Gloster Gauntlet
Gloster Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1932 · fighter
The Gloster Gauntlet was a British single-seat biplane fighter that served as the RAF's standard front-line fighter in the mid-1930s and was the last open-cockpit biplane to serve in that role with the RAF. It was the fastest RAF fighter at the time of its introduction.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.05 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Last open-cockpit biplane fighter in RAF front-line service
- Bristol Mercury radial engine in Townend ring cowling
- RAF's fastest fighter at time of entry into service
A typical British biplane fighter of the mid-1930s with a Bristol Mercury radial in a Townend ring, an open cockpit, a fairly wide-chord upper wing, and fixed spatted undercarriage; closely related to the Gladiator but lacking that type's enclosed cockpit and four-gun armament.
Specifications
- The Gloster Gauntlet has a length of 8.05 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.99 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 370 km/h (230 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Gauntlet entered service in 1935 and at its peak equipped fourteen RAF squadrons, making it the most numerous RAF fighter of the period. It was exported to Australia, Finland, South Africa, Denmark, and Rhodesia. When World War II began, Gauntlets were withdrawn from front-line RAF duties but continued in service overseas with the South African Air Force and Finnish Air Force, the latter using them against Soviet aircraft in the Winter War.
Variants
Produced as the Gauntlet I and Gauntlet II with minor differences; the Gauntlet II had a revised cockpit structure.
Where you'll see it
Served the RAF from 1935, replaced in front-line use by the Gladiator from 1937; continued in overseas RAF squadrons and with the SAAF and Finnish Air Force into World War II.
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