Airfix 1/72nd Gloster Gladiator Mk II Completed

Wow thats coming together fast, and looking really sharp!

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

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...

Gorgeous!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Looks good so far!

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.

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

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

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.

A little beauty so far!

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