XR991 !!! what memories. I actually flew with Ray Hanna in that aircraft in 1969 as a member of the Red Arrows ground crew. I see that the aircraft has had the smoke pipes removed from the jet pipe area. The smoke was a mixture of diesel for the white and the equivalent of red and blue biro ink mixed with diesel. To get the stuff off of your hands, face, overalls etc involved washing in Trichloroethylene which in those days was a common degreasing agent; todays' Health and Safety would have nightmares. I'm in my 70's and Ray Hanna is the only person to have genuinely scared me. He took me for a Red Arrows practice sortie and then did some solo work. Suddenly the CWS (Centralised Warning System) lit up with lots of red lights, bells and klaxons blaring. If he had said a word beginning with "E" I would have ejected as I "knew" we had big problems. When he spoke over the intercom it was as calm as you like "Sorry I should have told you beforehand, I'm also doing a flight check of the tailplane manual reversion and had simulated a hydraulic failure." He was great about it afterwards and although a Squadron Leader and "The Boss" which in that era equated to God to me who was only a lowly LAC, the lowest rank in the RAF after training, he took me into the aircrew crewroom made me a coffee and gave me a photo of the Red Arrows signed by all the aircrew. I treasure to this day over 50 years later that photo which has been framed. ruclips.net/video/ujGZCh3Ryu8/видео.html&ab_channel=BridgemanImages ruclips.net/video/DJJfwSHVd-c/видео.html
Wow...what a fabulous story....Ray Hanna was (and still is in my view) the most iconic display aviator of all time. The crew room coffee story would some Ray up as a true professional and a gentleman. Again, a lovely story and thank you for sharing it with us. ❤
Wow! That’s so cool and I’m honored you commented on the video! We should definitely chat more about that experience. We do plan on reinstalling the smoke pipes next year, it’s just too tough to see (especially in this scheme) without smoke!
@@leonardgibbs1221 I was piloting a C150 at Booker airfield. I was asked to pull further off the taxi way, to allow a Spitfire to do his checks. Haha I couldn't hear my engine, then I called ready for t/o, and was asked would I let him go first, as he could overheat. Obviously I agreed. My reward...I was told line up and hold, he then did a beat up. His prop was a foot off the tarmac as he passed a few feet from my wingtip, at a serious rate of knots. As he climbed to circuit height he did three rolls, then turned onto his course, and faded away. Only after I had savoured the experience for a decent time, did the tower call me cleared for t/o. (I imagine the controller was reliving the sight of looking down on a Spitfire!) What followed was a bit of an anti climax. He spread joy everywhere! Thanks for your tale, doesn't the RAF have great attitude to our love of flying. I only worked in the met office, but got a good few chppy rides, a ride in a Hastings, and 2 rides in Canberras!
Nah, that would be disrespect to the company Folland (English) and the pilots who flew it (English, Finnish, Indian, Yugoslavian) by plastering your American idiocy all over it
I was privileged to be a student on the very first Gnat course at RAF Valley in 1962, with the likes of Ray Hannah, Alan Pollock, Henry Prince and Roger Hymans as our instructors. What a wonderful summer that was. The Gnat is a very slippery little aeroplane. We were fresh out of Cranwell and all aged about 21. I remember we had an unofficial competition on who could get the highest on our solo high level handling exercise. Ian Dick and I each got over 52,000ft before we fell out of the sky - 4000 ft above the service ceiling. Jerod you are a very lucky man - please paint her gloss yellow in the colours of the Yellow Jacks - the forerunner of the Red Arrows, all flown by our instructors.
What an amazing story! Would love to hear more! This jet was originally Yellow, then painted Red for most of its service life. Maybe someday we will paint her back to an original color.
Yep. Each aircraft has its own approved mx and inspection program outlining what we are required to do to keep the jet airworthy and that includes the seat and those components.
I never thought I’d be able to so I know that you’ll get there! If I can, you can! We need more folks willing to spend their time and money taking care of this history.
Remember reading an interview with a Pakistani pilot and him saying the Gnat was easy to loose sight of against the clutter of the ground, it was just so small it's size became a dogfight advantage.
Haha thank you! Don’t count on it getting painted differently any time soon..I love the way it looks! There are plenty of yellow and red gnats out there paying homage to the history, this was a real red arrow and yellowjack so I see no reason to rush getting it back to looking like all the other gnats, but maybe some day!
Am I right in remembering that fuse#13 was the one that artificially limited the astonishing rate of roll? They put that in for the benefit of hamfisted students like me, and took it out for the Red Arrows. I flew backseat 3 times with the Reds (once with Rad Hannah on a practice display, twice on an actual show which they later barred), and was always gobsmacked by the rate of roll in the Twinkle manoeuvre
Removing Fuse 13 is believed to be the root cause of a Gnat fin detachment during a roll at RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire, England. Both crew were killed, leave it fitted!!!
I was born a few years after they switched to the Hawk but I’ve always admired the performance of these aircraft as well as the history. So fortunate to be able to take care of her!
A beautiful little British plane. I loved these as a kid growing up watching the RAF's Red Arrows flying these potent little planes. And as I live on the direct flight path to Buckingham Palace I've seen the Red Arrows come directly over my house, at least once or twice a year from as long as I can remember. ( I've lived in the same house since the day before my third birthday in 1957 , and I celebrate my 70 th on the 5th of January '24)
wow , i too remember the Gnat . lived in Gloucestershire , so remember these babies .Im 64 now , but remember the display in the early 70s at Staverton airport . My Dad took me there , and i remember lightning and vampire fly pasts too .
I remember my Dad taking me to watch the Red Arrows practice while we were on route back to my Nans from the Isle of Wight back in the early 70's . A great little plane.
Thank you so much! We’re excited to spread the love for the Gnat! Such an underrated and forgotten jet, I want to remind people of it and carry its legacy forward as much as I can!
Early ‘70s, I worked on the Red Arrows and 4Sqn Gnats at RAF Kemble. Top tip, close the canopy while refuelling, it tends to gurgle and fire fuel into the rear cockpit. Very expensive to clean out/get rid of the stink.
@@johnnunn8688 I didn't see them that early - I was driving, and didn't get my first car till 1974 - 75. Makes sense, the Danish Airforce used to have a show every second year.
