Gloster Gladiator. A photo. Characteristics

United Kingdom

A type: single-engine biplane fighter

Crew: one pilot

The last fighter biplane UK "Gladiator» (Gladiator) started life as a private development company. The company «Gloucester» (GLoster) used as a basis for the plane SS.37 (so designated aircraft "Gladiator"), most of the decisions of its predecessor - the plane "Gontlit» (Gauntlet - gauntlet). Featuring four machine guns, the aircraft had a mixed design with fabric covering wings and fuselage.

Following the first flight in September 1934, the Gladiator I was quickly put into mass production, and the company built an 231 copy. Operation of the aircraft began in January 1937 and continued in 27 squadrons of the Royal Air Force. A later modification of the Mk II was equipped with the Bristol (Mercury) Mercury VIIIA engine. It was delivered 252 new aircraft plus a number of Mk I modification aircraft upgraded by installing a new engine. Sixty equipped with a brake hook aircraft Sea Gladiator (Sea Gladiator) were delivered to the Royal Navy, plus the following 165 copies of the modifications Mk I and II - for overseas customers.

A significant number of aircraft "Gladiator" was still in operation when in September 1939, the war broke out, and although they have become obsolete, but still well established in France, the Middle East, over Malta and East Africa today, only one plane " Gladiator "is in a state of airworthiness - modification of Mk II, tail number L8032 of" Shuttleworth Trust »(Shuttleworth Trust), while the second aircraft modification Mk II repaired for flight operations Collection fighter in Duxford.

Basic data

Dimensions:

• Length: 8,36 m
• Wingspan: 9,83 m
• Height: 3,53 m

The weight:

• BLANK: 1562 kg
• Maximum take-off: 2206 kg

Aircraft performance characteristics:

• Maximum speed: 414 km / h
• Range: 708 km
• Power plant: the company "Bristol" "Mercury» IX
• Power: 830 l. from. (619 kW)

Date of first flight: 12 September 1934 years

The surviving airworthy modifications: «Gladiator» II

On right: Although the aircraft tail number L8032 was never used by the Group Management RAF fighters, he flew for many years, first in the whole scheme of silver coloring of the first owner of the aircraft "Gladiator" - the squadron № 27, then into a brown-green camouflage coloring squadron № 247. One-piece silver painting was returned to him in 1997 year. Currently, the aircraft is the aircraft marks "Gladiator» II Norwegian Haerens Flyveaben.

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