Gladiator
Gloster · United Kingdom · first flew 1934 · fighter
The Gloster Gladiator was the Royal Air Force's last biplane fighter, bridging the gap between the wood-and-wire era and the monoplane Hurricane and Spitfire.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.36 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-bay biplane, the RAF's last biplane fighter
- Enclosed sliding cockpit canopy, unusual for a biplane
- Fixed spatted undercarriage and bulky radial cowling
Identify it as a single-bay biplane fighter with a sliding enclosed canopy, rare for a biplane. The bulky Mercury radial cowling and neatly spatted fixed undercarriage are distinctive. Its compact, purposeful lines mark it out from earlier open-cockpit biplanes.
Specifications
- The Gladiator has a length of 8.36 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.83 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 414 km/h (257 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the Gauntlet as the private-venture SS.37, the Gladiator first flew in 1934 and entered RAF service in 1937. Powered by a Bristol Mercury radial, it was the first RAF fighter with an enclosed cockpit and four machine guns. It was already obsolescent by the outbreak of war but saw hard early combat.
Variants
The Mk I gave way to the Mk II with a more powerful Mercury and electric starter. The Sea Gladiator was a navalised version for the Fleet Air Arm with an arrester hook and dinghy stowage. Several served famously in the defence of Malta.
Where you'll see it
The Gladiator is celebrated in Britain as the type that defended Malta and fought over Norway in 1940. The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden operates an airworthy example that appears at its flying displays. Static aircraft are preserved at the RAF Museum.
Related aircraft
- Gloster Gladiator I
- Gloster Nightjar
- Gloster Meteor F.8
- Gloster Meteor T.7
- Aero A.102
- ANF Les Mureaux 115
- Arado Ar 68
- Arado Ar 76
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