@@JetJerod, I worked on the Gnats for 5 years and am still in touch with a group of guys. Anything you can’t figure out, give me a shout and if I don’t know the answer, I can put it about 👍.
As a local, would love to see you flying some time. Will check the info for a scheduled. Were in N. Texas and hope to see you having fun in the air sometime. :)
Yea! A4’s are so awesome, I take care of and fly a 2 seater for a friend of mine. We almost bought a Vampire, pretty great performance for an old jet! And rich history as well.
We do plan to make the smoke system functional again! As for painting it back in RedArrows colors…not sure. Too many Gnats already that color and ours has the proper history, no matter how she’s painted! Plus the blue camo looks so good! But who knows, maybe someday :)
Love this video. The first one of his I've come across. I'll have to watch a few more before I subscribe, but i'm pretty sure I will. It's great to see somebody living the dream. No jealousy whatsoever! It brings a smile to my face to see people doing things I wish I could do.👍
Thanks so much for the kind words! Much appreciated. We do plan to put out plenty more fun videos, lots of good stuff planned for 2024! Thanks for watching.
Nice one mate.. There is a gnat in Victoria, Australia that was moving forward almost ready for flight Unfortunately we don't hear about it much. I myself was doing a mig21u project.. but family court has stopped me now
I met the Reds, they came over to my squadron. I got Red 1-5's signatures and they talked to us about their roles. A lot of people underestimate them, and they're just as good as other display teams, if not better - because others take big flashy jets and shove all the power in your face - they come and they go and do crazy moves. But the Reds always keep it in sight, and do some even crazier moves. They also use smoke - a lot of display teams don't. And for context, they fly the Hawk T1 - 40 years old, that's peak British engineering right there.
I'm jealous I always wanted a Gnat.Used to build models of them when I was kid and a poster with a yellowjacks and Red Arrows Gnat with a Hawk aswell. All looked super sleek. I do love the current paint job, personally I think the trainer scheme, the day glo orange on silver looks even cooler than Red Arrows
Thanks for the comment! Yea all of the schemes look good in their own way. It’s such a great looking little jet! Someday she will need a new paint job and we’ve yet to decide what we will do as far as the scheme goes..but we have time!
The Gnat was a beautiful little aircraft in it's day. I never saw the Red Arrows flying it, But as a kid I remember seeing the red and white RAF Trainers zipping about 👍
That is really nice! As a kid, I would have seen this aircraft multiple times on display with the Red Arrows, and also at their home base at RAF Kemble (now called Cotswold Airport). Enjoy it!
At the tender age of seven I was taken to the Farnborough air show in 1964. My recollection of that day is looking towards the black sheds at the East end of the airfield to the North of the runway and seeing one line up of yellow jets parked next to another line up of red jets. I couldn't wait to see them fly. It must have been the Gnats of the Yellowjacks and the Jet Provosts of the Red Pelicans. If I had known then that I would one day fly in a JP I'd have died of delight. I have never had the pleasure of a Gnat though 😢.As for Ray Hanna, well I do have the wonderful memory of watching him fly a Spitfire IX at Biggin Hill in the 1970s 😊.
The designer of this aircraft, Teddy Peter, is hardly known, when he should be recognised as one of the UKs finest engineers. He designed the Lysander, the Whirlwind, the "Westlend elevator", (a mod that fixed a persistant problem on the Spitfire), the Welkin, the Canberra, the English Electric Lightning, and the Gnat! Everyone of those was a classic, the very best of what was around at the time. The USA even bought the Canberra, and I heard they were amazed at the E E Lightning. The Gnat always struck me as the perfect rich mans runaround, had they served a bit longer, more of them would be preserved, but back then stuff just got scrapped, so sad...
Indeed, Teddy Peter is another important British aircraft designer who made significant contributions to British aeronautical history. It's a shame he was not knighted or given due recognition of invention, as should important British scientists such as Sir James Chadwick who was the real father of the atom bomb in the Manhatten project. Such scientists were not honoured as they should have been
Thank you! These are due for repack every 2 years, not too bad! Other components are subject to inspection times and such as well but definitely manageable. Like anything, as long as you have the right people to help, things aren’t too bad.
@@JetJerod From the video it appeared you were just wearing a 5 point seatbelt harness. Are the seats not operable yet? Are you going to be wearing the original RAF harness, or switching to a more modern USAF or USN harness with frost or Koch fittings? Also curious if you will be using the diluter-demand oxygen regulator with a mask fitted to your helmet.
The harness is attached to the Folland hot seat, and they are functional. This jet has had the O2 system upgraded to a modern system. Since we were staying in the pattern during those flights we elected to not wear the masks.
Nice to see that you've got what looks similar to RAF towing tractor! You'll have to see if get your hands a British flight suit that is more true Olive Green as oppose to a Sage Green.
Absolutely phenomenal. I’ve always thought the Gnat would be the coolest jet to own, but there’s so little footage of it on RUclips. Can’t wait to see more! The more detailed the better!
Hey now, that’s an idea I could really get behind! 🤣 I do plan to keep adding Gnat videos as the year goes on, I’d love to spread the word about this cool little jet.
My Dad was an RAF pilot and we spent 4 years in the late 60’s at RAE Llanbedr in North Wales. Not far up the road in Anglesey was RAF Valley, then and still to this day the RAF’s fast jet training school. Back then, the RAF used the Gnat as its advanced jet trainer and Llanbedr was a main diversion airfield and also used for circuits and bumps when Valley got too busy. We saw them regularly doing their stuff before heading back to Anglesey. We also saw a lot of them arriving at Llanbedr with faults, unable to make it back to Valley! My observation was that they were not the most reliable of aircraft judging by the number that landed and needed to either be transported back by road, or were in a hanger getting fixed for a day or so before flying home! I remember visiting one that had landed with hydraulic problems and had a team over from Valley to fix it. It was parked next to a Canberra, not a huge aircraft, but it absolutely dwarfed the Gnat. It was so cute I wanted one from that day on!
