Gloster Gladiator

Alex Crawford lists all Gladiator claims in his book – Gloster Gladiator vol 1. No Bf 109s, a few Bf 110s. Four Dewotine D520s.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gloster-Gladiator-vol-I-1/dp/8389450593/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336409510&sr=1-1

They did score a few victories but these types aren’t specified on wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Gladiator

Thanks for that site.

I actually found that site a few days after posting this thread, and I agree, it has a TON of info on Her Majesty’s Gladiators as well as those from all over the world.

What a plane it was to have operated so surprisingly well even though it was dreadfully outclassed.

Treking through the darkest reaches of my favourites…(it can get scarey going in without a ball of string and a lump of chalk!;)) and I found this:- Gloster Gladiator
Which- if I remember correctly – used to be part of a site devoted to biplanes in WWII, but obviously isn’t now. Loads of info on Gladiator use.

Flood.

Originally posted by DazDaMan
If I remember rightly, the “Aces” covered in the series need not have actually scored 5 kills in a particular type of aircraft – they could just have flown a particular type in order to be included in the books.

Anyway, that’s my two-pence worth. The Gladiator is one of my favourite planes (which I still haven’t seen up in the air! :() and I can’t wait to see one going someday 🙂

You’ll love her even more when you do see her flying, beautiful, graceful, stately little thing and darned quiet too.

Originally posted by Moggy C
There were indeed four Sea Gladiators on Malta.

The maximum that ever flew at one time was three and there was a fair amount of part swopping went on amongst them.

Moggy

I believe the part swapping was necessary to keep them flying, whatever, they did a good job though.

Thanks a lot guys.

Well I managed to locate the “Markings and Colors of the AVG” book in a local bookstore today so now I just have to locate the books about Bf 110 aces and P-40 aces in the Pacific (which is the P-40 book I’m really anxious to read as I’ve already read a huge book about the AVG ……forget the name because it was a few years ago).

Originally posted by Moggy C
What you need is a book called Faith Hope & Charity by Kenneth Poolman
Moggy

That’s the one!

Well paraphrased, Moggy.

Thanks, Crusader. Interesting links.
Who would have thought that a Chinese Gladiator ace would have learned to fly at Lechfeld?

Originally posted by Transall
China indeed.:)
I don’t have the Osprey book, but I took a look at the Ospey website and in the description of the Gladiator Aces book it was mentioned that it fought in China as well.
Presumably someone even scored 5 kills with it there, since it’s in the book.

Best regards, Transall.

Some info here….Chinese Glaiators

And it does appear there was at least one ace…
Chin Shui-Tin

Originally posted by PhantomII

Can you tell me more about the 3 that defended Malta. I’ve often heard of them, but I don’t know much about the story.

What you need is a book called Faith Hope & Charity by Kenneth Poolman. It runs to about 158 pages so might be a bit of a task to paraphrase here, but basically

Early 1940 the UK was a bit concerned with defending itself from some over-playful continentals and found it a tad awkward to spare the four squadrons of Hurricanes earmarked for the defence of Malta.

Crated on the quay at Kalfrana were some Sea Gladiators that were held in reserve for the carrier Glorious, which was shortly to do a one-way submarine impersonation off Norway having been caught a bit exposed by a German capital unit (Hipper / Scheer?)

There were eight in all. N5520, N5519, N5531 and N5524 were uncrated and erected. Delivered to Hal Far 19 April 1940.

On the 29th the Admiralty asked for them back. They were then repacked, the order countermanded and they were reunpacked (If you see what I mean?)

Italy declared war on Britain 10th June and launched an air attack against Malta on the 11th. The first unescorted raid was intercepted with no kills. A second raid later in the day (This time with a fighter escort CR42 and Macchi 200) was intercepted and Timber Woods knocked down one of the escorts.

The Gladiators flew and fought alone against overwhelming odds until on 28th June four Hurricanes arrived.

The Gladiators continued to fight alongside them. At least one was modified with a further two machine guns mounted SE5 style on the top wing, looking like something out of Dawn Patrol.

Most were wrecked whilst on the ground, the last succumbing around March 1941.

One of the airframes (assumed to be Faith) was retrieved from a quarry later in the war and is now proudly housed in the museum in Valetta. Well worth a visit.

Moggy

If I remember rightly, the “Aces” covered in the series need not have actually scored 5 kills in a particular type of aircraft – they could just have flown a particular type in order to be included in the books.

Anyway, that’s my two-pence worth. The Gladiator is one of my favourite planes (which I still haven’t seen up in the air! :() and I can’t wait to see one going someday 🙂

China indeed.:)
I don’t have the Osprey book, but I took a look at the Ospey website and in the description of the Gladiator Aces book it was mentioned that it fought in China as well.
Presumably someone even scored 5 kills with it there, since it’s in the book.

Best regards, Transall.

Did any Gladiators fight in the the Far East?

I thought I had read once of some, but cannot remember where. China, perhaps?

The Tornado F.3’s on the Falklands are named Faith,Hope,Charity and Desperation.
To try and clear up some of the confusion about the Henschel designations,the Hs123 was a biplane ground attack aircraft,the Hs126 was a high wing two seater monoplane which was the equivelant of the Westland Lysander and the Hs129 was a heavily armed and armoured twin engine battlefield attack aircraft used almost exclusively on the eastern front in the last two years of the war.

There were indeed four Sea Gladiators on Malta.

The maximum that ever flew at one time was three and there was a fair amount of part swopping went on amongst them.

Moggy

Hi phantom, you are absolutely correct in thinking that the Hs123 was a ground attack aircraft.
It was in fact a dive bomber and was only in use in mainland Europe and the Eastern Front but definitely still in use after the Ju87 had become the standard dive bomber
I was just listing a few other so called ‘obsolete’ aircraft still being used when newer machines were available. This, of course, includes our own dear old ‘Stringbag’.
Yes, there was an Hs126 which as Tom pointed out was a recce aircraft.

Were there only 3 Gladiators (Hope, Faith and Charity)?
I thought No 1435 Flight in the Falklands had named their 4 Tornado F3’s (and previously their Phantoms?) after these Gladiators.
The fourth jet of 1435 Flight is coded “D”.
Was there a fourth Gladiator? What does the “D” stand for? I seem to remember it was “Despair”.

Best Regards, Transall.

My contribution to the Gloster Gladiator

Isn’t the Hs 123 a ground attack aircraft?

Or am I getting my Henschels mixed up?

Was there an Hs 126 perhaps?

Anyway back to the Gladiator.

That’s great news about the Osprey book. I really enjoy those books. Since I’m not an expert I’m not sure how good they are, but they seem like they are well researched to me.

I own the one about P-40 Aces in the North African theater and the one about P-39 Aces of WWII.

I still want the one about P-40 Aces in the Pacific and if they have one, the one about Bf 110 Aces.

This Gladiator one is something I’ll have to look into.

Quite an amazing biplane it seems it was.

Seems like the British were good at picking great biplanes, even in WWII, with the Fairey Swordfish being the other example I was thinking of.

Can you tell me more about the 3 that defended Malta. I’ve often heard of them, but I don’t know much about the story.