Gloster Gladiator Aces

Gloster Gladiator Aces PDF Author: Andrew Thomas
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 9781841762890
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Never before has a single volume been devoted exclusively to the intrepid and disparate band of pilots who could claim to be Gladiator aces. Flying the ultimate British biplane fighter, pilots in China, Finland, East Africa, North Africa, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Norway and the Middle East all scored the prerequisite five kills to become aces. The first individuals to do so were fighting marauding Japanese fighters and bombers attacking targets in China in 1938. The likes of Sheen, Tuck and Carey will also be featured in this volume, as they were among the many early war acers who cut their teeth in Fighter Command on the Gladiator.

Gloster Gladiator Aces

Gloster Gladiator Aces PDF Author: Andrew Thomas
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 9781841762890
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Never before has a single volume been devoted exclusively to the intrepid and disparate band of pilots who could claim to be Gladiator aces. Flying the ultimate British biplane fighter, pilots in China, Finland, East Africa, North Africa, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Norway and the Middle East all scored the prerequisite five kills to become aces. The first individuals to do so were fighting marauding Japanese fighters and bombers attacking targets in China in 1938. The likes of Sheen, Tuck and Carey will also be featured in this volume, as they were among the many early war acers who cut their teeth in Fighter Command on the Gladiator.

Gloster Gladiator

Gloster Gladiator PDF Author: Adam Cotton
Publisher: Monograph
ISBN: 9788365437860
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
The Gloster Gladiator was the very last biplane fighter to enter service with the RAF. Yet, despite being one of the fastest biplanes ever built, it was already obsolete upon its introduction to service in January 1937. Nonetheless, in the first eighteen months of WW2, it garnered many combat plaudits in the skies over the frozen Arctic, the sun-kissed Mediterranean, and the arid deserts of Africa. In Britain, it provided crucial defense of the RN Fleet anchored at Scapa Flow, and was among the first aircraft sent to France to aid the BEF. Adopted early-on by the FAA and renamed Sea Gladiator, for a time this navalized version represented the nearest thing the service had to a modern fighter as it struggled toward parity with its Axis opponents. This book tells the complete story. The text covers not only the type's remarkable operational history, but also that of Gloster's journey to its production. Also examined are the Gladiator's design and construction, and its subsequent technical development. Second-line duties and service with foreign air forces are also briefly covered. Supporting lavish artwork and 3-D exploded views vividly bring the aircraft to life, making it an ideal reference work for the modeler.

Gloster Gladiator

Gloster Gladiator PDF Author: Alex Crawford
Publisher: MMP
ISBN: 9788389450593
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The Gladiator was the last biplane fighter in service with the RAF. Despite its obsolescence in 1939 it saw considerable active service in WW2, from the African desert to the snows of Finland. In this two-volume set, Alex Crawford tells the complete story of the Gladiator. Volume 1 covers the development and operational history of the aircraft, with full details of all the units which flew the Gladiator, the many foreign users, and air-to-air claims made by Gladiator pilots.

Gladiator vs CR.42 Falco

Gladiator vs CR.42 Falco PDF Author: Håkan Gustavsson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782003290
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description
Both the Gloster Gladiator and the Fiat CR.42 Falco represented the peak in the development of the biplane fighter, which could trace its lineage back to World War I. However, by the time both aircraft entered service in the late 1930s, they were already obsolete. Nevertheless, they gave sterling service on all fronts in the Mediterranean and Africa in 1940–41. Indeed, the CR.42 was the Regia Aeronautica's staple fighter in both North and East Africa, Greece and over Malta in 1940–41, during which time its pilots routinely fought British and Commonwealth squadrons equipped in the main with Gladiator biplanes. Some bitter dogfights were fought between these two types as the Allies attempted to gain control of the skies over North Africa, Greece and East Africa. Both types were flown in the main by highly experienced pre-war pilots, and this in turn made for some closely fought engagements. The first known combat between the CR.42 and the Gladiator took place on 14 June 1940 over North Africa and the last engagement between the two types occurred on 24 October 1941 over the East African front.

Gloster Gladiator in Action

Gloster Gladiator in Action PDF Author: W. A. Harrison
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780897474504
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 50

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Book Description
History of the RAF's last biplane fighter from prototype through its extensive service in WW II, illustrated with 100 b/w photos, line art, 10 full color profiles, 3 cover paintings.

