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Corgi Aviation Archive Collector Series AA36201
Gloster Gladiator Mk II Diecast Model
RAF 263 Squadron, Norway, April 1940
1:72 Scale Length Width
Gloster Gladiator Mk II 4.5\" 5.25\"
Mint Condition- stored
The Gloster Gladiator was the last British biplane fighter, a development of the Gauntlet with an enclosed single seat cockpit, cantilever landing gear and with increased armament, and a 2 blade fixed pitch propeller. First flown in 1935, the Gladiator went into service with the RAF in 1936. The Mark I had an 840 hp Bristol Mercury IX air-cooled engine and the Mark II a Bristol Mercury VIIIA engine. The Sea Gladiator was the variant adopted by the Fleet Air Arm. It was fitted with a deck arrestor, catapult points, and carried a collapsible dinghy. Numbers built totaled a minimum of 756 (480 RAF, 60 RN; 216 export into 13 countries). Gladiators were also sold to Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, China, Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Egypt, Iraq, and South Africa. No. 263 Squadron was formed on 27 September 1918, in southern Italy form Nos. 359, 435, 436, and 441 Flights at the former RNAS station at Otranto and its sub-station at Santa Maria de Lucca. For the rest of the war, it flew anti-submarine patrols over the Straits of Otranto to prevent U-boats passing into the Mediterranean from the Austro-Hungarian ports on the Adriatic. It was disbanded on 16 May 1919. On 2 October 1939, no. 263 reformed at Fulton as a fighter squadron. Equipped with Gladiators, it was sent to Norway in April 1940, in an attempt to give air cover for British and Norwegian forces. Operating from a frozen lake, it had all its aircraft rendered unfit for action within three days and returned to the UK to reequip. In May, the squadron arrived back in Norway, this time further north and flew patrols until the Allied forces were withdrawn from Narvik. Its aircraft embarked on the carrier \'Glorious\', which was sunk en route to the UK by German surface ships.
Gloster Gladiator Mk II
Designed as an improvement over the Gauntlet, the Gladiator was first flown on September 12th, 1934. The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter, used by the Royal Air Force and Navy and exported to a number of other air forces. Though often pitted against more advanced modern aircraft, it achieved wartime fame in the hands of skilled pilots, fighting some of the most dramatic battles of the early war years. Sea Gladiators were successful as carrier-based aircraft because their slower speed made them suitable for carrier operations, and because they were less likely to be facing modern fighter opposition.
Corgi\'s 1:72 scale Gladiator series includes the early two bladed propeller Mk I, the three bladed propeller Mk II and a Sea Gladiator (an Mk II fitted with an arrester hook). The models in this series faithfully recreate this aircraft, the last RAF biplane fighter. Features include fine gauge wire to simulate the structural bracing wires found between the wings the rear control surfaces, two machine gun pods under the lower wing and two almost hidden synchronized guns mounted on the sides of the fuselage. The radial engine is nicely detailed and clearly visible through the cowling.
Corgi Aviation Archive Collector Series
The Corgi \"Aviation Archive\" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military and civilian aircraft. The vast Aviation Archive range has become the standard by which all other diecast airplane ranges are judged. Each Corgi model is based on a specific aircraft from an important historical or modern era of flight, and has been authentically detailed from original documents and archival library material. Famous airplanes and aviators from both military and commercial airline aviation are all honored.
Corgi \"Aviation Archive\" diecast airplanes feature:
Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
Pad printed markings and placards that won\'t fade or peel like decals.
Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear with rotating wheels.
Poseable presention stand to display the aircraft \"in flight\".
Many limited editions with numbered certificate of authenticity.
Detailed, hand-painted pilot and crew member figures.
Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
Selected interchangeable features such as speed-brakes, opened canopies and access panels.
Selected moving parts such as gun turrets, control surfaces and swing-wings.
