Gloster Gladiator

Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator, photographed in England in 2002. Larger version
Description
Role	Fighter
Crew	1 pilot
Dimensions
Length	27 feet 5 inches	8.36 metres
Wingspan	32 feet 3 inches	9.83 metres
Height	11 feet 7 inches	3.22 metres
Wing area	323 square feet	30.0 square metres
Weights
Empty	3,444 lb	1,562 kg
Loaded	4,864 lb	2,206 kg
Maximum take-off
Powerplant
Engine	one Bristol Mercury VIII AS
Power	850 hp
Performance
Maximum speed	257 mph @ 14,600 ft	414 kph @ 14,600 ft
Combat range	444 miles	714 kms
Ferry range
Service ceiling	33,500 ft	10,210 metres
Rate of climb	0 - 10,000 ft in 4.5 minutes
Armament
Guns	Four .303 Browning machine guns
Bombs		none

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.

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 all respects. Two squadrons were sent to France, but all the aircraft were lost in ten days of fighting. The remaining aircraft were relegated to secondary duties or sent to other theatres, including North Africa and the Far East.

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

References

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

Referenced By