I was stationed at Valley 4stt fast jet trainer school 1969 I was with the SAR 22 sqd. The O.C..squadron leader Brain Neece was X red arrows happy day and Llanbeder airport doing bumps and turns the chief pilot officer was squadron leader Dic Sparrow 🛩️🛩️🛫
@@JetJerod the Spitfire comes in at 29 ft 11 in; the Gnat, 29 ft 09 in. Matter of fact, a Blackhawk is longer than a Gnat (64 ft 10 in, including rotors).
Hey Jerod!!! Congratulations man!!! That’s awesome!! I have always liked them, they are way cool and look cool!!! Maybe I’ll see you in Sacramento or perhaps Vegas in a few months!! Stewie
It flies pretty honestly as far as I can tell. You do have to watch the pitch on takeoff and especially landing due to how low the tail is to the runway and it’s pitch sensitive..also, crosswind authority doesn’t seem as good as I thought it would be but it’s a heck of a fun little jet!
No radar in this little jet! It’s truly a trainer, the “real” fighter claim is a joke going back to a former A4 video we had plus the “HotShots” movie using it as a “fighter” 🤣
First time i saw a gnat at a museum i was blown away by its small size. Thought itd be a sweet thing to own. Congratulate on the purchase. I wasnt sure how many were flying in the US. I think the one i saw was ex-indian
Thank you so much! Yes it’s even smaller than people think 😂 As of this moment, I believe it’s the only one in North America actively flying but there are a couple more that are close!
It really is! I’ve wanted this thing for forever!! So glad we were finally able to get ahold of it! First time I saw a gnat I was 3 years old, wanted one ever since! Only took 30+ years 😂
Right!? That poor towbar is going to be retired and replaced soon. She’s definitely served her duty 😂 I do also fly a TA4 and the Gnat seems to be a tad higher performance (believe it or not) except for roll rate (which you can’t even come close to effectively using in the A4, anyway. They’re all cool and I’d hate to have to choose between them!
My interest was what you referred to the T-38. I was working In Manchester NH 1997 at an FBO (the only one) A T-38 came on to our ramp and I marshaled it to parking. After shut down I was talking to the pilot who just flew up from FL to visit family in the area. He told me he was in the space program and was a pilot of a shuttle mission STS-78. The Pilot was Kevin Kregel and he reached into one his pockets of his flight suit and pulled out two shuttle mission STS-78 patches and handed them to me. I still have them and I will pass them to my son and grandchildren. I was fortunate to meet him and we were treated to an afterburner take off on Sunday just before sunset. That aircraft just looks and performs like a rocket. I worked as A&P 1996-2012 at the same location and met many interesting and kind people.
Crazy question, but were you flying over the Kyle or S.A. TX area 12/22? I was traveling down 35 stuck in traffic when a military jet flew over at low altitude that looked nothing like anything the US currently flies. I didn't get a good look at it but the wing sweep was similar to the gnats or a tornado.
I love the fact that they saved weight by not fitting dive brakes. They installed a system whereby you could open the main gear doors without lowering the gear instead. The singles seater was also produced by HAL (Hindustan Aircraft Industries) in India.
@@JetJerod The problem with the system was that it was easy to deploy the air brakes to slow down for the circuit and forget to lower the gear. Something which apparently happened more regularly than the RAF would have liked.
I love that gnat so much! I'm pretty sure its not capable of going supersonic in normal flight but about as close to it as you can get without paying thru the nose to operate, in a dive it would for sure
What I really want to see some videos about is what it takes to run a private, ex military jet. How much maintenance is involved, how many hours are required on the ground between flights and what is required. How often does the engine have to come out and or be rebuilt etc. There is quite a mystery around private ownership of jets. We really have no idea whether the jets are literally left as they were when the left the military and just flown and patched up as things break, or whether the whole airframe gets stripped down to the last nut and bolt for a full rebuild?
Fantastic questions and one of the things I want to do on this channel is answer all of those! Over the next several months I intend to make videos about pretty much everything you asked, some generalizations and others pertaining to specific aircraft. Stay tuned and I’ll get that going! I appreciate the comment, happy to hear there’s interest in the stuff I’m planning to put out there.
@@JetJerod I very much look forward to that. Have subscribed already. Other interesting things are how you keep old aircraft flying when pretty much nobody in the world has the current tech knowledge and type specific qualifications to do the work. I guess the “experimental” side of things comes in a lot here. Will be watching. Thanks for the reply.
Believe it or not, we’re still bound by the approved mx programs that are largely the same as the military followed! So finding people who do know and learning from them is very important and thats why it’s such a tight knit community. I’ll definitely explain a lot if this stuff in other videos, thanks for asking! Gives me ideas for videos and helps me know the sorts of things people wonder!
I’d have it painted in the bright Yellowjack colour scheme. The current camo scheme, whilst smart, is totally unauthentic - the RAF have never used those colours together.
Right! It does looks so cool as is, if we ever repaint it, we might go back to one of her original schemes..however, it is unique! Lots of Gnats are already painted Yellow, especially red. So we will see!
Yea! The single seater was built first, as a true fighter (Indian Air Force had them and shot down a few F86’s with it and even named it the “Sabre Slayer”). But where they really shined in Europe was the 2 seat trainer version.
We'd love to touch base with you, helping to restore gnat in UK to ground run condition would be interested in the tech side of your electric start conversion
Great question! And one that I get all the time (also one I’ve had to figure out a few times haha). We are definitely planning on making a video about that. Thanks for the suggestion!
Long story short, you find a qualified instructor to train you as well as a qualified DPE or Examiner who’s able to do the ride. Those 2 are sometimes tough to align
Awesome jet, loved it ever since i sat in one (as an 11 year old) in Yugoslavia (in the aviation museum). I am now a 6’3” 220lb pilot, and in the video it looks like it is a tight squeeze for you (not sure what your height is). Do you indeed find it to be tight? Is there any hope for taller guys to fit by adjusting the seat up&down?
It’s certainly a tight fit! I’m “wide” but I’m working on that problem 🤣 There are other jets out there that have much roomier cockpits relative to the Gnat and even A4. Pretty much everything else is suitable for someone your size. There’s always hope!
Believe it or not, it was less expensive than most exotic cars. Took me years and years to get in to a position to be able to get something like this, very fortunate I was able to pull it off. But I’ve wanted this jet since 1992..so it’s been a long time coming!