Fighter Master Folland and the Gladiators

Fighter Master Folland and the Gladiators PDF Author: Derek N. James
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780752443973
Category : Aerospace engineers
Languages : en
Pages : 192

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Book Description
Fighter Master Folland & the Gladiators

The Gloster Gladiator

The Gloster Gladiator PDF Author: Francis K. Mason
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Gladiator (Fighter plane)
Languages : da
Pages : 148

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Book Description
Beskriver det engelske Gloster Gladiator fly, der stadig var operativ ved RAF i begyndelsen af 2. verdenskrig. Bogen omtaler de lande, der benyttede flyet bl.a. Finland, Norge og Sverige

Faith, Hope and Charity

Faith, Hope and Charity PDF Author: Kenneth Poolman
Publisher: Crecy Pub
ISBN: 9780907579632
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
"Faith, Hope and Charity" is the story of three Gladiator biplanes flown by six volunteers from their base on Malta. Fighting alone against the Italian Regia Aeronautica between June and October 1940 they refused to bow under the onslaught of this fearsome enemy. Kept airworthy by the resourcefulness of the servicemen who toiled night and day to manufacture spare parts and keep the runway fit to fly on, the aircraft flew constantly in a desperate bid to save the island. This defence of Malta can justifiably be included among the epics of World War II and the part played by the three biplanes is symbolic of the courage and endurance displayed by the people of Malta who gave their lives during the struggle against vastly superior Axis Air Forces.

Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2

Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2 PDF Author: Håkan Gustavsson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147280192X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
A study of the exploits of the Fiat CR.42 Aces in World War II. The Fiat CR.42, a logical development of the Fiat CR.32, was the last single-seat fighter biplane to be produced. It entered service with the Italian Regia Aeronautica in May 1939 before being exported to Belgium, Hungary and Sweden. Its combat debut came when the Belgian air force threw its fleet into action during the German invasion of the Low Countries on 10th May 1940. Despite being quickly overwhelmed, the Belgian pilots managed to make a number of aerial claims. The CR.42 became heavily involved in the fighting in North Africa and although it was gradually replaced by more modern fighters, it continued in a point defence and ground support role until the end of the war. Drawing on research from a range of sources, this book examines the extensive employment of the Italian fighter plane during the course of World War II.

South African Air Force Fighter Colors. Volume 1

South African Air Force Fighter Colors. Volume 1 PDF Author: Piet van Schalkwyk
Publisher: Warplane Color Galler
ISBN: 9788360672303
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 80

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Book Description
In the early stages of World War Two, the Italian Forces in Abyssinia, East Africa, consisting of 200,000 troops and nearly 400 aircraft constituted a grave threat to Kenya and the Sudan. To meet this threat three South African Air Force (SAAF) fighter squadrons were deployed to East Africa to counter the attacking Italian Air Force. The three squadrons operated mostly old and antiquated bi-planes in the form of Hawker Furies, Gloster Gauntlets and Gloster Gladiators. Between then they did also operate a number of Hawker Hurricane Mk. Is, of which some still had fabric wing surfaces and two-bladed wooden propellers. These aircraft were also passed along between the various units, depending on the area that had the highest requirement. Among the three squadrons, 1 Squadron primarily used Gloster Gladiators, while 2 Squadron used Furies and Gladiators, with 3 Squadron being the primary users of the Hurricanes. These units were joined by 4 Squadron, training on Furies and Curtiss Mohawks, before moving to Egypt for operations in the Desert. 3 Squadron later converted to these Curtiss Mohawks, and eventually ended up with a mix of Mohawks, again supplemented by Gladiators. 41 Squadron, an Army-Cooperation unit, also converted to a fighter squadron after the major campaign was completed and served as a holding unit in East Africa, flying Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIs. One Detached Flight, operating Mohawks during the final part of the campaign, was renumbered as B-Flight of 3 Squadron and joined the primary unit for the last major operations in East Africa. The squadrons operated on all fronts in Somaliland and Abyssinia, and made a considerable contribution towards the victory that was achieved in that campaign. Commenting on the part, that the SAAF Fighter Squadrons played in the campaign, Sir Archibald Sinclair said: "When the Italian come to draw up a list of the factors that caused them to lose the East African Empire, they will place the South African Air Force somewhere near the top of the list". This volume covers the combat history of these fighter squadrons during the campaign, as well as the colors and markings of their aircraft. Primary sources, such as Squadron war Diaries and Pilot Logbooks. were used in the preparation of the text contained herein. This volume contains 23 full-color plates and 112 b&w photos, indicating the people and aircraft operated by these squadrons. This volume will be followed by two further volumes, tracing the onwards history of these squadrons as well as additional SAAF Fighter Squadrons during the campaign in North Africa and Malta, and the campaign in Sicily, Italy and the Balkans. The authors have already written eight books covering the colors and markings of the SAAF and SA Army equipment in a series of booklets entitled South African Colours and Markings, numbers 1 to 8.