Gloster Gladiator photographed in England in 2002

The Gloster Gladiator was a biplane fighter, used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, as well as a number of other air forces, 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's Fleet Air Arm, where it was known as the Sea Gladiator. Gloster Gladiator at the Shuttleworth Pageant (England) in September 2002. ... Gloster Gladiator at the Shuttleworth Pageant (England) in September 2002. ... Hs123 biplane. ... A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services being the oldest of its three branches. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Airbus A380 An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight. ... An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft—in effect acting as a sea-going airbase. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ...

History

First flown in 1934, and introduced 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 Finland, France and Norway, but, while it performed reasonably well against the Soviets during the Winter War, it was found to be outclassed by the German fighters in most respects. Despite this, the Gladiators of the Norwegian Jagervingen (lit.: hunter/chaser wing) at Fornebu Airport, consisting of seven functional Gladiators, managed to shoot down a total of five German aircraft on April 9, 1940 the first day of Weserübung. That day the Luftwaffe lost two Messerschmitt Bf-110 fighters, two He-111 bombers and a Ju-52 transport. One Norwegian fighter was shot down during the air battle, by the future Experte Helmut Lent, while two were destroyed on the ground while refueling and rearming on Fornebu airport. The four remaining fighters were ordered to land wherever, just not on their Fornebu base. The fighters scattered, landing on frozen lakes around Oslo, and never returned to combat. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1934: Events January Soviet pilots Fedossenko, Wassenko and Usyskin take the stratosphere-balloon Ossoaviachim I to 22,000 m (72,160 ft). ... Hs123 biplane. ... An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ... The Supermarine Spitfire was a single-seat fighter used by the RAF and many Allied countries in World War II. Produced by Supermarine, the Spitfire was designed by R.J. Mitchell, who continued to refine it until his death in 1937. ... The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930s. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 200,000 men, 32 tanks, 119 aircraft (In the beginning), 250,000 men, 30 tanks, 130 aircraft (At the end) 460,000 men, 1,500 tanks, 1,000 aircraft (In the beginning), 1,000,000... Fornebu (archaic form Fornebo) is a peninsular area in the suburban municipality of Bærum in Norway, close to the countrys capital Oslo. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Operation Weserübung was the German codename for Nazi Germanys assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. ... The Deutsche Luftwaffe or (German: Air Arm, IPA: [luftvafÉ™]) is the commonly used term for the German air force. ... The Messerschmitt Bf 110 (later Me 110) was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Later in the war it was changed to fighter-bomber and night fighter operations, and it became the major night fighter type of the Luftwaffe. ... The Heinkel He 111 was the primary Luftwaffe medium bomber during the early stages of World War II, and is perhaps the most obvious symbol of the German side of the Battle of Britain. ... A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... The Junkers Ju 52 nicknamed Tante Ju (Auntie Ju) and Iron Annie was a civilian airliner and military transport aircraft and bomber manufactured between 1932 and 1945 by Junkers. ... German Night-fighter pilot. ... Aerial view of Fornebu Airport Oslo Airport, Fornebu (IATA: FBU, ICAO: ENFB) was the major airport serving Oslo, Norway before its closure. ... Aerial view of Fornebu Airport Oslo Airport, Fornebu (IATA: FBU, ICAO: ENFB) was the major airport serving Oslo, Norway before its closure. ... County Oslo NO-03 District Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ...

