From the archives, the Ryan Fireball masquerading as the Gloster Gemini fighter-bomber!
Long before the Gloster Aircraft Company had got Britain's first jet aircraft (the E.28/39) into the air the design team had realised that any production jet fighter would need much more thrust than the paltry 750lbs then being offered by Frank Whittle's Power Jets company. Whilst still on the test bench the early W.1 jet engine had sluggish acceleration and was optimistically considered 'marginal' for a production fighter aircraft. Furthermore, this new technology seemed to be totally unsuitable for making any kind of combat aircraft for naval use as operations from an aircraft carrier demand adequate (and near instantly available) power for takeoff and landing. Whilst George Carter looked at a twin jet-enginned aircraft (eventually to become the Meteor) he also studied a composite twin-enginned design using a conventional piston engine for flight but with a jet engine for higher speeds. The composite twin-enginned concept quickly led to the company name of Gloster Gemini.
Despite any official interest the company steadily moved the Gemini project forward. Denied access to the Bristol Centaurus engine Carter sized the Gemini around the 1,700 h.p. Bristol Hercules XVII radial piston engine and allowed space for the proposed Power Jets W.2B jet engine rated at 1,700lbs thrust. First flown (on piston power only) by company test pilot John Grierson on May 1st, 1943 the Gemini failed to attract the interest of the Admiralty but was studied by the Air Ministry who gave Gloster a development contract to produce interceptor-fighter and fighter-bomber versions for the RAF as the Gemini F.1 and Gemini FB.2 respectively.
During late 1943, the Air Ministry asked Glosters to suspend work on the FB.2 version and urgently proceed with the F.1 versions of the Meteor and Gemini to meet "an expected German aerial threat from pilotless aircraft during the Spring of 1944". Whilst Gloster did their best the Gemini soon fell behind this ridiculous schedule and in May 1944 the Air Ministry instructed Glosters to switch priority to the FB.2 version for overseas use and the invasion of Japan. Entering service in August 1945 only 140 FB.2's entered service with most sent to RAF Middle East Command before quickly being replaced by Vampires.
Prototype