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Edgar W Percival (deceased)
Mr Edgar Percival, Ceng, FRAeS, FIMechE, FIMarE, MSAE, MIAcE, FRSA. Edgar Percival was already in his basic engineering training in Australia when Louis Bleriot made his epoch making flight across the Channel in July 1909. He was severely handicapped by the time it took for news and information to reach Australia. Nevertheless he read every piece of information published.
Towards the end of 1909 and whilst studying at the Sydney Technical College, he decided to construct a man-carrying glider. Engines were then not available in Australia for powered aircraft. Design work on his glider began in earnest in January 1910 with first flight in early December 1910. Many flights were made during the ensuing year from a most suitable hill on his father's property, Clarendon Park, Richmond, New South Wales. He then accepted an engineering apprenticeship with a well-known firm of engineers and ship-builders in Sydney. He dismantled the glider and stored it in a loft above the stables.
In 1916 Edgar Percival was commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps (Special Reserve) and served with No.60 (Fighter) Squadron in France and No.111 (Fighter) Squadron in Palestine. In 1918 when stationed at RAF Aboukir in Egypt he designed a special purpose aircraft developed from the Bristol F2B with the Rolls-Royce Eagle engine. He personally carried out all the test and development flying on this aircraft.
In 1926 the Australian Federal Government organised a competition for locally desgned light aircraft using indigenous materials wherever possible. For this he co-designed, built and tested an aircraft in which he 94% of the total prize money. This was against considerable opposition as specifically for the competition three of the proven DH53 Humming Bird aircraft were imported from the United Kingdom. There were 15 entries in all, 10 finally took part. The extent of Percival's lead was never clearer than in the high altitude section where he reached 10,700ft, the next competitor, the only one remaining achieved 5,200ft.
In 1919 Percival became involved in operating ex-World War I aircraft in Australia on a commercial basis, many of which he specifically modified and redesigned until 1929 when he moved to the UK and devoted his attention to test flying. From the until 1931 he tested the following aircraft : Hendy Hobo, Hendy 302, Parnall Elf, Parnall Prawn (for the Schneider Trophy Race), Parnall Experimental aircraft for Farnborough test (2), Sikorsky 28 amphibian, Saunders Roe Cutty Sark, Saro-Percival Mail Carrier, Saro Windhover amphibian.
In 1931 he formed his own company, Percival Aircraft Ltd to which he then devoted his total attention and designed, built and flew the following aircraft : Percival Gull D1, D2 and D3, Percival Mew Gull E 1, Percival Vega Gull later to become the Percival Proctor for the Armed Forces, Percival Mew Gull E 2, Percival Mew Gull E 3 H - the fastest of any racing aircraft in the British Commonwealth, Percival Q 6 - a 7-seater twin-engine commercial aircraft., Percival E P 9 - a special purpose aircraft.
He died on 21st January 1984 at the age of 86.
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