B.A.C.VII, Planette and Drone
For a description of the format and data included
in Production Tables, see here
Produced
Variants
B.A.C.VII Two-seat tandem sailplane, a two seat derivative of the B.A.C.VI featuring a revised fuselage with
longer nose. B.A.C.VII Mk.2 Improved and developed version of the B.A.C. VII with longer span wings and revised cantilever tailplane. B.A.C.VII Planette A conversion of the the B.A.C.VII fitted with a 600cc Douglas motor cycle powerplant developing 6
h.p. mounted on a pylon
on top of the wing driving a pusher propellor. Drone Improved Planette with the rear cockpit faired over and a streamlined engine pylon.
Super Drone Improved Drone fitted with a 23 h.p. Douglas Sprite powerplant Drone de Luxe Improved Drone fitted with a 30 h.p Carden Ford powerplant
Foreign
Produced Variants
Belgium
Drone Licence built version of B.A.C. Drone.
France
SFAN.1 Licence built version of B.A.C. Drone. SFAN.2 Improved version of SFAN.1. SFAN.3 Seaplane derivative of SFAN.2. SFAN.4 Side by side two seat derivative of the SFAN.3. SFAN.5 Improved, higher powered, version of SFAN.4.
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
6 aircraft
built by the British Aircraft Company, Maidstone, Kent. Delivered between
June 1931 and April 1932.
128
BGA.186
See note 2.
130??
BGA.189
To 'Dixy Services', probably Ronald Dixey
Gerrans, Hon. Sec. of the Herts and Essex G.C.
131??
BGA.193/1
To Edinburgh G.C.
132
BGA.197/1
See note 3.
135
BGA.196
Retained by B.A.C. Ltd. Converted to
Planette c/n 2 in November 1932
137
BGA.198/1
Retained by B.A.C. Ltd. Converted to
Planette c/n 4 in 1933
1 aircraft
built by C. Palmer of Southdown G.C.
2
BGA.120/2
1 aircraft
kit built by Manchester R.Ae.S. Gliding Club in September 1933.
2
BGA.192/2
1 aircraft
built by Preston G.C. in July 1934.
2
BGA.198/2
Converted to Drone c/n PGC.4 G-AENZ in
summer 1936.
1 aircraft
kit built by Capt. Robert L. Yates in September 1932.
none
BGA.199
Total Production 10
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
1 aircraft
built by the British Aircraft Company, Maidstone, Kent, in 1932.
See note 1
none
Believed to have flown
Total Production 1
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
4 aircraft
converted from BAC.VII gliders by the British Aircraft Company, Maidstone,
Kent.
1
BGA.186
See note 2.
2
BGA.196
Converted November 1932. To Drone as VT-AEU
3
BGA.197/1
See note 3.
4
BGA.198/1
Converted early 1933. Crashed 13 May 1933
killing Lowe-Wylde.
Total Production 4
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
2 aircraft
converted from BAC.VII Planettes.
2
VT-AEU
To India Air Pagents, December 1933.
3
G-ADSB
See note 3.
2 aircraft
built by the British Aircraft Company (1935) Ltd, London Air Park (Hanworth),
Middlesex. Delivered as noted.
5
G-ADMU
To A.E.H. Coltman, July 1935.
6
G-ADSA
To Anglian Air Services, August 1935.
Total Production (New Built)
2
Total Production (Conversions)
(2)
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
21
aircraft built by the British Aircraft Company (1935) Ltd, London Air Park
(Hanworth), Middlesex. Delivered between August 1935 and August 1936.
7
G-ADPJ
To Cdr J. Dove.
8
G-ADUA
Retained by B.A.C. Destroyed 1936.
9
G-AEAN
Retained by B.A.C. Destroyed 1936.
10
G-AEBC
To Thornes (Worcester) Ltd.
11
G-AECP
To Tenbury Baths Co. Ltd.
12
G-AEDA
To R.E. Sharples.
13
G-AEDB
To G. Scott-Pearce; became BGA.2731, March
1981.
14
G-AEDC
To F.E. Tasker.
15
G-AEEO
To C.W.A. Scott's Flying Display Ltd.
16
G-AEEN
To A. Batchelor. Converted to Drone de Luxe.
17
G-AEEP
To Ely Aero Club, February 1937.
18
G-AEJH
To East Midlands Aviation Co. Ltd.
19
G-AEJK
To the Scottish Flying Club Ltd.
20
G-AEJL
To V. Greenhous.
21
G-AEJP
To Aberdeen Flying School Ltd.
22
G-AEJR
To Thornes (Worcester) Ltd; became BGA.2878.
23
G-AEJS
To Leicestershire Flying Pou Club.
24
G-AEKM
To E. Thomas.
25
G-AEKN
To the Scottish Flying Club Ltd.
26
G-AEKO
To S.A. Yorke.
27
VT-AHM
To the Government of India, Simla, New
Delhi.
