The last of the biplane fighters

The classic Gloster Gladiator was the ultimate biplane fighter

In the years following the end of the First World War, it was clear to military planners that the aeroplane would play a significant role in any future conflict and aviation development continued apace.  Britain was a world leader in the field of aviation technology and the period between the two world wars is regarded as something of a golden era, both for the British aviation industry and aircraft development in general.  Large numbers of new and improved aircraft designs were developed by a multitude of aviation manufacturing companies, as there seemed to be an unquenchable desire for bigger, faster and more capable aeroplanes.  At a time when style seemed to be all important, some of the aircraft produced during this period were arguably the most aesthetically pleasing machines that ever took to Britain’s skies.

In the latest edition of Aerodrome, we are going to look back at this golden era of British aviation and in particular, at an aircraft which proved to be the absolute pinnacle of aviation design technology in the mid 1930s.  Providing the RAF with arguably the most advanced fighter aircraft that had ever flown, this elegant and highly manoeuvrable aircraft was both a pilots dream and an enemy’s nightmare – the most refined biplane fighter ever built.  Unfortunately, its success also proved to be its Achilles heel, as it was becoming clear that biplane aircraft had advanced as far as technology would allow and the future of aviation would lie with the new monoplane aircraft designs, which were already in development.  For this week however, we are going to bask in the glory of Britain’s last and most accomplished biplane fighter – the Gloster Gladiator.

Legacy of the Great War

Throughout the history of aviation development, there has been one attribute that has captivated designers and pilots alike more than any other – speed!  Over the battlefields of Western Europe during the Great War, it soon became apparent that successful air operations in a combat zone would depend on your ability to muster an effective force of fighter aircraft that could defend your own airspace and contest that of the enemy.  The strategic introduction of the aeroplane was to allow military planners to obtain an aerial view of the battlefield, so they could better understand the situation and make more effective decisions.  As this was valuable information for all the combatant nations, the ability to deny your enemy this information became of vital importance and the sedate reconnaissance flying of the early war gave way to savage aerial duels above the trenches.  Despite the relatively primitive nature of aviation at this time, the arrival of the Fokker Eindecker during the summer of 1916 was to change the course of aviation history and ensure that the age of aeroplane had arrived.  It also proved the need for effective fighter aircraft over the battlefield, as the period known as the Fokker Scourge seriously reduced the ability of Allied forces to mount any effective air operations – this could never be allowed to happen again.

Effective fighter aircraft would control the skies in future conflicts

In the years following the end of WWI, this desire to have the most capable fighter aircraft did not diminish, as more than any other weapon, the fighter would surely deter any potential adversary from launching an attack.  The rather basic wood and canvas aircraft of the Great War, gave way to fast, robust and highly manoeuvrable interceptor fighters during the following few years, as aviation development swept forward at great pace.  It is rather significant to note that in the twenty years between the two world wars, Britain saw no less than ten major biplane fighter designs enter RAF service, each one proving to be more capable than its predecessor.  Many of these aircraft betrayed the nature of their intended use, as they are just as beautiful to look at as the most stylish sports car, or the most elegant yacht – with highly polished metal panels and colourful squadron markings, it is no wonder that these aircraft are still revered to this day.  Unfortunately, despite almost twenty years of continual development and refinement, the flamboyant era of the biplane fighter was almost over, as the gathering clouds of war would require a new breed of fighter.

Gloster’s RAF inter-war biplane fighters

The origins of Gloster Aircraft Company can be traced back to the latter stages of the First World War and the construction of aircraft components on a sub-contracted basis for the huge Airco Company.  The need for Britain to produce large numbers of much more effective aircraft, saw the number of firms engaged in aircraft production increase dramatically.  One such manufacturer was The Gloucestershire Aircraft Company Limited based in Cheltenham - by the spring of 1918, the company was producing 45 new Bristol Fighters each week and contributing significantly to the war effort.  Following the end of the war and a change in fortunes for some competitor aircraft manufacturing companies, GAC saw an opportunity as the Nieuport & General Company closed down and secured the services of their talented designer Henry Folland and the rights to build the Nieuport Nighthawk fighter.  This was to be a significant development in the future of the Company, as Folland would be behind some of the most significant inter-war British fighter aircraft.

In 1926, the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company Limited underwent something of an unusual change – as they were now receiving a large amount of international recognition, it became apparent that non-British customers were having great difficulty pronouncing the name of the company and even more problems when it came to spelling it.  It was decided that a simplified version of the name would be appropriate, so it was changed to Gloster Aircraft Company from this date.

