The prototype,
G-ABUR, powered by a Cirrus Hermes IV, was
built at Yate by George Parnall and Company
and flown round Britain by E. W. Percival in
the King's Cup Race of July 8-9, 1932, at an
average speed of 142-73 m.p.h.
In the
following year, re-engined with a Napier
javelin III, it had a top speed superior to
many contemporary fighters, becoming well
known at civil aerodromes until written off
in Northern Rhodesia during Man Mohan
Singh's 1935 Cape record attempt.
By virtue of
its four cylinder Hermes IV, the prototype
became the Percival Gull Four P.1. Mk. I,
while production aircraft with improved
windscreens and cabin glazing became known
as the Gull Four P.1.A Mk. II.
Private owners,
such as Sir Phillip Sassoon and W. Lindsay
Everard, favoured the Percival Gull Four
P.1.B Mk. IIa equipped with a Napier Javelin
engine, like their respective G-ACGR and 'AL
'Leicestershire Fox' 182.
A Gipsy Major
powered P.1.C Gull Four Mk. IIb as well as a
Blackburn Cirrus major powered P.1.E Gull
Four Mk. III were developed later.
