Gloster Gladiator
Gladiator Sea Gladiator Gloster Gladiator in pre-war RAF markings Role Fighter Manufacturer Gloster Aircraft Company, Ltd. Designer Henry Phillip Folland First flight 12 September 1934 Introduction 23 February 1937 Retired 1953 (Portugal) Primary users Royal Air Force Fleet Air Arm Chinese Nationalist Air Force Finnish Air Force Norwegian Army Air Service Number built 747 Developed from Gloster Gauntlet The Gloster Gladiator (or Gloster SS.37 ) was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it was being introduced. Though often pitted against more formidable foes during the early days of the Second World War, it acquitted itself reasonably well in combat. The Gladiator saw action in almost all theatres during the ...