Gloster Gladiators

Hmmm,I know I’m not paying for the restoration and repaint,but for what it’s worth I think I’d prefer a scheme which depicted a Sea Gladiator,as this is what TFC’s example is.Faith,Hope and Charity spring to mind,although there are surely plenty of other SeaGlads to choose from.
Just my tuppence worth,hell I’ll be happy to see it fly in any scheme…

Eh? :confused:
N5903 is a Gladiator II, it served with Glosters and with 61 OTU before being SOC 30/4/46, then used to restore L8032/G-AMRK again with Glosters, before going to Old Warden, then to the FAAM Yeovilton where it was undergoing restoration. At some point (at Old Warden?) it was apparently marked as N5226 (actually an Anson) and N2276 (a Sea Gladiator (Interim) which was SOC by 22/8/44).
Other than that it is not, nor ever been, a Sea Gladiator.

Just didn’t notice this earlier, sorry.

Flood.™

Tony, direct links are being established via James with Alex, for the record it was ……………silver.

Re: N5636.

Originally posted by Andy in Beds
Hi All
I have another Gladiator question which seeing that you’re all in Gladiator mode at the moment you might be able to help me with.
Can anyone cast any light on Gladiator Mk.II S/no N5636 which was with the No1 School of Army Co-operation in 1941?
I believe this aircraft was coded 4P—maybe individual letter X.
What was this aircraft used for at this establishment and where was it based?
I suspect it may have been a target tug but I’m not sure. It seems to have had yellow and black diagonal stripes on the underside but I’m not sure those markings were confined to just target towing aircraft.
The only reference I have for it is a tiny side view in the old Profile publication (no 98 Gloster Gladiator by Francis. K. Mason 1966). Also a few years ago a plastic kit was re-released of a Gladiator with these markings in the kit.
Any info gratefully received.
Thanks in Advance
Andy

N5636 served with 263Sqn (it obviously didn’t go to Norway with them!), then 1 SoAC, then 41OTU, then Hurn (Station Flight?), before SoC 28/11/46. It would almost certainly still be in the Gladiators 4 tone green/brown camouflage top sides, but the undersurfaces being yellow and black didn’t mean that it was just a target tug – trainers, gliders, some transports (non tactical?), prototypes, lots of different types had a yellow and black striped underside to show them up to the Observer Corps, etc.
With 1SoAC it would have been used to train crews for the army co-operation squadrons (Lysanders, for example) or maybe have been used to develope army-air force co-operation in tactics, for example involving ground attack in symphony with armoured units. 1SoAC became 41OTU on 21/9/41.
Info from Air Britains RAF Flying Training and Support Units and RAF Aircraft L1000-N9999 (again!).

Flood.

N5636.

Hi All
I have another Gladiator question which seeing that you’re all in Gladiator mode at the moment you might be able to help me with.
Can anyone cast any light on Gladiator Mk.II S/no N5636 which was with the No1 School of Army Co-operation in 1941?
I believe this aircraft was coded 4P—maybe individual letter X.
What was this aircraft used for at this establishment and where was it based?
I suspect it may have been a target tug but I’m not sure. It seems to have had yellow and black diagonal stripes on the underside but I’m not sure those markings were confined to just target towing aircraft.
The only reference I have for it is a tiny side view in the old Profile publication (no 98 Gloster Gladiator by Francis. K. Mason 1966). Also a few years ago a plastic kit was re-released of a Gladiator with these markings in the kit.
Any info gratefully received.
Thanks in Advance
Andy

James,
I will get the details when I get back to work next week,or…..RAY ARE YOU OUT THERE!!!!!

Cheers

Mog:D 😀 😀

Hi Mog,
Can you show us the picture? Describe it? I’m sure Alex ‘Mr Gladiator’ may be able to nail it down. It also looks like you CAN have a Glad at Mildenhall, just later… Was it Camo or silver (Obvious I know…)
Cheers

Flood,
a friend of mine belongs to a modeling club which is undertaking the task of building all aircraft that served at Mildenhall ( not sure what dates).Anyway, he came across a picture of a Met flight Gladiator in a copy of Warpaint (suspect source?).After banging his head against a brick wall re imformation, he mentioned it to me.
As a subscriber to Flypast I thought this esteemed forum would know if there was any imformation out there! Well it seems, thanks to the forum, that the picture could be a red herring.

Thanks again

Cheers

Mog

😀

Originally posted by JDK
Hi Flood,
Interesting. I don’t know what sources Alex was using for this particular data, or if he had more or has since got more info. Either way up, I’m sure he’ll appreciate your input!
Cheers
James

Not a problem – there is always going to be little quirks and things; I am not claiming that the info is right, merely that it is perpetrated in several books – but probably all using the same original source.

Mog – what is the reason you feel that there were Met Flt Gladiators at Mildenhall in 1938?
Give us a clue and someone somewhere might be able to assist!;)

Flood.

