The Mitchell-Procter Kittiwake was conceived in the mid-1960s as a specialized single-seat glider tug. Designed by R. G. ("Ron") Proctor and C. G. B. ("Bill") Mitchell, the project began with design work conducted between 1964 and 1965. The resulting aircraft was a notable milestone in British aviation, as it was the first all-metal homebuilt aircraft produced in England. Structurally, the Kittiwake was configured as a low-wing monoplane featuring a tricycle undercarriage, a departure from the mixed-construction or wooden designs common in the UK homebuilt scene of that era.
Records regarding the aircraft's first flight are nuanced. The original homebuilt Kittiwake I, completed under the auspices of the Popular Flying Association (PFA), is cited as having flown for the first time in April 1967. However, a specific airframe later associated with the UK military is recorded as having flown on October 21, 1971, the date it was allocated a formal military serial.
Production of the Kittiwake was not a formal industrial effort but rather a small-scale project by the Mitchell-Procter design partnership. Evidence suggests that only one original Kittiwake I was completed and flown. While the partnership offered plans for the aircraft—including a derivative known as the Procter-Nash Petrel which featured single- and two-seat versions—there is no documentation of a conventional production run. The partnership is now considered defunct.
Technically, the Kittiwake is classified as a single-engine piston landplane (ICAO L1P) with a maximum take-off weight of 600 kg (0.6 t). Its wingspan is 7.3 meters and its length is 6.0 meters. While the specific engine model and power output are undocumented, the aircraft's primary purpose was the towing of gliders and general sporting use.
Though designed for civil use, one example (PFA 1352) was operated by the Royal Navy under the military serial XW784. This aircraft appeared at RNAS Yeovilton Air Day and served in a limited capacity, likely for display or liaison, though it saw no combat service. The aircraft's legacy persists through this single airframe, which was seen on static display as recently as September 17, 2005, at RNAS Yeovilton.