Long ago Cinema Air FBO at Carlsbad, Ca had several of Gnats and many WW2 and more recent combat aircraft. Gnats are so tiny I don't see the need to walk on them.
If you ever get a chance to fill one up with fuel, you’ll find the need! The aircraft might be small but it’s incredibly mighty. Solid as a rock and no problem at all with walking on it as long as you’re stepping in the designated areas.
Thank you! Thanks to the folks before who put the energy and resources into it to keep it going, that’s all I want to do is just keep the history alive!
![Su-57 Top Gun Maneuver Flown in Real Life by Sergey Bogdan!! ✈️ MAKS 2017 [Remastered]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cmQoXZ9NIiM/mqdefault.jpg)
![Su-57 Top Gun Maneuver Flown in Real Life by Sergey Bogdan!! ✈️ MAKS 2017 [Remastered]](/img/tr.png)
XR991 !!! what memories. I actually flew with Ray Hanna in that aircraft in 1969 as a member of the Red Arrows ground crew. I see that the aircraft has had the smoke pipes removed from the jet pipe area. The smoke was a mixture of diesel for the white and the equivalent of red and blue biro ink mixed with diesel. To get the stuff off of your hands, face, overalls etc involved washing in Trichloroethylene which in those days was a common degreasing agent; todays' Health and Safety would have nightmares. I'm in my 70's and Ray Hanna is the only person to have genuinely scared me. He took me for a Red Arrows practice sortie and then did some solo work. Suddenly the CWS (Centralised Warning System) lit up with lots of red lights, bells and klaxons blaring. If he had said a word beginning with "E" I would have ejected as I "knew" we had big problems. When he spoke over the intercom it was as calm as you like "Sorry I should have told you beforehand, I'm also doing a flight check of the tailplane manual reversion and had simulated a hydraulic failure." He was great about it afterwards and although a Squadron Leader and "The Boss" which in that era equated to God to me who was only a lowly LAC, the lowest rank in the RAF after training, he took me into the aircrew crewroom made me a coffee and gave me a photo of the Red Arrows signed by all the aircrew. I treasure to this day over 50 years later that photo which has been framed.
ruclips.net/video/ujGZCh3Ryu8/видео.html&ab_channel=BridgemanImages
ruclips.net/video/DJJfwSHVd-c/видео.html
Wow...what a fabulous story....Ray Hanna was (and still is in my view) the most iconic display aviator of all time. The crew room coffee story would some Ray up as a true professional and a gentleman. Again, a lovely story and thank you for sharing it with us. ❤
Wow! That’s so cool and I’m honored you commented on the video! We should definitely chat more about that experience. We do plan on reinstalling the smoke pipes next year, it’s just too tough to see (especially in this scheme) without smoke!
I was standing close to Winston bridge when Ray flew his 1943 Spitfire through the arch back in ‘88. Balls of steel indeed. Easily found on RUclips.
I saw Ray and Mark in Wanaka both were superb pilots, our loss.
@@leonardgibbs1221 I was piloting a C150 at Booker airfield. I was asked to pull further off the taxi way, to allow a Spitfire to do his checks. Haha I couldn't hear my engine, then I called ready for t/o, and was asked would I let him go first, as he could overheat. Obviously I agreed. My reward...I was told line up and hold, he then did a beat up. His prop was a foot off the tarmac as he passed a few feet from my wingtip, at a serious rate of knots. As he climbed to circuit height he did three rolls, then turned onto his course, and faded away. Only after I had savoured the experience for a decent time, did the tower call me cleared for t/o. (I imagine the controller was reliving the sight of looking down on a Spitfire!) What followed was a bit of an anti climax.
He spread joy everywhere! Thanks for your tale, doesn't the RAF have great attitude to our love of flying. I only worked in the met office, but got a good few chppy rides, a ride in a Hastings, and 2 rides in Canberras!
You must paint "THE NAVY" on the side! It would be a huge airshow hit
Yes! 🤣
I agree, but I do like the paint job as is!
100%
LoL ... Definitely !!! 🤣
Nah, that would be disrespect to the company Folland (English) and the pilots who flew it (English, Finnish, Indian, Yugoslavian) by plastering your American idiocy all over it
I was privileged to be a student on the very first Gnat course at RAF Valley in 1962, with the likes of Ray Hannah, Alan Pollock, Henry Prince and Roger Hymans as our instructors. What a wonderful summer that was. The Gnat is a very slippery little aeroplane. We were fresh out of Cranwell and all aged about 21. I remember we had an unofficial competition on who could get the highest on our solo high level handling exercise. Ian Dick and I each got over 52,000ft before we fell out of the sky - 4000 ft above the service ceiling. Jerod you are a very lucky man - please paint her gloss yellow in the colours of the Yellow Jacks - the forerunner of the Red Arrows, all flown by our instructors.
What an amazing story! Would love to hear more! This jet was originally Yellow, then painted Red for most of its service life. Maybe someday we will paint her back to an original color.
Love the Gnat! Nicknamed the Sabre Slayer, due to its record against the Pakistani F-86 whilst serving in the Indian Air Force.
Thank you! It’s a great little jet with some pretty cool and interesting history!
Does the FAA make you do periodic ejection seat rocket motor / pyro cord and/or bolt inspections?
Yep. Each aircraft has its own approved mx and inspection program outlining what we are required to do to keep the jet airworthy and that includes the seat and those components.
Congrats on the Oscar EW50 Tactical Fighter Bomber, did it come with the mrs elvis series 3800 radar jammer?
😂😂😂
Gnat is very nice bird! I hope i will be able to buy some jet like this too sometime!
I never thought I’d be able to so I know that you’ll get there! If I can, you can! We need more folks willing to spend their time and money taking care of this history.
Remember reading an interview with a Pakistani pilot and him saying the Gnat was easy to loose sight of against the clutter of the ground, it was just so small it's size became a dogfight advantage.
I bet it was, it’s so small!
Great stuff Jerod, what a thing to own! Love the Gnat. hoping you can get it in the paint shop soon though ! Remember to pull fuse #13 !
Haha thank you! Don’t count on it getting painted differently any time soon..I love the way it looks! There are plenty of yellow and red gnats out there paying homage to the history, this was a real red arrow and yellowjack so I see no reason to rush getting it back to looking like all the other gnats, but maybe some day!
