Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator photographed in England in 2002
Description
Role	Fighter
Crew	1 pilot
First Flight
Entered Service
Manufacturer
Dimensions
Length	27 ft 5 in	8.4 m
Wingspan	32 ft 3 in	9.8 m
Height	11 ft 7 in	3.2 m
Wing area	323 ft²	30 m²
Weights
Empty	3,444 lb	1,560 kg
Loaded	4,864 lb	2,205 kg
Maximum takeoff	lb	kg
Capacity
Powerplant
Engines	One Bristol Mercury VIII AS
Power	850 hp	630 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	257 mph at 14,600 ft	414 km/h at 4,500 m
Combat range	miles	km
Ferry range	444 miles	710 km
Service ceiling	33,500 ft	10,200 m
Rate of climb	2220 ft/min	670 m/min
Wing loading	lb/ft²	kg/m²
Thrust/Weight
Power/Mass	hp/lb	kW/kg
Avionics
Avionics
Armament
Guns	Four x 0.303 (7.7 mm) Browning machine-guns

The Gloster Gladiator was a biplane fighter, used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, during World War II. The aircraft had a top speed of around 414 km/h. Gladiators were also modified for carrier operations and flown by the Royal Navy, where it was known as the Sea Gladiator.

Contents

1 History 2 Quotes 3 Notable Gloster Gladiator Pilots 4 Units Using the Gloster Gladiator 4.1 Royal Air Force 4.2 Fleet Air Arm 5 External links 6 References

History

First flown in 1934, and introducted into service in 1937, the Gloster Gladiator was developed from the Gauntlet biplane fighter. Even when it was introduced the design was being eclipsed by the new generation of monoplane fighters, such as the Spitfire and Messerschmitt Bf 109. When WW2 began the Gladiator was used in combat in France and Norway, but was found to be outclassed by the German fighters in most respects. Despite this, the Gladiators of the Norwegian Jagevingen at Fornebu(Oslo) Airport, consisting of 7 functional Gladiators, (litt: pursuitwing) managed to shoot down an not certain amount between 10 and 20 German aircrafts before they were forced down due to mechanical errors and to refill fuel and ammunition. All but 3 of the Gladiators from Fornebu were lost as they made forced landings, most on frozen lakes in or around Oslo. The Gladiators in spite of their age, also seemed to be quite effective in the rest of the Norwegian fightings. After Britains "cooperation" with the Norwegians in the end of the Norwegian campaign, the Norwegians flew most of the remaining aircrafts to the UK where they were used in further fightings.

In the North African theatre the Gladiator achieved some success against the Italian Air Force, which was equipped with a mix of biplanes and early design monoplanes. Its most notable exploit came in the defence of Malta, where for a brief period three Sea Gladiator aircraft, named Faith, Hope and Charity formed the entire air defence of the island.

In the Far East the Gladiator fared little better against the modern machines of the Japanese than it had against the Germans. It played a part in the short-lived defense of Singapore.

Carrier based Gladiators were more successful, since its slower speed made it more suitable for carrier operations and it was less likely to be facing modern figher opposition.

The Gladiator was also exported for use by the air forces of 13 other countries.

Quotes

• Anonymous Maltese
  • "[The Gladiators] worked miracles and must have frightened the Italians." (1 - p.37)

See also:

• F. H. Maynard

Notable Gloster Gladiator Pilots

• John H. Lapsley

Units Using the Gloster Gladiator

Royal Air Force

• No. 1 Squadron
• No. 3 Squadron
• No. 6 Squadron
• No. 14 Squadron
• No. 25 Squadron
• No. 33 Squadron
• No. 54 Squadron
• No. 56 Squadron
• No. 65 Squadron
• No. 72 Squadron
• No. 73 Squadron
• No. 80 Squadron
• No. 85 Squadron
• No. 87 Squadron
• No. 94 Squadron
• No. 112 Squadron
• No. 117 Squadron
• No. 123 Squadron
• No. 127 Squadron
• No. 141 Squadron
• No. 152 Squadron
• No. 237 Squadron
• No. 247 Squadron
• No. 261 Squadron
• No. 263 Squadron
• No. 267 Squadron
• No. 274 Squadron
• No. 520 Squadron
• No. 521 Squadron
• No. 603 Squadron
• No. 604 Squadron
• No. 605 Squadron
• No. 607 Squadron
• No. 615 Squadron

Fleet Air Arm

• No. 800 Squadron
• No. 801 Squadron
• No. 802 Squadron
• No. 804 Squadron
• No. 805 Squadron
• No. 806 Squadron

External links

• http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/gloster-gladiator-1.htm
• http://www.battleofbritain.net/0008.html
• http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/BARC/gladiator.html
• http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Gladiator.htm
• the Gloster Gladiator Web Page (http://www.geocities.com/acrawford0/)
• The Gloster Gladiator in the Norwegian Army Air Service (Hærens Flygevåpen) (http://www.dalnet.se/~surfcity/gladiator_norway.htm)

References

• 1 -- The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II by John Bierman and Colin Smith (2002)

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