The Gladiators were also used by two RAF fighter squadrons during the remaining two months of the Norwegian campaign. No Norwegian Army Airforce aircraft were able to evacuate after the June 10 surrender of the mainland Norwegian forces. Only aircraft of the Norwegian Naval Airforce had the range to fly all the way from their last bases in Northern Norway to the UK. Included amongst the Norwegian aircraft that reached the British Isles were a number of German made Heinkel He 115 seaplane bombers, as well as a captured Arado Ar 196 originating from the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. The Norwegian surrender followed the evacuation of the Allied forces in Norway after the success of the German Fall Gelb in France and the Low Countries. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... A Squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, aircraft (including balloons), or naval vessels. ... German battle cruisers in a Norwegian port in June 1940 The Norwegian Campaign led to the first direct confrontation between the military forces of the Allies — United Kingdom and France against Nazi Germany in World War II. The primary reason for Germany seeking the occupation of Norway was Germanys... Ranks Norwegian military ranks The Norwegian Army (Norwegian: Hæren) is Norways military land force. ... An air force is a military organization that primarily operates in air-based war. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... To surrender is when soldiers give up fighting and become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers. ... This article is about the geomorphological/geopolitical term; MAINLAND is also a cheese brand owned by Fonterra, a New Zealand dairy company. ... In norwegian: Nord-Norge meaning Northern Norway. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland (usually) and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ... The Heinkel He 115 was World War II Luftwaffe seaplane with three seats and used as a torpedo bomber and for general seaplane duties such as reconnaissance, mine laying. ... A DeHavilland Single Otter floatplane in Harbour Air livery. ... The Ar 196 was a shipboard reconnaissance aircraft built by Arado starting in 1936. ... A heavy cruiser is a type of large warship which originated with the British Hawkins class during World War I. They entered service after the war. ... The German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper fought as part of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was named after Admiral Ritter von Hipper, commander of the German battlecruiser squadron during the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and later commander-in-chief of the German High Seas Fleet. ... Evacuation can have several meanings: In wilderness first aid, evacuation is the transport of a seriously injured person out of the wilderness to the nearest point an ambulance can reach to take them to the hospital, or to the nearest emergency room. ... In World War II, Battle of France or Case Yellow (Fall Gelb in German) was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, executed 10 May 1940 which ended the Phony War. ... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ...

In the North African and Greek theatre the Gladiator achieved some success against the Regia Aeronautica, which were mainly equipped whith Fiat CR.32 and Fiat CR.42 biplanes. It also went against the much more modern Fiat G.50 and Macchi C.200 monoplanes where the Gloster Gladiator suffered heavy losses. There most notable exploit came in the defence of Malta, that, for a brief period, was defended by a small forces of Gladiators, giving origin to the myth that only three Sea Gladiator aircraft, named Faith, Hope and Charity formed the entire air defence of the island. The Regia Aeronautica (meaning Royal Air Force) was the Italian air force from 1923 until World War II. // A brief history At the beginning of the twentieth century, Italy was at the forefront of aerial warfare: during the colonization of Libya in 1911, it made the first reconnaissance flight in... Fiat CR.32 The Fiat CR.32 was a Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and WW2. ... Fiat CR.42 Falco The Fiat CR.42 Falco (Falcon) was a biplane which served as the primary fighter aircraft of Italys Regia Aeronautica at the outbreak of World War II. // Development The epitome of a biplane fighter, CR.42 represented evolution of the Italian designs starting with Fiat... The Fiat G.50 Freccia (Italian: Arrow) was an Italian fighter aircraft of World War II. It was the first Italian low-wing monoplane fighter with enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production (without the enclosed cockpit though, as Italian pilots felt uncomfortable with it). ... The Macchi C.200 Saetta was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy, and used in various forms throughout the Italian air forces. ... American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft warfare, or air defense, is any method of engaging military aircraft in combat from the ground. ...

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. Far East is an inexact term often used for East Asia and Southeast Asia combined, sometimes including also the easternmost territories of Russia, i. ...

Carrier based Sea Gladiators were more successful, since its slower speed made it more suitable for carrier operations and it was less likely to be facing modern fighter 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

F.H. Sammy Maynard, during World War II, was a New Zealander of the Royal Air Force who served as the Commanding Air Officer of Malta. ...

Notable Gloster Gladiator pilots

• John H. Lapsley
• Roald Dahl
• Marmaduke Pattle

John Hugh Lapsley, early in World War II, was the pilot of a Royal Air Force Gloster Gladiator based on Malta. ... Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1954 Roald Dahl IPA: (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist and short story author of Norwegian descent, famous as a writer for both children and adults. ... Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St. ...