Am I right in remembering that fuse#13 was the one that artificially limited the astonishing rate of roll? They put that in for the benefit of hamfisted students like me, and took it out for the Red Arrows. I flew backseat 3 times with the Reds (once with Rad Hannah on a practice display, twice on an actual show which they later barred), and was always gobsmacked by the rate of roll in the Twinkle manoeuvre
Removing Fuse 13 is believed to be the root cause of a Gnat fin detachment during a roll at RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire, England. Both crew were killed, leave it fitted!!!
This is awesome! Beautiful jet. Congrats on such a huge accomplishment Jerod. Well deserved.
Thank you so much! And I appreciate the support throughout this process!
Congrats Topper!! Thats awesome!!
😂😂 thank you!!
bad ass! congrats on owning a fighter jet. awesome
Thanks! Very excited to take care of her!
My favourite lil jet, have fun.
Thank you! Will do, it’s a ton of fun to fly!
She is a beauty I am old enough to know the days the red arrows flew them. I would love to fly her
I was born a few years after they switched to the Hawk but I’ve always admired the performance of these aircraft as well as the history. So fortunate to be able to take care of her!
A beautiful little British plane. I loved these as a kid growing up watching the RAF's Red Arrows flying these potent little planes. And as I live on the direct flight path to Buckingham Palace I've seen the Red Arrows come directly over my house, at least once or twice a year from as long as I can remember. ( I've lived in the same house since the day before my third birthday in 1957 , and I celebrate my 70 th on the 5th of January '24)
Wow! That had to be so cool to see them all doing those famous fly overs! I’ve only ever seen that in videos.
wow , i too remember the Gnat . lived in Gloucestershire , so remember these babies .Im 64 now , but remember the display in the early 70s at Staverton airport .
My Dad took me there , and i remember lightning and vampire fly pasts too .
What cool memories, luckily there are a few Vampires still flying here in the states as well.
That is one cool paint job!
Thank you! I think it really looks awesome. I know it’s not an “authentic” Gnat scheme but it sure wears it well!
Pretty cool to see you flying it around at Ellington. Welcome! Looking forward to seeing the A-4!
So nice to see you've realized your dream by buying and flying this classic aircraft... Well done true aviator!!
Thank you so much!! So grateful and fortunate!
Nice jet. Thank you for the video.
Thanks for the kind words!
I remember my Dad taking me to watch the Red Arrows practice while we were on route back to my Nans from the Isle of Wight back in the early 70's . A great little plane.
That’s so cool!
What a great little intro video on the Gnat! I am looking forward to watching your airshow performances again. Fly safe, brother!
Thank you so much! We’re excited to spread the love for the Gnat! Such an underrated and forgotten jet, I want to remind people of it and carry its legacy forward as much as I can!
Really like the blue and gray camo paint scheme. Never heard of the Gnat but it looks like a real hot rod.
Early ‘70s, I worked on the Red Arrows and 4Sqn Gnats at RAF Kemble. Top tip, close the canopy while refuelling, it tends to gurgle and fire fuel into the rear cockpit. Very expensive to clean out/get rid of the stink.
I saw Red Arrows flying it in Denmark in the early - mid 1970s - down to 30' around Værløse airfield.
@@sablatnic8030 , I think it was 1972/3, I visited Aalborg with them.
@@johnnunn8688 I didn't see them that early - I was driving, and didn't get my first car till 1974 - 75. Makes sense, the Danish Airforce used to have a show every second year.
That’s a good tip! I can see that happening for sure! I just take my sweet time filling it up, takes quite a while 😂
@@JetJerod, I worked on the Gnats for 5 years and am still in touch with a group of guys. Anything you can’t figure out, give me a shout and if I don’t know the answer, I can put it about 👍.
As a local, would love to see you flying some time. Will check the info for a scheduled. Were in N. Texas and hope to see you having fun in the air sometime. :)
That would be cool! I hope we get to take it around all over for shows!
Thats awesome i would love to own an A4 or Vampire one day
Yea! A4’s are so awesome, I take care of and fly a 2 seater for a friend of mine. We almost bought a Vampire, pretty great performance for an old jet! And rich history as well.
Fantastic jet. Remember seeing them at air shows as a child
So cool! I hope to get around to a few shows here in North America
Paint it in the Royal Air Force Red Arrow’s color scheme and have a smoke generator; it will be an Airshow favorite!
We do plan to make the smoke system functional again! As for painting it back in RedArrows colors…not sure. Too many Gnats already that color and ours has the proper history, no matter how she’s painted! Plus the blue camo looks so good! But who knows, maybe someday :)
Love this video. The first one of his I've come across. I'll have to watch a few more before I subscribe, but i'm pretty sure I will.
It's great to see somebody living the dream. No jealousy whatsoever! It brings a smile to my face to see people doing things I wish I could do.👍
Thanks so much for the kind words! Much appreciated. We do plan to put out plenty more fun videos, lots of good stuff planned for 2024! Thanks for watching.
Nice one mate..
There is a gnat in Victoria, Australia that was moving forward almost ready for flight
Unfortunately we don't hear about it much.
I myself was doing a mig21u project.. but family court has stopped me now
Yes I’ve heard of this Australia Gnat, I sure hope it gets to be airworthy soon! The more the merrier
That is awesome. Thanks for sharing the history. That would be amazing to ride in.
Thanks! I appreciate the comment, more to come this year!
I like your shirt, and of course the jet. This thing is sick!!
Thank you! It’s a ton of fun!
I met the Reds, they came over to my squadron. I got Red 1-5's signatures and they talked to us about their roles. A lot of people underestimate them, and they're just as good as other display teams, if not better - because others take big flashy jets and shove all the power in your face - they come and they go and do crazy moves. But the Reds always keep it in sight, and do some even crazier moves. They also use smoke - a lot of display teams don't. And for context, they fly the Hawk T1 - 40 years old, that's peak British engineering right there.
Yea the Reds are pretty dang sharp. I always enjoy watching them perform!
