Airfix 1/72nd Gloster Gladiator Mk II Completed

Have you picked out the markings or which air force?  So many interesting choises with a Gladiator.

A little beauty so far!

Thanks Greg.

roony, yes i have. The decal set does have some nice pre war schemes. But the one i am doing is a rather boring camo scheme, but i fit a large project i am doing.

That IP is straight up impressive. Very fancy work with that thing.

Thanks Joe. But its all pre coloured PE, so i can't take the credit for that.

I like when biplane kits have the cabane struts already molded on. Really takes the guesswork out of aligning the upper wing. Three of those kits could make a nice airfield diorama for Faith, Hope and Charity, don't you think...

Thanks frank. Excuse my ignorance, but i am guessing the cabane struts are the centre ones. They are not molded on but are really easy to fit, they are 2 pieces, one front one rear, that fit into the top part of the forward fuselage. The rear one includes the IP. It really is fool proof as are the outer struts.

That would make a nice scene. I would like to do that with the aircraft that have protected the Falklands since 1992. They are operated by 1435 Flt which first formed on Malta in 1941. They have 4 aircraft, 3 named after those Gladiators and the 4th called Desperation. Maybe thats a future project, to do both the 3 Gladiators and the 4 Falklands aircraft.

Looks good so far!

I was dissapointed to read that it's possible that the Faith, Hope, and Charity thing might be a fiction.  It would be nice to know for sure.

Thanks for looking in guys.

John, i have not actually heard that, but i have read that the names were only applied by a local paper. I know there were actually more than 3 aircraft. It would not surprise me if it just started out as a flipant remarke and was grabbed by the local media as a means of properganda and the legend has grown from there.

Just now found this about the Gladiators on Malta:

https://www.historynet.com/aviation-history-book-review-faith-hope-charity.htm

I think I read this book when I was in high school back in the early '60s.

Sorry, Bish. Don't mean to hi-jack your thread. I'm gonna follow this thread. Maybe I'll find a Gladiator kit at Modelpalooza this weekend. If I do, the kit will be on the bench next week!

EDIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._1435_Flight_RAF

Post what ever you wish frank, i don't see it as 'hi-jacking', just extending our knowledge.

I believe bthey were Sea Gladiators on Malta. I have checked the Airfix line up and they don't do a specific Sea Gladiator, but from what i can't tell it just needs an arrester hook added.

I first learnt about 1435 Flt after my first trip to the Falklands. I was curious as to why they carried the Maltese cross and it was then i found out about the nameing of the aircraft in the S Atlantic.

The Gladiator has come on really well, this is a lovely little kit. By last weekend it was ready for painting.

By Thurs it was primed and painted. All paints are Xtracolor, Ocean Grey and Dark Green on top and Med Sea Grey underneath.

And then the Print Scale decals. I have heard some people have bad experiance with these. But i had no issues. The dcals went down really well and just easy enough to move around. I also did some light fading where the fabric is stretched over the ribs.

Next update should include the finished pics.

Gorgeous!

Looking good, Bish. I've always like the look of the Gladiator. Some biplanes just look like they are tough and the Gladiator is one of those. I'm gonna hafta find me that kit...

Bish, you've got the boys on the production line working overtime on this one! I love the Gladiators. 

Wow thats coming together fast, and looking really sharp!

Cheers guys.

frank, its a lovely little kit. I have been told that this boxing is hard to get hold of, but they have released several others.

Chad, yes, i know what you mean. It doesn't look as fragile as most other bi-planes.

Trey, it does go together really well, perfect if you want a nice quick build.

Looking great! Very neatly built, as usual

I have the kit with the Finnish version, snow camo and skis. The rigging has me stalling on this kit, I've never rigged a biplane!

Thanks Paladin, ye, this is the same kit. I have only rigged one, the old Airfix 0/400. Its the one stage i am most concerned about, but at least the kit does have plans for the rigging and locators in the wings.

Got the Gladiator wrapped up today. The one pic i have of the real thing shows a larger than normal antenna mast on the fuselage and what appears to be another mast on the wing. I have seen pics of other aircraft with this wing mast, so i fitted one. I used EZ line for the rigging.

Then finished it off by fitting to the base and adding a couple of figures. The decal instructions place this aircraft at Bircham Newton. But the info i found is a bit confuseing. But from what i can tell, they were at Bircham in 1942 when they were merged with another Flt to form 521 Sqn. But in early 43 521 were broken up and 1401 reformed this time at Docking, not far from Bircham. As i alreday have a subject for Bircham, i have placed this at Doking after 1401 reformed.

I had planned on having the pilot walking away from the aircraft after returning from a sortie. But as the kit includes a rather nice starting handle, i reversed it.

Thanks for following along.

I'm not one to waste a good starter handle either! She's a beauty with fine rigging!

I had the 1/72 scale Airfix kit way back, but this one looks amazing. I may have to add this one to the stash eventually.

Well done, Bish!

Very nice, Martin.

Wow Bish, very nice.  Well done my friend 

Cheers guys.

Mike, its a great little kit, i would deffinetly recomend one of these boxings. I am tempted to get another and do one of the more colourful marking options on the Print Scale sheet.

Chad, thats the first time i have seen a starter handle with a kit, it was a nice touch.

Straight up beautiful Martin!!! Always like watching your builds come to life.

I missed this while you were in progress. Bish.  That's a beautiful finish!  It does look like a great kit, too.