Gloster Gladiator
| Gloster Gladiator
|
Gloster Gladiator photographed in England in 2002
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| Description
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| Role | Fighter
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| Crew | 1 pilot
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| First Flight |
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| Entered Service |
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| Manufacturer |
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| Dimensions
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| Length | 27 ft 5 in | 8.4 m
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| Wingspan | 32 ft 3 in | 9.8 m
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| Height | 11 ft 7 in | 3.2 m
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| Wing area | 323 ft² | 30 m²
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| Weights
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| Empty | 3,444 lb | 1,560 kg
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| Loaded | 4,864 lb | 2,205 kg
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| Maximum takeoff | lb | kg
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| Capacity |
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| Powerplant
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| Engines | One Bristol Mercury VIII AS
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| Power | 850 hp | 630 kW
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| Performance
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| Maximum speed | 257 mph at 14,600 ft | 414 km/h at 4,500 m
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| Combat range | miles | km
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| Ferry range | 444 miles | 710 km
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| Service ceiling | 33,500 ft | 10,200 m
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| Rate of climb | 2220 ft/min | 670 m/min
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| Wing loading | lb/ft² | kg/m²
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| Thrust/Weight |
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| Power/Mass | hp/lb | kW/kg
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| Avionics
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| Avionics |
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| Armament
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| Guns | Four x 0.303 (7.7 mm) Browning machine-guns
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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. Despite this, the Gladiators of the norwegian Jagevingen (litt: pursuitwing) managed to shoot down two Me110 and three He111 before they were forced to abandon their airfield at Fornebu. All but one of the Gladiators were lost as they made forced landings, most on frozen lakes in or around Oslo. 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:
Notable Gloster Gladiator Pilots
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