I'm jealous I always wanted a Gnat.Used to build models of them when I was kid and a poster with a yellowjacks and Red Arrows Gnat with a Hawk aswell. All looked super sleek. I do love the current paint job, personally I think the trainer scheme, the day glo orange on silver looks even cooler than Red Arrows
Thanks for the comment! Yea all of the schemes look good in their own way. It’s such a great looking little jet! Someday she will need a new paint job and we’ve yet to decide what we will do as far as the scheme goes..but we have time!
The Gnat was a beautiful little aircraft in it's day. I never saw the Red Arrows flying it, But as a kid I remember seeing the red and white RAF Trainers zipping about 👍
I never got to see it fly with them in person, either..I was born a few years too late! But I am so glad I can help keep it going for years to come!
Cheers, Jerod, can’t resist an aircraft related channel. Especially as it has my beloved Gnat on it.
Thank you so much! I’ll try to do it justice. More videos to come soon!
That is really nice! As a kid, I would have seen this aircraft multiple times on display with the Red Arrows, and also at their home base at RAF Kemble (now called Cotswold Airport). Enjoy it!
That’s so cool!
Experimental , love it
Thank you!
At the tender age of seven I was taken to the Farnborough air show in 1964. My recollection of that day is looking towards the black sheds at the East end of the airfield to the North of the runway and seeing one line up of yellow jets parked next to another line up of red jets. I couldn't wait to see them fly. It must have been the Gnats of the Yellowjacks and the Jet Provosts of the Red Pelicans. If I had known then that I would one day fly in a JP I'd have died of delight. I have never had the pleasure of a Gnat though 😢.As for Ray Hanna, well I do have the wonderful memory of watching him fly a Spitfire IX at Biggin Hill in the 1970s 😊.
That’s an awesome memory! Even cooler than that, this jet would’ve been one of the yellow ones you saw that day!
Safe and happy landings! Keep that little piece of history alive.
Thank you! We will definitely do our best!
I’ll be Camera ready to watch your future Airshow Flight Demo… Sometime in SoCal flying the Knat…Very Cool Stuff!
Excited about it!
The designer of this aircraft, Teddy Peter, is hardly known, when he should be recognised as one of the UKs finest engineers. He designed the Lysander, the Whirlwind, the "Westlend elevator", (a mod that fixed a persistant problem on the Spitfire), the Welkin, the Canberra, the English Electric Lightning, and the Gnat! Everyone of those was a classic, the very best of what was around at the time. The USA even bought the Canberra, and I heard they were amazed at the E E Lightning.
The Gnat always struck me as the perfect rich mans runaround, had they served a bit longer, more of them would be preserved, but back then stuff just got scrapped, so sad...
You’re absolutely right! Hoping to spread his legacy a bit more, especially here in the USA where the Gnat is much less known.
Indeed, Teddy Peter is another important British aircraft designer who made significant contributions to British aeronautical history. It's a shame he was not knighted or given due recognition of invention, as should important British scientists such as Sir James Chadwick who was the real father of the atom bomb in the Manhatten project. Such scientists were not honoured as they should have been
Definitely agree!
Rock on brother!!! We can’t wait to see you flying it in the airshows soon!!!!
Thank you! So excited to get her flying more often!
Wow just wow! Congrats. So what's the yearly mx on the hot seats like?
Thank you! These are due for repack every 2 years, not too bad! Other components are subject to inspection times and such as well but definitely manageable. Like anything, as long as you have the right people to help, things aren’t too bad.
@@JetJerod
From the video it appeared you were just wearing a 5 point seatbelt harness.
Are the seats not operable yet? Are you going to be wearing the original RAF harness, or switching to a more modern USAF or USN harness with frost or Koch fittings?
Also curious if you will be using the diluter-demand oxygen regulator with a mask fitted to your helmet.
The harness is attached to the Folland hot seat, and they are functional. This jet has had the O2 system upgraded to a modern system. Since we were staying in the pattern during those flights we elected to not wear the masks.
Nice to see that you've got what looks similar to RAF towing tractor! You'll have to see if get your hands a British flight suit that is more true Olive Green as oppose to a Sage Green.
Ha! Well I usually wear my tan suit, just didn’t have it with me that day! I don’t think they make British flight suits in my size 🤣
Absolutely phenomenal. I’ve always thought the Gnat would be the coolest jet to own, but there’s so little footage of it on RUclips. Can’t wait to see more! The more detailed the better!
I agree! I love the jet and we do plan to offer all kinds of fun Gnat footage and facts!
Hey now, that’s an idea I could really get behind! 🤣 I do plan to keep adding Gnat videos as the year goes on, I’d love to spread the word about this cool little jet.
Congrats!!! Beautiful jet, can't wait to see more!
Thank you so much! Excited to fly it more and share more when able!
My Dad was an RAF pilot and we spent 4 years in the late 60’s at RAE Llanbedr in North Wales. Not far up the road in Anglesey was RAF Valley, then and still to this day the RAF’s fast jet training school. Back then, the RAF used the Gnat as its advanced jet trainer and Llanbedr was a main diversion airfield and also used for circuits and bumps when Valley got too busy. We saw them regularly doing their stuff before heading back to Anglesey. We also saw a lot of them arriving at Llanbedr with faults, unable to make it back to Valley! My observation was that they were not the most reliable of aircraft judging by the number that landed and needed to either be transported back by road, or were in a hanger getting fixed for a day or so before flying home! I remember visiting one that had landed with hydraulic problems and had a team over from Valley to fix it. It was parked next to a Canberra, not a huge aircraft, but it absolutely dwarfed the Gnat. It was so cute I wanted one from that day on!
Yea they’re complex little jets! We want to take good care of her, we want her to stay flying for years to come!
I was stationed at Valley 4stt fast jet trainer school 1969 I was with the SAR 22 sqd. The O.C..squadron leader Brain Neece was X red arrows happy day and Llanbeder airport doing bumps and turns the chief pilot officer was squadron leader Dic Sparrow 🛩️🛩️🛫
Wow! That’s so cool.
How did I not find this channel sooner?? So very subscribed
Thank you! We’re relatively new but we have big plans for some fun videos over the next several months!
Very cool!
There's a sticker near the nose that says something about Vietnam. What is that?
It does have the “Vietnam War Flight Museum” sticker on the jet since that’s where it’s located.
