Gloster - Gladiator

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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.

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.

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.

In the North African and Greek theaters, the Gladiator achieved some success against the Regia Aeronautica which was mainly equipped with Fiat CR.32 and Fiat CR.42 biplanes. It suffered heavier losses against the Fiat G.50 and Macchi C.200 monoplanes [citation needed]. During the defence of Malta, the entire island was protected 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 [citation needed].

In the Far East the Gladiator fared little better against the modern Japanese aircraft than it had against the Germans and the Italians. It played a part in the short-lived defense of Singapore.

Carrier based Sea Gladiators were more successful, since their slower speed made them more suitable for carrier operations and they was less likely to be facing modern fighter opposition.

The Gladiator was also exported for use by the air forces of 13 other countries.

Versions
Mk I Initial production model
Mk II Modified Mk I; Mercury VIIIA or VIII AS; tropicalised (inc 38 converted to interim Sea
Gladiator)
Sea Gladiator Carrier-borne fighter version; Arrester hook, catapult points, fairing for dinghy
Swedish Gladiator (J 8A)
Modified Mk II; Nohab mercury VIIIS.3

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