FSX/FS2004 – Percival K2 Vega Gull

FSX/FS2004 – Percival K2 Vega Gull. This model tries to represent an extant K2 Vega Gull, C/N K65, manufactured by Percival Aircraft Ltd at Luton, originally fitted with a DH Gipsy Six II engine & first registered as G-AEZJ 2nd July 1937. The Vega Gull was a logical progression from the D3 Gull being enlarged to accomodate 4 people in a side by side seating arrangement. Initial aircraft were fitted with the fixed pitch propeller Gipsy Six series I engine and annotated K1 or series I, but most were fitted with the Gipsy Six series II engine together with a Variable Pitch Propeller, but without a constant speed unit. To accomodate the heavier engine & prop the airframe was strengthed & the AUW increased. Gipsy Queen II engines, a strengthend version of the Gipsy Six II & fitted with a CSU were also used. This aircraft has had an interesting life, it was sold & re-registered as PH-ATH in March 1938, was captured by German forces in 1940 & registered as D-IXWD. Then registered as SE-ALA in August 1942.  Sold in the mid 60’s it was stored in a barn following some damage after taxying into a marker. She was recovered from the barn in 1987 & shipped to the UK for rebuild. Re registered as G-AEZJ in ’87 she was first flown after rebuild in Sept 1991. (Info taken from David Gearing’s Book ‘On the wings of a Gull’). The instrument layout depicted is the most probable installation it would have had pre WWII, & is taken from a photograph of G-AEKE in Flight Global, the current fit having modern multiple comms & nav radios. G-AEZJ C/n K65 is the sole example from the 89 built before WWII & is still airworthy.

By Keith Paine

19.5 MB