This prototype de Havilland 77 was built to Air Ministry Specification F.20/27, which called for a single seat interceptor fighter of short-range with exceptional climb and manoeuvrability. It first flew on 11th July 1929 and was delivered to the Martlesham Heath and purchased for trails by the Air Ministry in March 1930 and allocated serial J9771. These trails were completed in September 1930 the aircraft image seen here dated to the rear as 17th June 1930, before a recorded flight on 20th June 1930. Scanned from a original Air Ministry photograph, photographer unknown.