Gloster Gladiator

The Gladiator was largely replaced in front line service by the Hurricane and Spitfire at the outbreak of World War II, although two squadrons were used in the French and Norwegian campaigns. The Gladiator will probably be best remembered for the heroic defense of Malta by three Sea Gladiators, (Faith, Hope, and Charity) and their exploits in the western desert. The Gloster Gladiator was a classic biplane fighter and was also one of Britain's biggest export successes before the war, seeing service in many other countries.

Gloster Gladiator

The Gloster Gladiator enjoyed the distinction of being the last biplane fighter to serve with the Royal Air. Force, and was perhaps the ultimate expression of the fighter design philosophy to emerge from World War I. The Gladiator was derived from the Gloster Gauntlet fighter, which it resembled quite closely apart from having an enclosed cockpit, improved undercarriage, considerably more powerful engine and single-bay rather than twin-bay wings.

Produced as a private venture in 1934, the Gladiator was first ordered by the RAF in July 1935, when the new generation of monoplane fighters was already well under way. In the event the Gladiator proved a useful interim type, its high performance, flaps and enclosed cockpit making eventual transition to monoplanes easier. Some 23 were ordered in the first batch as Marks Is. Two months later the RAF ordered 186 Mark IIs with Bristol Mercury VIIIA radials in place of the earlier mark's Mercury IXs. The same engine powered the 60 Sea Gladiators for the Fleet Air Arm.

Gladiator construction was completed in the spring of 1940. The Gladiator entered service with the RAF in January 1939 and the Sea Gladiator with the Fleet Air Arm in February. The Sea Gladiator had the addition of an arrestor hook, dinghy bay, and catapult points. Already obsolescent at the time of their introductions, the two types were phased quite rapidly out of front-line service. Gladiators served in France with the Advanced Air Striking Force (two squadrons). Others served in Norway, and one final squadron with RAF Fighter Command (No 247) fought in the Battle of Britain, defending the Plymouth area.

Gladiators nonetheless enjoyed a longer and very useful career against the Italians in North Africa, Greece and in the early stages of the Malta campaign. The Gladiator was the favorite mount of Britain's highest scoring 'ace', M. St J. Pattle, who fought in North Africa and Greece. The Gladiator's top speed of 253 mph made it only slightly slower than the biplane Fiat CR42, which was capable of 267 mph.