4 aircraft
built by the Kronfeld Ltd, London Air Park (Hanworth), Middlesex. Delivered
between November 1936 and August 1937.
28
G-AEKT
To Kronfeld Ltd and Mrs J. Jenkinson.
29
G-AEKU
To Kronfeld Ltd; to R.J. Wynne, May 1938.
31
G-AESF
To U. Williams.
35
G-AFBZ
To W.F. Forbes-Sempill (The Rt Hon Lord
Sempill); 35 h.p. Ava 4A-02 powerplant.
1 aircraft
converted by the Preston Gliding Club in September 1936.
PGC.4
G-AENZ
Converted from BAC.VII BGA.198/2.
Total Production (New Built)
25
Total Production (Conversions)
(1)
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
1 aircraft
converted from Super Drone.
16
G-AEEN
Converted from Super Drone.
1 aircraft
built by the Kronfeld Ltd, London Air Park (Hanworth), Middlesex. Delivered
between November 1936 and August 1937.
30
G-AEKV
To H.H. Cairns; to BGA.2510, May 1979.
Total Production (New Built)
1
Total Production (Conversions)
(1)
Societe Gantoise des Avions sans Moteur Drone
Page Top
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
3 aircraft
built by the Societe Gantoise des Avions sans Moteur, Ghent, Belgium.
Delivered between June 1933 and April 1934.
OO-BAC
To the Section Gantoise de Vol sans Moteur,
Ghent, ASBL, named 'Jimmy'.
OO-BAD
To the Section Gantoise de Vol sans Moteur,
Ghent, ASBL.
OO-BAE
To the Section Gantoise de Vol sans Moteur,
Ghent, ASBL. Exported to GB under c/n305. Import denied.
Total Production 3
Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle SFAN.1
Page Top
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
20 (?)
aircraft built by the Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle,
Issy-les-Moulineaux, France (see note 4). Delivered in 1935. Known serials as
listed.
6
F-PEEZ
Total Production 20
(?)
Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle SFAN.2
Page Top
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
20 (?)
aircraft built by the Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle,
Issy-les-Moulineaux, France (see note 4). Delivered in 1935. Known serials as
listed.
3
F-PEEV
4
F-PAAA
To Aero Club du Rhone et du Sud Est, Bron.
5
F-APFV
To Aero Club des Landes, Mont-de-Marsan.
6
F-PAAL
To Aero Club de Provence.
7
F-APFN
Club d'Avions Legers des Flandres, Lille. To
Fed. Populaire des Sports Aeron in July 1937 as F-PAAB.
9
F-APDA
To Office National Meteorologique, Trappes.
To Aero Club du Limousin, Limoges In December 1936 as F-APMJ.
102
F-PEEX
To F-PFEX
103
F-PEEY
To F-BEEY
??
F-WBTE
Total Production 20
(?)
Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle SFAN.3
Page Top
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
1 aircraft
built by the Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle, Issy-les-Moulineaux,
France. Delivered in 1935.
TBD
TBD
Total Production 1
Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle SFAN.4
Page Top
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
2 aircraft
built by the Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle, Issy-les-Moulineaux,
France. Delivered in 1936.
1
F-PFOO
2
??
Total Production 2
C/n
Initial Registration
Notes
1 aircraft
built by the Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle, Issy-les-Moulineaux,
France. Delivered in 1936.
??
F-BFRK
Total Production 1
Type
Built New
Conv.
Canc'd
Total
B.A.C.VII
10
10
B.A.C.VII Mk.2
1
1
B.A.C.VII Planette
4
4
B.A.C.VII Drone
2
(2)
4
B.A.C.VII Super Drone
25
(1)
26
B.A.C.VII Drone de Luxe
1
(1)
2
43
(4)
0
47
Non-UK Production Summary
All Aircraft By Type
Societe Gantoise des Avions sans Moteur
Société Française d'Aviation Nouvelle
Type
Built New
Conv.
Canc'd
Total
Type
Built New
Conv.
Canc'd
Total
S.G.A.M. Drone
3
3
SFAN.1
20 (?)
20 (?)
3
0
0
SFAN.2
20 (?)
20 (?)
SFAN.3
1
1
SFAN.4
2
2
SFAN.5
1
1
45+(?)
0
0
Notes The following c/ns are
unaccounted for: 103, 115, 120, 124, 125, 126, 133, 134, 136. The B.A.C. VII Mk.2 was presumably one of those.
Originally built as a BAC.VII and delivered to National Flying Services in June 1931. Rebuilt after crash as BGA.194
in October 1931. Converted to Planette c/n 1 in September 1932. Retained by B.A.C. Ltd. Converted to
Planette c/n 3 in November 1932. Converted to Drone as G-ADSB in September 1935; reconverted to a glider as BGA 609 by Aerotech
Flying Club, Elstree, in July 1948. Production quantities per [5]
