Gloster Grebe - Service History

Service History

Grebes entered service with the RAF during October 1923 when a single flight of 111 Squadron re-equipped with the new fighter. The Grebe was popular in RAF service, being much faster then the Snipe that it replaced, and was also very agile. One problem with the Grebe was that it suffered from wing flutter, owing to the to the large overhang outside the interplane struts, which led to all RAF aircraft being modified with additional Vee-struts supporting the outer upper wing. Another problem was the Jaguar engine, which was heavy and unreliable, being prone to in-flight fires.

A total of 133 Grebes were produced, including the four prototypes, 108 Grouse II single seat fighters and 21 two-seat dual-control trainers. Grebes were retired from the RAF in 1929, replaced in part by the Gloster Gamecock which was in essence a developed Grebe, (Gloster fighter design, from Nighthawk to Gloster Gladiator was essentially evolutionary).

Two Grebes were modified for suspension beneath the R33 Airship on a 'trapeze' for "parasite" trials.

The Grebe was developed into the Gloster Gamecock fighter, which also entered production for the RAF.

A single Grebe was gifted to New Zealand by Sir Henry Wigram, and subsequently another two Grebes were acquired by the New Zealand Permanent Air Force, fore-runner of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, entering service in March 1928 and serving more than 10 years until the mid-1938. The two survivors were used as instructional airframes until destroyed in 1943/44.