The Gloster Gamecock was a small, but powerful fighter design

Over the next few years, the Gloster design team produced a series of impressive biplane aircraft projects, which improved on traditional construction techniques and combined this with the very latest engine and armament technologies.  Aircraft such as the Grebe and Gamecock were huge improvements on the aircraft that came before them and were quickly adopted by the Royal Air Force.  The Gamecock in particular, illustrated how future aircraft design would have to evolve – this diminutive aeroplane was married with a huge Bristol Jupiter radial engine and even though it proved to be fast and manoeuvrable, the torque from the engine, allied to the small wing and control services saw RAF Gamecock pilots suffering from a high rate of spin and landing accidents.

The Gauntlet was the last open cockpit fighter to enter RAF service

All Gloster’s design expertise came together with the 1933 first flight of their impressive Gauntlet fighter, which again added more speed and power, courtesy of its Bristol Mercury engine, but also increased the size of the fuselage, wings and control surfaces.  As it entered RAF service in 1935, the Gauntlet was 56 mph faster than the Bristol Bulldog fighter it replaced and indeed was the fastest aircraft in the RAF between 1935 and the arrival of its replacement in 1937.  Interestingly, the success of the Gauntlet owes much to the expertise of Hawker Aviation and their impressive construction techniques.  As UK aviation companies began a series of cost saving takeovers and amalgamations, Gloster Aircraft Company was taken over by Hawkers, even though they continued to trade under their traditional name.  Use of the Hawker construction techniques on the Gauntlet production line made the aircraft much easier to construct and repair and helped to make it the most important RAF fighter during the mid 1930s.

The thoroughbred Gladiator – The last of its line

Even as the Gauntlet was being introduced into RAF Squadron service, the Gloster design team, led by Henry Folland, were already working on a modified and improved variant of the aircraft, to satisfy a ministry requirement for a 250mph plus fighter, which was to be armed with four machine guns.  His design proved to be a significant one in the history of British aviation, as he produced an aircraft that represented the very pinnacle of biplane aviation design and one which brought the curtain down on the golden age of the British biplane fighter.  The Gloster Gladiator was an extremely capable fighter aircraft, which eclipsed every RAF fighter that had gone before it – fast and manoeuvrable, with impressive firepower, the Gladiator was a true pilot's aeroplane in every sense.

As the first Gladiators began to equip RAF Squadrons in January 1937, it soon became clear that this was an exceptional aircraft, possessing many advanced features.  For the first time, the RAF had a fighter aircraft with a fully enclosed cockpit and many of the cumbersome struts and wires associated with previous biplane designs had been replaced with more modern construction methods.  Rugged and reliable, the new Gladiator also proved to be a highly proficient aerobatic performer and RAF pilots loved it – in truth, it was a perfectly balanced fighting machine and the pinnacle of biplane fighter design.  At a time when many preferred to look back, rather than towards the impending conflict to come, the Gladiator represented the last in the line of flamboyant 1930s aviation, when the general public would gaze in awe at the skill and daring of the dashing fighter pilot and his beautiful aeroplane.

Gladiator Mk.I L8032 in colourful RAF No.73 Squadron markings

For the RAF fighter pilot trained to fly the Gladiator, they must have felt really quite special as they walked out to their gleaming silver fighters, which were at that time, the fastest things in Britain’s skies.  As the Crème de la crème of Britain’s air force, they must have had a feeling of invincibility whilst flying in their new mount, safe in the knowledge that nothing in the sky could touch them – after all, they were in the fastest, most advanced fighter currently in service.  Even as they immersed themselves in the sheer enjoyment of flight, the winds of change had already started to blow and engineers at Hawker, Supermarine and Messerschmitt were already testing the future of the world's fighter aircraft design.

Under the RAF’s Expansion Scheme, the successful Gloster Gladiator was ordered in larger numbers than any of its predecessors and as more RAF fighter units began to equip with the Gladiator, overseas orders soon followed.  Nations as diverse as China and Belgium were keen to purchase the Gladiator, in an attempt to bolster their own defences with an effective and reliable fighter, as war was looking increasingly inevitable.  Out of a total production run of 747 aircraft, 216 Gladiators were exported to 13 countries around the world and it was to be under foreign skies that the Gladiator was to see combat.

