beingrun, and he 18 19