The Gnat, you don’t climb in… you put it on and wear it!😊
That’s the truth!
needs one of those garfield dolls with the suction cups for the canopy.
😂 that would be great..might have to do that!
Fun fact: place the Gnat side by side with a Spitfire, the Gnat is actually shorter (by 2 inches)!
I believe it! It’s tiny!
@@JetJerod the Spitfire comes in at 29 ft 11 in; the Gnat, 29 ft 09 in. Matter of fact, a Blackhawk is longer than a Gnat (64 ft 10 in, including rotors).
Oh yea there’s not many aircraft out there smaller! Even the Extra 300 has a longer wingspan 🤣
@@JetJerod too bad only the Indian Air Force knew that the Gnat was, to paraphrase Topham Hatt, "a very useful aircraft"!
Definitely unique! At least it got to see some action and proved the concept albeit for a relatively short period of time!
Hey Jerod!!! Congratulations man!!! That’s awesome!! I have always liked them, they are way cool and look cool!!! Maybe I’ll see you in Sacramento or perhaps Vegas in a few months!!
Stewie
Hi! Yea I’d love to bring her out for a “west coast tour” sometime!
Awesome man! I’d like to take some pics of that or whatever else you have lol. Congrats
Thank you! Yea, that can be arranged! Haha I’m sure we will be at some air shows with all kinds of cool stuff to take photos of!
Loved the video thanks for sharing ...can i ask
Does the knat have any areas of difficult flight characteristics ? ..
Regards
From London
It flies pretty honestly as far as I can tell. You do have to watch the pitch on takeoff and especially landing due to how low the tail is to the runway and it’s pitch sensitive..also, crosswind authority doesn’t seem as good as I thought it would be but it’s a heck of a fun little jet!
@@JetJerod thanks for your quick reply and the info . Great channel will be keeping an eye on you 🤓
happy safe flying for 2024 ..
Thanks so much! I sure appreciate the support!
Must be Nice to be Able to Afford Something like that in this Economy. I cant even Afford my Grocery BILL.
Snug fit for the 'big man' 😉👍
Sure is! I barely fit…working on that 🤣
If it has a light in the nose, where is the radar?
No radar in this little jet! It’s truly a trainer, the “real” fighter claim is a joke going back to a former A4 video we had plus the “HotShots” movie using it as a “fighter” 🤣
Congratulations!
Thank you!
I’ve always loved gnats. Such a cool little jet
I agree! Very underrated and almost forgotten…I hope I help change that!
Like the paint job!
Thanks! I know it’s not “authentic” but it sure looks good!
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you land in KLVJ gorgeous jet
It was probably the previous owner, I’ve only flown her locally out of EFD so far!
Great Plane! Would love to see how strong the blast behind the jet is.
Book says 4520 Lbs static thrust..not sure what that feels like when standing behind it!
First time i saw a gnat at a museum i was blown away by its small size. Thought itd be a sweet thing to own. Congratulate on the purchase. I wasnt sure how many were flying in the US. I think the one i saw was ex-indian
Thank you so much! Yes it’s even smaller than people think 😂 As of this moment, I believe it’s the only one in North America actively flying but there are a couple more that are close!
This is the dream!
It really is! I’ve wanted this thing for forever!! So glad we were finally able to get ahold of it! First time I saw a gnat I was 3 years old, wanted one ever since! Only took 30+ years 😂
The tow bar looks about the same age. You mentioned he Gnat has about the same thrust as a T-38 7.33:1 , I'm sure it's a real fun ride.
Right!? That poor towbar is going to be retired and replaced soon. She’s definitely served her duty 😂 I do also fly a TA4 and the Gnat seems to be a tad higher performance (believe it or not) except for roll rate (which you can’t even come close to effectively using in the A4, anyway. They’re all cool and I’d hate to have to choose between them!
My interest was what you referred to the T-38. I was working In Manchester NH 1997 at an FBO (the only one) A T-38 came on to our ramp and I marshaled it to parking. After shut down I was talking to the pilot who just flew up from FL to visit family in the area. He told me he was in the space program and was a pilot of a shuttle mission STS-78. The Pilot was Kevin Kregel and he reached into one his pockets of his flight suit and pulled out two shuttle mission STS-78 patches and handed them to me. I still have them and I will pass them to my son and grandchildren. I was fortunate to meet him and we were treated to an afterburner take off on Sunday just before sunset. That aircraft just looks and performs like a rocket. I worked as A&P 1996-2012 at the same location and met many interesting and kind people.
That’s so cool! Was the T38 white with blue stripes? If so..it’s likely hangared right next door to our Gnat!
Would like to hear if you've updated the avionics on-board to GARMIN or similar glass panels.
Yea I’ll do another video detailing what’s been done to the Gnat, seems like a few people are interested!
So stoked for all that’s to come! 🙌
Wahoo!!!
You should bring it to Oshkosh this year!
I’d love to! I’ll see if we’re able to swing it.
Congratulations ❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you!!
Crazy question, but were you flying over the Kyle or S.A. TX area 12/22? I was traveling down 35 stuck in traffic when a military jet flew over at low altitude that looked nothing like anything the US currently flies. I didn't get a good look at it but the wing sweep was similar to the gnats or a tornado.
Wasn’t us! I wish 😂
I love the fact that they saved weight by not fitting dive brakes. They installed a system whereby you could open the main gear doors without lowering the gear instead. The singles seater was also produced by HAL (Hindustan Aircraft Industries) in India.
Isn’t that cool! The nose door also comes down half way with the mains. Works pretty well!
@@JetJerod The problem with the system was that it was easy to deploy the air brakes to slow down for the circuit and forget to lower the gear. Something which apparently happened more regularly than the RAF would have liked.
I can definitely see that happening, especially during training!
Congratulations
Thank you, sir!
America is Amazing. My country (Ireland) has no fighter jets in our Air Corp yet in America this gentleman can own one.
Very fortunate to be able to do this, that’s for sure!
I love that gnat so much! I'm pretty sure its not capable of going supersonic in normal flight but about as close to it as you can get without paying thru the nose to operate, in a dive it would for sure
Yes, not supersonic in level flight, definitely have to dive, book describes how to get it done!