The Gladiator goes to war

Even though the Gladiator was arguably the most advanced biplane fighter ever produced (some would say that the Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco was its equal), the Gladiator was always on borrowed time.  Even as the first aircraft were being delivered to front line RAF Squadrons in January 1937, both the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire prototypes had made their maiden flights and the Hurricane was already speeding towards full production.  As the more capable Hurricane fighters became available, home based Squadron traded their Gladiators for Hurricanes, with many Gladiators being sent overseas, or assigned to home defence duties in northern Britain.  Despite a few skirmishes with the Luftwaffe during the so called Phoney War, the first victory for a UK based Gladiator came on 17^th October 1939, when a machine of No.607 (County of Durham) Squadron brought down a Dornier Do.18 flying boat, off the coast of Northumberland.  Gladiators continued to fly defensive patrols around the UK, but generally played second fiddle to the more capable Spitfires and Hurricanes.

The Battle of France.  Gladiators of No.607 and No.615 Squadrons were sent to France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force, in an attempt to deter Germany from launching an attack.  This proved to be a futile gesture and the Gladiators were thrust against the superior aircraft and numbers available to the Luftwaffe, with somewhat inevitable consequences.  Despite being outclassed by the faster and more heavily armed German aircraft, brave Gladiator pilots, in their highly manoeuvrable biplanes took a surprisingly heavy toll of enemy aircraft, although the chaotic nature of this period of the war dictated that there is little solid evidence to back this up.  Gladiator pilots were nevertheless pleased to exchange their biplanes for Hurricanes and no doubt even happier when all remaining aircraft were recalled to Britain.

The Norwegian Campaign.  Both British and Norwegian Gladiators were involved in heavy fighting against the Luftwaffe, as the Germans launched their invasion of Norway.  Again, despite the superiority of opposition forces, the Gladiator fought valiantly and managed to shoot down a number of enemy aircraft, before remaining aircraft were ordered to withdraw.  The ten surviving Gladiators of No.263 Squadron landed on board HMS Glorious on 7^th June 1940, only to be lost when the carrier was sunk by the German battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst the following day, with the tragic loss of 1,200 men.

The Gladiator looks very different in an RAF day camouflage scheme

The Battle of Britain.  By the time Britain was bracing herself for the coming Luftwaffe onslaught, the Gladiator had all but disappeared from front line home defence duties, however, a small number of Gladiators were used during this period, although they saw little combat action.  The Gladiators of RAF No.247 Squadron operated from Roborough airfield, as point defence cover for the naval base at Plymouth, specifically because the airfield they operated from was too small to take Hurricanes or Spitfires.  Obviously, No.247 Squadron had the distinction of being the last UK based front line fighter squadron to operate the Gladiator.

Further north, No.804 Naval Air Squadron flew the Sea Gladiator out of RNAS Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk), defending the important naval base at Scapa Flow, but from the end of the Battle of Britain, the Gladiator had been withdrawn from all home based front line duties – RAF units operating overseas were a different story altogether!

Gloster Sea Gladiator N5520 ‘Faith’ in defence of Malta

The Defence of Malta.  Perhaps the most enduring and glorious chapter in the history of the Gloster Gladiator came during the air battles in defence of Malta.  In early 1940, eighteen Sea Gladiators were delivered to Malta in anticipation of imminent Italian Air Force attacks.  With little in the way of supporting equipment, the Hal Far Fighter Flight Gladiators defended Malta valiantly during a ten day period of concerted Italian attacks, with a number of Italian aircraft falling to their guns.  These actions gave rise to the Faith, Hope and Charity Sea Gladiator myth, which suggests that just three aircraft operated during this period, but it is thought that a number of aircraft were operational over this period, but rarely at the same time.  Due to serviceability and lack of spares, other aircraft were stripped for parts, to keep as many Gladiators in the air as possible.  The names Faith, Hope and Charity were only attributed to the Malta Gladiators after the battles had taken place, but perhaps more than any other, the exploits of the Malta Gladiators illustrates the bravery of Gladiator pilots during WWII, as they fought valiantly against overwhelming odds – even though it was outdated, in the hands of a skilled pilot, the Gladiator was capable of putting up stiff resistance and claiming victories in the process.

The Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East.  As valuable Spitfires and Hurricanes were needed for home defence duties, Gladiator Squadrons were sent overseas to fight in many other theatres of operation during WWII.  Mainly facing aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica, Gladiators acquitted themselves well against all but the most advanced enemy aircraft and they helped to stem the Italian offensive, eventually gaining air superiority once the first Hurricanes began to appear in these theatres.

The Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco was the best Axis biplane fighter

The Mediterranean and desert wars were also to witness the ultimate duel of biplane fighters, as the Gladiator was pitted against the excellent Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco.  Both of these aircraft are regarded as the best biplane fighters ever produced and a duel between these powerful and manoeuvrable aircraft was almost a return to the battles above the trenches of the Western Front.  At the very zenith of biplane fighter technology, an engagement between these evenly matched fighters would be decided by the skill and bravery of the individual pilot, almost like a gladiatorial duel.  In reality, most engagements would have involved large numbers of aircraft, probably of different types, but I am sure that Gladiator pilots would have told you that their aircraft would have emerged victorious.

