The Panther Project and changing consumer landscapes by Simon

We are looking into how the changing customer landscape affects product development this week. To just understand this we have to look at how the Panther sits in this topic matter. To which, we need to look back into history itself.

The Parnall Panther was a 1916 reconnaissance airplane, engineered and adapted to perform aerial roles such as collecting imagery intelligence using photography. Basically, a spy plane, that was deployed during the early stages of battle as the ‘eyes of the army’ to aid ground forces with understanding the enemy terrain.

What made the Panther so great and different was the simple task of surveying. The Panther needed to be light to not put too much strain on the engine to carry it over the channel, or land on a warship and to return home safely.

There is now no real need for a reconnaissance biplane in this modern era, due to the use of satellites. How we now see the Panther today is a piece of human history. The only issue with being part of history is that we, as humans, evolve and change, wars dissolve, leaders step down and life moves on.

So why are we building a biplane? Well, if you are a keen enthusiast for engineered aircraft and wartime pieces of history then this is what the Panther represents.

In the 1940’s a fire broke out in the Parnall factory in Bristol that housed all the detailed drawings of the Parnall Panther. Years of prototyping and developing this biplane into a successful aircraft, which helped carry important information was lost in the ashes.

Our founder, Mark Parnall, wanted this lost history and knowledge to never be lost again. So that is why we are delving back into our famous past and engineering once more.

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