Design history
The original GC-1 Swift has often been described a homebuilt variation of the Culver Cadet. According to the Swift Museum Foundation's website, R. S. "Pop" Johnson designed the Swift in 1940 after taking trial delivery of a Culver Cadet. After measuring the aircraft, he returned the Cadet to Culver, without purchasing it.
the original culver cadet prototype from the 1930s.
Using the measurements obtained from the Culver Cadet, Pop Johnson reverse engineers the design to construct an improved aircraft of his own, which he names the Swift. After constructing the first aircraft, Pop Johnson begins his search for a financier and manufacturer of this improved design.
Shown here is Pop Johnson's Prototype Swift, NX17688, S/n 1.
He convinces John Kennedy, the president and founder of Globe Medicine Co. and part owner of Bennett Aircraft Corporation to finance and produce the aircraft. And in 1941, the bankrupt Bennett Airplane Corporation reorganizes as the Globe Aircraft Corporation and hires Johnson.
In July of 1941, there is a shake-up at Globe Aircraft. Johnson, apparently unhappy with some of the changes to his design, decides to leave Globe just as it introduces the Continental A-80 powered GC-1 Swift.
a postcard from the Globe Aircraft Corporation shows the Globe GC-1 Swift, Serial Number 2 NX17690.
The Globe Swift model GC-1
Description from Jane's All the World's Aircraft from 1941
Type — Two seat light cabin monoplane.
Wings — Low-wing cantilever monoplane, Monospar wing structure. Main spar of spruce and Bakelite plywood with leading-edge in front of spar covered with Bakelite plywood. Aft of spar former ribs and rear auxiliary spar to carry flap and aileron loads covered with fabric. Steel-tube drag truss. Split flaps are manually-operated and may be locked at any angle.
Fuselage — Four-longeron framework of welded seamless chrome molybdenum steel tubing covered with fabric.
Tail Unit — Cantilever monoplane type. Structure same as for wings.
Undercarriage — Cantilever single-strut retractable type. Wheels raised inwardly into underside of fuselage. Hydraulic retraction with auxiliary hand-operating gear. Oleo-pneumatic springing. Retractable full-swiveling tail-wheel which is raised and lowered with the main wheels. Hydraulic wheel-brakes.
Globe Aircraft's marketing of the GC-1 Swift is a huge success. Globe soon has orders valued at more than $1 million and has more than 40 dealers lined up to sell the aircraft. However, December 7, 1941, changes everything.
With the outbreak of war, materials are suddenly severely restricted. Although the Swift GC-1 is certificated by the CAA in 1942 (ATC 753), Globe doesn't build any Swifts during the war. Instead, it does subcontract work for Beech to build 600 AT-10s, the airplane that defeated the Bennett (Globe) BTC-1 in the military competition just a few years earlier.
GC-1A Swift
In 1944, Kennedy revisits the Swift project and realizes the original design has become somewhat obsolete. Globe is aware that Beech is considering building a four-place airplane called the Model 35. Newer airplanes are flying faster and farther. If the Swift is going to be competitive in the post-war market, an update will be needed.
Globe decides to build an all metal, two-place airplane with conventional landing gear. Kennedy puts lead design engineer K. H. "Bud" Knox in charge of the project. Bud came to Globe from Curtiss Aircraft where he was instrumental in the design of the development of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. The fighter look and flying characteristics of the Swift can clearly be traced to this venerable linage of WWII ‘pursuit’ aircraft.
In January 1945, the prototype CG-1A Swift begins flight testing. To facilitate construction, a concession is made in the design. An angular break just aft of the cockpit is introduced to speed production. Later, Globe realizes this break induces a higher drag profile and the Swift's speed is slower than anticipated, but the die is already cast.
By the fall of 1945, the Swift is well along in flight testing, but flight test pilots learn the Swift will not meet the CAA's requirements for spins. With a six-turn spin and an aft CG with the aileron against the spin, the Swift changes from a normal spin to a flat spin. Rather than certify to the CAA requirements, Globe decides to placard the aircraft to prohibit intentional spins.
On May 7, 1946, the 85-hp "All Metal Swift" GC-1A “Swift” receives its type certificate. Beginning with s/n 2 and ending with s/n 409 a total of 408 GC-1A Swifts are built. Performance of the early 85hp Swifts is less than spectacular, so Globe goes back to the drawing board.
GC-1B Swift
Globe begins testing a 125-hp version of the Swift in early 1946 and on Sept. 22, 1946 the GC-1B Swift, equipped with a high-low pitch propeller, receives it's type certificate. Globe, together with TEMCO, build 833 Globe GC-1B Swifts. The last aircraft is "built" August 23, 1951.
T-35 Buckaroo
The US Air Force was impressed enough with the Swift to order a military trainer version, the T-35 Buckaroo, for testing. Although it's superb flying qualities aren't overlooked, the Air Force of the jet-age just doesn't have a place for an old fashioned tail dragger. So the Temco Buckaroo needs to find a foreign buyer if it is going to go into full production.
Three other countries, Greece, Italy, and Israel also purchase an aircraft for testing. However, Saudi Arabia becomes the only military operator to adopt the type. The Saudi Arabian Air Force purchases a total of 10 aircraft, fully armed with machine-guns and rockets.