Marmaduke Thomas St John ‘Pat’ Pattle, Gladiator ace.  South African born Pat Pattle was one of the most successful fighter aces of WWII and significantly, was the most successful Gloster Gladiator ace.  With at least 15 victories to his name whilst flying the Gladiator against Italian forces in North Africa and Greece, Pattle used his undoubted flying skills in conjunction with the impressive manoeuvrability of the Gladiator to what were on paper at least, superior aircraft.  His score continued to rise once he relinquished his Gladiator for the Hawker Hurricane, with his final victory tally standing at 50, even though many historians claim it was likely to be significantly higher than this.  Although he was not flying his Gladiator against the Messerschmitts of the Luftwaffe, Pattle showed that despite its shortcomings, the Gladiator was capable of making a significant contribution to the Allied war effort.

The end of a golden era

The Gloster Gladiator marked the pinnacle of biplane fighter development

There is no doubting that the Gloster Gladiator was one of the greatest biplane fighters ever built and arguably, it was the very best.  Had it not been for the Second World War, the Gladiator would surely have taken its place as one of the greatest RAF fighter aircraft and enjoyed a long and illustrious service career, but as it was, time had run out for the biplane.  Almost as soon as it entered service, the Gladiator was made obsolete by the new generation of fast and heavily armed monoplane fighters and despite its pedigree, this would be an unfair fight.  Described as something of a relic from an aviation era past, the Gladiator may have been outgunned and outperformed by the latest generation of fighters, but it was never outmanoeuvred!

The Gloster Gladiator will be remembered as the first RAF fighter aircraft to have a fully enclosed cockpit, but the last in a long and enigmatic line of beautiful biplane fighters.  Marking the absolute pinnacle of biplane fighter design, it also heralded the arrival of a new generation of aircraft, which had the potential to take aviation forward towards the jet age and beyond.  Rather than disappear into the aviation history books gracefully, the Gladiator was determined to do its duty and what it had been designed to do – fight.  Against the odds, the last of the biplane fighters fulfilled an important role in buying Britain time, until it could finally stand down.  For many people, the Gloster Gladiator will always be one of the most important and certainly one of the most attractive aircraft to see RAF service.

Glorious Gladiator Survivors

The last two airworthy Gladiators together at Old Warden. A rare sight indeed.  

For an aircraft as important and enigmatic as the Gloster Gladiator, it is perhaps surprising that there are only two airworthy examples surviving in the world today.  Thankfully for the UK enthusiast, both can be found on these shores and they regularly attend Airshows around the country.  Of the two aircraft, Gladiator Mk.II N5903 (G-GLAD) is the most recent to join the Airshow circuit and owned and operated by The Fighter Collection, at Duxford.  Over the years, this magnificent aircraft has been one of the most eagerly anticipated restoration projects in Europe, but progress and news of developments proved to be frustratingly slow.  Even though the enthusiast was forced to wait, I am sure that there was much work being done and plenty of money being spent behind the scenes.

I remember being amongst the crowds at Flying Legends 2008, as TFC Chief Pilot Pete Kinsey took this beautiful aeroplane up for a test flight and we all hoped that it would be the sign of things to come – unfortunately, there must have been some technical issues raised during the flight, because on landing back at Duxford, the Gladiator was returned to the hangar, where she stayed for the next few years.  Now firmly established as a regular performer at Duxford, this magnificent machine has been finished in the colours of an RAF No.72 Squadron Gladiator, which operated from Hornchurch during 1937.  The striking blue fin and forward stabilisers of the aircraft mark it as the personal Gladiator of the ‘B Flight’ commander and beautifully illustrates the flamboyant nature of inter-war flying.  G-GLAD only returned to the air as recently as May 2013, so she is still very new to the UK Airshow scene – whenever she performs, she is certain to thrill the crowds and gain an ever growing army of aviation admirers.

TFC Gladiator Mk.II undergoing some winter maintenance at Duxford

It is difficult to believe that the Shuttleworth Collection’s Gloster Gladiator Mk.I L8032 (G-AMRK) has been thrilling UK Airshow audiences for over 60 years now and for many of those years, she was the only flying example of the ultimate biplane fighter in the world.  Constructed as the last Mk.I airframe from the initial RAF order, this aircraft was not actually fully assembled until 1938, which really does illustrate the story of the Gladiator.  By the time she was built, the new Spitfire and Hurricane monoplane fighters were very much the order of the day and Gladiator airframes were no longer needed for home based Squadrons.  With many aircraft being sent overseas, or relegated to secondary duties in the UK, aircraft that were damaged or no longer required were scrapped or simply left to rot. As the Gladiator represented older technology and Britain was very much at war, it is a wonder how any of these magnificent aircraft managed to survive, let alone the two we have flying today.

