United Kingdom aircraft test serials
United Kingdom aircraft test serials are used to externally identify aircraft flown within the United Kingdom without a full Certificate of Airworthiness.[1] They can be used for testing experimental and prototype aircraft or modifications, pre-delivery flights for foreign customers and are sometimes referred to as "B" class markings.[1]
1930s
An initial set of markings was introduced in 1929, each company was allocated a letter to which would follow a number, sometimes with a hyphen or a gap between.[1] For example, A was allocated to the Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft and A 1 was used in March 1930 on an Armstrong Whitworth Starling.[1] Sometimes Hawker and Vickers would also add the letters PV to the markings to indicate a private venture (that is a type in development not paid for by the Air Ministry).[1]
1940s
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Miles_M.20.jpg/220px-Miles_M.20.jpg)
The presentation was changed to look like a military serial for security reasons during the Second World War.[1] For example, the prototype de Havilland Mosquito was allocated test markings E-0234.
1948
Following a change back to the original system in 1946 a new system was introduced on 1 January 1948.[1] Each company was allocated a number which followed the British nationality marking G and then followed by an individual identity number.[1] For example, Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company were allocated G-2 and the first allocation G-2-1 was used on a Miles Messenger used as an engine testbed for the Cirrus Bombardier.[1] Companies could allocate and re-use the identities as they liked, some ran in sequence from 1 and others used the aircraft manufacturers serial number as part of the marking, for example G-51-200 was a Britten Norman Islander with a manufacturers serial number of 200.[1] Allocations of codes from defunct companies have been reallocated.
Letter sequence 1929–1947
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Vickers_163.jpg/220px-Vickers_163.jpg)
Allocation | Company | Notes |
---|---|---|
A | Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft | Replaced by G-1 in 1948 |
B | Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company | Replaced by G-2 in 1948 |
C | Boulton Paul | Replaced by G-3 in 1948 |
D | Portsmouth Aviation | Replaced by G-4 in 1948 |
E | de Havilland | Replaced by G-5 in 1948 |
F | Fairey Aviation | Replaced by G-6 in 1948 |
G | Gloster Aircraft | Replaced by G-7 in 1948 |
H | Handley Page | Replaced by G-8 in 1948 |
I | Hawker Aircraft | Replaced by G-9 in 1948 |
J | Parnall Aircraft | Out of use by 1946 |
J | Reid & Sigrist | From 1947, replaced by G-10 in 1948 |
K | Avro | Replaced by G-11 in 1948 |
L | Saunders-Roe | Replaced by G-12 in 1948 |
M | Short Brothers | Replaced by G-14 in 1948 |
N | Supermarine | Replaced by G-15 in 1948 |
O | Vickers Armstrongs | Replaced by G-16 in 1948 |
P | Westland Aircraft | Replaced by G-17 in 1948 |
R | Bristol Aeroplane | Replaced by G-18 in 1948 |
S | Spartan Aircraft | Out of use by 1936 |
S | Heston Aircraft | Replaced by G-19 in 1948 |
T | General Aircraft | Replaced by G-20 in 1948 |
U | Phillips & Powis later Miles Aircraft | Replaced by G-21 in 1948 |
V | Airspeed | Replaced by G-22 in 1948 |
W | G & J Weir | 1933–1946 |
X | Percival Aircraft | Replaced by G-23 in 1948 |
Y | British Aircraft Manufacturing | Out of use by 1938 |
Y | Cunliffe-Owen | 1940–1947, replaced by G-24 in 1948 |
Z | Auster Aircraft | Replaced by G-25 in 1948 |
AB | Slingsby Sailplanes | Replaced by G-26 in 1948 |
Numeric sequence since 1948
See also
- British military aircraft designation systems
- List of RAF squadron codes
- Royal Air Force roundels
- United Kingdom aircraft registration
- United Kingdom military aircraft serial numbers
References
Bibliography
- Revell, D.S. (1978). P.H. Butler (ed.). Under B Conditions. Liverpool, England: Merseyside Aviation Society. ISBN 0-902420-24-0.
- Michael Austen, ed. (1999). The British Civil Aircraft Register 1919-1999. Tonbridge, Kent, England: Air-Britain. ISBN 0-85130-281-5.