Specifications (Gloster Gladiator Mk.I)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 27 ft 5 in (8.4 m)
• Wingspan: 32 ft 3 in (9.8 m)
• Height: 11 ft 7 in (3.2 m)
• Wing area: 323 ft² (30 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,444 lb (1,560 kg)
• Loaded weight: 4,864 lb (2,205 kg)
• Maximum Take-Off Weight: lb (kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Bristol Mercury IX radial engine, 850 hp (630 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 257 mph (414 km/h) at 14,600 ft (4,500 m)
• Range: 444 mi (710 km)
• Service ceiling: 33,500 ft (10,200 m)
• Rate of climb: 2220 ft/min (11.2 m/s)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
• Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)

Armament

• Guns: 4x 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft can achieve flight. ... Bristol Mercury engine The Mercury was a 9 cylinder one_row radial aircraft engine that was developed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1925, as their Bristol Jupiter was reaching the end of its lifespan. ... Radial engine of a biplane. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... The maximal total range is the distance an airplane can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... In aeronautics, the service ceiling is the maximum density altitude where the best rate of climb airspeed will produce a 100 feet per minute climb(twin engine) and 50 feet(single engine) at maximum weight while in a clean configuration with maximum continuous power. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ... Power-to-weight ratio is a measure commonly used when comparing various vehicles (or engines), including automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft. ...

Operators

• Belgium, China, Egypt, Eire (Ireland), Finland, Greece, Iraq, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom (Fleet Air Arm, Royal Air Force),

Units using the Gloster Gladiator

Royal Air Force

• No. 1 Squadron RAF
• No. 3 Squadron RAF
• No. 6 Squadron RAF
• No. 14 Squadron RAF
• No. 25 Squadron RAF
• No. 33 Squadron RAF
• No. 54 Squadron RAF
• No. 56 Squadron RAF
• No. 65 Squadron RAF
• No. 72 Squadron RAF
• No. 73 Squadron RAF
• No. 80 Squadron RAF
• No. 85 Squadron RAF
• No. 87 Squadron RAF
• No. 94 Squadron RAF
• No. 112 Squadron RAF
• No. 117 Squadron RAF
• No. 123 Squadron RAF
• No. 127 Squadron RAF
• No. 141 Squadron RAF
• No. 152 Squadron RAF
• No. 237 Squadron RAF
• No. 247 Squadron RAF
• No. 261 Squadron RAF
• No. 263 Squadron RAF
• No. 267 Squadron RAF
• No. 274 Squadron RAF
• No. 520 Squadron RAF
• No. 521 Squadron RAF
• No. 603 Squadron RAF
• No. 604 Squadron RAF
• No. 605 Squadron RAF
• No. 607 Squadron RAF
• No. 615 Squadron RAF

Once upon a time, there was a place called Mount Olympus, which was far up in the sky on a mountain. ... No. ... The first Royal Air Force squadron to receive the F-4 Phantom II, No. ... No. ... No. ... No. ... No. ... Number 56 (R) Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons in the RAF, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both world wars. ... No. ... No. ...

Finnish Air Force

• Swedish Voluntary Air Force (Winter War)

The Swedish Voluntary Air Force, F19, operated from Kemi in northern Finland for the last 62 days of the Winter War. ...

Fleet Air Arm

• No. 800 Squadron FAA
• No. 801 Squadron FAA
• No. 802 Squadron FAA
• No. 804 Squadron FAA
• No. 805 Squadron FAA
• No. 806 Squadron FAA

No 800 Squadron Naval Air Service was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 by amalgamating Nos 402 and 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flights. ...

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
• the Gloster Gladiator Web Page
• The Gloster Gladiator in the Norwegian Army Air Service (Hærens Flygevåpen)

References

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

Related content

Comparable aircraft

• Avia B-534
• Bristol Bulldog
• Fiat CR.32
• Polikarpov I-15

Designation sequence

Gauntlet - Gladiator - F.9/37- E.28/39 - Meteor - E.1/44 - Javelin To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... General History The Bristol Bulldog was a Royal Air Force (RAF) single-seat biplane fighter designed during the 1920s by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, with over three hundred Bulldogs produced, that arguably became the most famous aircraft during the RAFs inter-war period. ... Fiat CR.32 The Fiat CR.32 was a Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and WW2. ... The Polikarpov I-15 Чайка Seagull was a Soviet fighter aircraft that first flew in October 1933 by V.P.Chkalov. ... The Gloster E.28/39, (also referred to as the Gloster Whittle, Gloster Pioneer, or Gloster G.40) was the first jet engined aircraft to fly in the United Kingdom. ... The Gloster Meteor was the first jet fighter aircraft of the British Royal Air Force, introduced into service only weeks after the Third Reichs Messerschmitt Me 262, in August 1944 during World War II. It was thus the second fighter jet in history and the first of the WWII... The Gloster Javelin was an interceptor aircraft that served with Britains Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s. ...