Gladiator Mk.I L8032 arrived at the Shuttleworth Collection for safe keeping in 1960, following the closure of the Gloster Aviation Company.  She was already in flying condition and it was thought that the collection would be the best home for this extremely rare aircraft, which at the time was the only flying example in the world.  The aircraft had previously presented in the camouflage scheme of No.247 Squadron, which was the only RAF Gladiator unit to take part in the Battle of Britain and also in the unusual colours of a Norwegian Air Force machine.  She can now be seen wearing the colourful flashes of an RAF No.73 Squadron Gladiator, which was flown by future WWII fighter ace ‘Cobber’ Kain, at the 1937 Hendon Air Pageant.  Although an extremely rare aeroplane, she continues to be one of the longest serving display aircraft on the UK Airshow circuit, with a unique history of her own!

Gladiator Mk.I L8032 of the Shuttleworth Collection

The Gloster Gladiator in die-cast and plastic

Although not as instantly recognisable at the Spitfires and Hurricanes that replaced it, the handsome Gloster Gladiator is an important aircraft in the history of the Royal Air Force.  As such, it has always been a popular subject with die-cast collectors and plastic modellers alike, as the golden era of inter-war aviation continues to captivate the enthusiast.  Whether it is the flamboyant colour schemes, or the fact that these aircraft represented the ultimate biplane fighters, the Gladiator retains its popularity to this day.

First introduced into the Aviation Archive range in 2006, the 1/72^nd scale die-cast Gladiator was one of the first models produced by Corgi to feature full metal rigging, which really was an impressive innovation at the time the model was released.  Even though the Gladiator was the most accomplished biplane fighter ever produced, it still employed some traditional construction techniques and the bracing wires were a significant feature of the aircraft.  Corgi’s decision to develop a method allowing their models to feature these bracing wires greatly added to the authenticity of the Gladiator releases and they immediately proved popular with the collector.  Previous releases include models of the Faith, Hope and Charity Sea Gladiators from the defence of Malta and both the Shuttleworth and TFC aircraft that can be found on the UK Airshow circuit to this day.  This impressive series even includes a rather unique Gladiator that was captured by the Germans and operated in Luftwaffe markings.  The current Corgi catalogue does not have an example of the Gloster Gladiator within its ranks, but many collectors will certainly be hoping that one will appear in a future catalogue line up.

The 1/72^nd scale Corgi Gladiator has always been popular with collectors

For the plastic modeller, Airfix have produced a magnificent 1/72^nd scale kit of the Gloster Gladiator, which features the high levels of accuracy and detail you would expect.  With two kits currently available, the modeller has the option of constructing either the Gladiator Mk.I, with the twin bladed wooden propeller, or the Mk.II, which is supplied with the Fairey fixed-pitch three-bladed metal propeller and the option to finish your model with skis attached to the undercarriage.  Our latest Airfix Workbench blog carries a feature on the development of this impressive model, so for more details on the Airfix Gladiator, please click on the link above.

Decal options for the Shuttleworth Gladiator are included in the Airfix kit

As the Gloster Gladiator holds such an important place in the history of the RAF, I hope that you have enjoyed looking back at this classic era of British aviation and how the best of the old was forced to give way to the new in a relatively short space of time.

Also, as the Shuttleworth Collection were so helpful to the Airfix designers as they were gathering research material for their Gladiator model, it would be great to see some of our readers pictures of the Shuttleworth Gladiator, particularly in some of the different schemes it has worn over the past sixty years or so.  If you do have any such pictures in your collections, please do share them with us by sending them to either our Airfix Aerodrome or Corgi Aerodrome e-mail addresses.  All our existing social media details are still in place, but for ease of sending your pictures and/or stories, please use either of the direct e-mail addresses above.

As usual, if you would like to discuss our latest blog, you can head for either the Airfix Aerodrome Forum or our Corgi Aerodrome Forum and join the chat. If you have any specific comments, questions or suggestions for future editions of Aerodrome, please do feel free to let us know by using either the Airfix Facebook or Corgi Facebook pages, our Airfix Twitter or Corgi Twitter accounts, using #aerodrome, or by using either of the e-mail addresses above.

I look forward to seeing some of your Gladiator pictures and posting the next edition of Aerodrome here next week.

Michael

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