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what is it?
The Folland Gnat is a British compact, swept-wing, subsonic, fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft. Envisioned as an affordable light fighter in contrast to the rising cost and size of typical combat aircraft, it was procured as a trainer aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as by export customers, who used the Gnat in both combat and training capacities. Designed by W. E. W. Petter, the Gnat has its origins in the preceding private-venture Folland Midge.
How to recognise it: 1 jet engine · 6.8 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 71 years ago, in 1955.
- Top speed is 8.6× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- Can fly 1.7× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).
jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1955-07-18
- introduced
- 1959
- retired
- 1979
- status
- retired
- number built
- 449
- role
- fighter, light tactical bomber and trainer
- makers
- Folland Aircraft
- engines
- 1× Bristol Siddeley BOr.2 Orpheus 701-01
- crew
- 1
- length
- 9.1 m
- wingspan
- 6.8 m
- height
- 2.7 m
- max take-off weight
- 4,101 kg
- top speed
- 1,119 km/h
- range
- 805 km
- ceiling
- 15,240 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1330180, Wikipedia: Folland Gnat (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.