@@JetJerod awesome as! loved the video still. I'm currently studying to become a commercial pilot and your channel is great motivation
Thank you so much! Stay tuned because I plan on putting out lots more fun stuff like this throughout the year!
What I really want to see some videos about is what it takes to run a private, ex military jet. How much maintenance is involved, how many hours are required on the ground between flights and what is required. How often does the engine have to come out and or be rebuilt etc. There is quite a mystery around private ownership of jets. We really have no idea whether the jets are literally left as they were when the left the military and just flown and patched up as things break, or whether the whole airframe gets stripped down to the last nut and bolt for a full rebuild?
Fantastic questions and one of the things I want to do on this channel is answer all of those! Over the next several months I intend to make videos about pretty much everything you asked, some generalizations and others pertaining to specific aircraft. Stay tuned and I’ll get that going! I appreciate the comment, happy to hear there’s interest in the stuff I’m planning to put out there.
@@JetJerod I very much look forward to that. Have subscribed already. Other interesting things are how you keep old aircraft flying when pretty much nobody in the world has the current tech knowledge and type specific qualifications to do the work. I guess the “experimental” side of things comes in a lot here. Will be watching. Thanks for the reply.
Believe it or not, we’re still bound by the approved mx programs that are largely the same as the military followed! So finding people who do know and learning from them is very important and thats why it’s such a tight knit community. I’ll definitely explain a lot if this stuff in other videos, thanks for asking! Gives me ideas for videos and helps me know the sorts of things people wonder!
I’d have it painted in the bright Yellowjack colour scheme. The current camo scheme, whilst smart, is totally unauthentic - the RAF have never used those colours together.
Right! It does looks so cool as is, if we ever repaint it, we might go back to one of her original schemes..however, it is unique! Lots of Gnats are already painted Yellow, especially red. So we will see!
Very Cool!
Thank you!
Cool jet! Was it used as a fighter? I mosly know it as the trainer flown by the Red Arrows at one time.
The single seaters were fighters, the 2 seaters were trainers but hey, close enough for me! 😂
@@JetJerod Indeed! I never knew there were single seaters of the Gnat. How interesting. I flew T-33s a few times... same scenario.
Yea! The single seater was built first, as a true fighter (Indian Air Force had them and shot down a few F86’s with it and even named it the “Sabre Slayer”). But where they really shined in Europe was the 2 seat trainer version.
We'd love to touch base with you, helping to restore gnat in UK to ground run condition would be interested in the tech side of your electric start conversion
Sounds good!
My question is how to get type rated for it like a step by step maybe you can make it for most warbirds
Great question! And one that I get all the time (also one I’ve had to figure out a few times haha). We are definitely planning on making a video about that. Thanks for the suggestion!
Long story short, you find a qualified instructor to train you as well as a qualified DPE or Examiner who’s able to do the ride. Those 2 are sometimes tough to align
Awesome jet, loved it ever since i sat in one (as an 11 year old) in Yugoslavia (in the aviation museum). I am now a 6’3” 220lb pilot, and in the video it looks like it is a tight squeeze for you (not sure what your height is). Do you indeed find it to be tight? Is there any hope for taller guys to fit by adjusting the seat up&down?
It’s certainly a tight fit! I’m “wide” but I’m working on that problem 🤣 There are other jets out there that have much roomier cockpits relative to the Gnat and even A4. Pretty much everything else is suitable for someone your size. There’s always hope!
How did you manage to afford to buy this?
Believe it or not, it was less expensive than most exotic cars. Took me years and years to get in to a position to be able to get something like this, very fortunate I was able to pull it off. But I’ve wanted this jet since 1992..so it’s been a long time coming!
That’s great. Well done. What’s your top speed in this thing? And does it have re heats?
Thank you! Max speed is Mach 1.4 but in level flight it stays in the transonic range pretty easily, have to dive to get supersonic.
No reheat, Rolls Royce Orpheus 101!
Isn’t that the same type of fighter used in Hot Shots? Congratulations on the jet!
Yep! It’s actually one of the exact jets used in the movie! Thanks so much, we’re excited to have her!
Used in the movie 'Hot Shots'
Sure was! That’s why it’s a “real” fighter 😂😂
Long ago Cinema Air FBO at Carlsbad, Ca had several of Gnats and many WW2 and more recent combat aircraft. Gnats are so tiny I don't see the need to walk on them.
If you ever get a chance to fill one up with fuel, you’ll find the need! The aircraft might be small but it’s incredibly mighty. Solid as a rock and no problem at all with walking on it as long as you’re stepping in the designated areas.
The British jet version of their mini car😂❤
Ha! It does seem about the same size 😂
30 seconds in I know he bought a Gnat!
😂
omg good luck
Thanks!
A fighter? Actually a trainer. Remember that.
@@warrenholmes3311 yes..it’s a joke :)
Not sure the Gnat is Supersonic, Transonic in a shallow dive maybe ? Beautifully Restored.
Books says up to Mach 1.4 but you definitely have to dive! 45,000’ at .85 then dive 40° nose down to accelerate through Mach 1
have u taken her supersonic yet>?@@JetJerod
Need that HOT SHOT repaint ;)
THE NAVY!!! 🤣
does it still have the smoke system on it ?
It’s got the internal components and valves but the 2 smoke pipes out the back have been removed, we plan on putting them back next year.
God, luv ya!
Ive met this bird before up here in Tulsa. I think it had a tire go useless during a charity event it was flying into.
Yea the tires don’t last very long! Just about 10 landings or so, good thing we have lots of spares!
Enjoy the bird for me btw!!@@JetJerod
Thank you! I’m sure I will, very excited to fly her more this year!
How fast did you reach during that flight
For the flight in this video we never left the traffic pattern so we weren’t going too fast!
And it even flies!
It does! And it’s pretty dang fun to fly, too!
That’s nice
Thank you! Thanks to the folks before who put the energy and resources into it to keep it going, that’s all I want to do is just keep the history alive!
A Oscar-5894 Phallus Tatical Fighter Bomber!!!! Get right thats the correct name for it.😅
Right!! 🤣🤣 so many people are really missing the “real fighter” joke. But I knew that would happen.
I fucking love this.
Haha thank you!