James

Re: “we’ve sold out of Gladiator”

Interesting.. I feel an e-bay moment coming up! (only joking)

Paul

Hi Flood,
Interesting. I don’t know what sources Alex was using for this particular data, or if he had more or has since got more info. Either way up, I’m sure he’ll appreciate your input!
Cheers
James

Thanks everyone,

Cheers

Mog;)

Originally posted by JDK
…These first Met flights have N5575, N5576, N5590-93 N5637 N5900. And then, 1403 Met flight was formed at Mildenhall in 1943 with two Glads, N5630 and N5717. (Note dates are at variance with Flood’s post above. I don’t know Floods’ source (Comment, Flood?) but I’m sure it’s a good one…

Initially RAF Coastal Command Losses of WWII vol 1 (1939-41) (did you know the Met Flts came under Coastal Command?), then Air Britains RAF Flying Training and Support Units, Squadrons of the RAF and Commonwealth 1918-1988 and RAF Aircraft L1000-N9999. According to RAF Flying Training and Support Units 401Flt was formed 4/2/41 at Mildenhall, became 1401Flt on 1/3/41, moved to Bircham Newton 25/10/41, combined with 1403Flt to become 521Sqn 1/8/41. Reformed at Manston as 1401Flt 1/4/43 after 521Sqn disbanded, then to Docking 25/8/43, Manston again 1/9/43, then to 34R Wing at Melsbroek, Eindhoven 15/4/45, Celle and 35R Wing 16/9/45 before being disbanded 28/6/46.
Notice how my dates (and places!) are still at variance with yours…;):D:D

Flood.

“James, are there any photos in the book of 73 Squadron Gladiators at Debden – particularly the CO’s aeroplane? TFC are considering this scheme for their example.

Rob”

Hmmm,I know I’m not paying for the restoration and repaint,but for what it’s worth I think I’d prefer a scheme which depicted a Sea Gladiator,as this is what TFC’s example is.Faith,Hope and Charity spring to mind,although there are surely plenty of other SeaGlads to choose from.
Just my tuppence worth,hell I’ll be happy to see it fly in any scheme…

Hi Robbo,
Yes, there is (no location given, but a pre-war shot) and a colour profile too. I’m shocked if TFC haven’t got a copy. If you get a specific name and address, I’ll get one off soon FOC; we’d be delighted to help. If you can get an e-mail too, I’ll link Alex Crawford up – he’s got a lot more gen, only a bit of which has been published.

It’ll be a little while – we’ve sold out of Gladiator, and the Editor in Chief who has a small reserve stock is in New Zealand at the moment Can’t think why here’s there…

Cheers

Hi Mog,
Looks like you can have Mildenhall, or pre-war Met flights, but not both. Checking The Gloster Gladiator by Alex Crawford, he’s put Met flights started at Aldergrove and Duxford, 1939, Bulldogs, Gauntlets, then Gladiators. (Did I mention Alex is working on a book on the Bulldog & Gauntlet? Checkout www.mmpbooks.biz). These first Met flights have N5575, N5576, N5590-93 N5637 N5900. And then, 1403 Met flight was formed at Mildenhall in 1943 with two Glads, N5630 and N5717. (Note dates are at variance with Flood’s post above. I don’t know Floods’ source (Comment, Flood?) but I’m sure it’s a good one. I don’t know Alex’s source either, though!

If you PM me as discussed, with your e-mail, I can pass that onto Alex who I’m sure will happily discuss more detail with you.

I have a nagging memory about something on the origins of RAF Met flights. Aeroplane Monthly? Can’t quite remember.

If you are after pics, have you bothered IWM photo archive (Lambeth) by phone? Or RAF Museum, likewise?

Cheers

Watching Piece of Cake last night and then reading this today has just made me smile. I just realised quite how much our very own Moggy C really does sound like Moggy from the programme… i can imagine him saying the above comments now! 🙂

Originally posted by Mike J
Did he fly Gladiators??? :confused:

Only during the mysterious visit, six months after his death, to a hotel in Cologne.

Moggy.

It mightn’t have been Cologne. It could have been a very sissy after-shave.

Come on people!
What about the Gladiators at Mildenhall.I was sure this Forum would do the business!
( by the way the way I’ve just put my onion sets in…called Red Baron!)

Cheers

Mog:D

I am reading this now.

In ‘Biggles Fails to Return’ (W.E.Johns) Bertie is nearly caught out while in Monaco as the onions he is carrying, while attempting to pass himself off as a French onion seller, are clearly the powerful English variery of onions, and he only escapes being arrested by the onion alerted suspicious Gendarme by the use of witty repartee with, as they say, ‘hilarious consequences’. Biggles does return too. (what relief.)

Good books on the Walrus? WHR Nicholls’ ‘The Supermarine Walrus’ (Foulis, 1967) is excellent, written by a very modest man who commanded several units and flew the beasties. There will also be a comprehensive picture book on the Walrus (and Seagull V, with a handy ‘how to tell ’em apart’ guide) PLUS a whole load on the Supermarine Stranraer (not named after a comic, but there were Stranraers based at Stranraer, confused?) once our profile artist gets better and finishes the profiles. Seeing as my cover is now completely blown, go to www.mmpbooks.biz for the full SP. as they say. Hilarious consequences are entirely up to you, dear reader.

Cheers!

Yes, thank you.

I declare an interest (M’lud) in ‘Gloster Gladiator’ by Alex Crawford, Mushroom Model Publications (I edited it) It’s highly recommended. By me, because lots of other people say so, and you can see reviews in all the usual places (www.amazon.co.uk / .com) at the publishers (www.mmpbooks.biz) etc.

Another goody (one I had nothing to do with!) is Gladiator Aces, Osprey. Worth getting.

Highly NOT reccomended is the Warpaint on the Supermarine Walrus, which has a remarkable array of basic errors – rivets in the Mk.II Walrus fuselage (clever, as it’s made of wood) missing parts in the plans to the undercarriage, the front view not matching the side view; that’s just the plans!