Gloster Gladiator, No 5 Sqn, Royal Scots Airforce, Hatston, Orkney, January 1940

[Doug K]

Following the declaration of war in September 1939, all of the countries, dominions and colonies of the British Empire followed London's lead. In the case of the Royal Scots Airforce, the re- armament program driven from the Ministry of Defence in Edinburgh had been lack-lustre at best. Meaning that of the 9 fighter squadrons in service, none were flying what would be seen and state-of the art aircraft.

The Gloster Gladiator and one squadron of Beardmore-Mitsubishi Méirinn A5M were the front line. Under the mutual defence agreement signed upon Scotland's independence in the 1920s, the RAF had access to a number of bases. In the case of the Fleet Air Arm, one of the most important was Hatston in Orkney where cover for the Scapa Flow anchorage was given by several FAA, and one solitary squadron of Scottish Gladiators.

Upon the declaration of war, the Scots belatedly rushed to camouflage the previously colourful fighters with what ever could be found to hand, in this case the FAA's paint stores at Hatston. By the time the aircraft had been flying combat patrols over the North Sea for a few months the once pristine silver and the hastily slapped-on camouflage was faced and worn..

OK, you know sometimes there are models you just want to see the back of? Well, meet my Gladiator! No more biplanes for a while!
The aircraft is depicted under maintenance, simply because Airfix have one a very good job on the engine, it looks pretty good opened up. Just don't look too closely  at the paintwork. BTW the silver surrounding the upper roundels is deliberate, not just bad decaling, I tried to depict the hand-painted finish on top of the silver.

IMG_1502 by doug_alba, on Flickr

IMG_1505 by doug_alba, on Flickr

IMG_1503 by doug_alba, on Flickr

IMG_1506 by doug_alba, on Flickr

[Dizzyfugu]

A very nice piece!  And, yes, Gladiators are tough to rig...

[Tophe]

Congratulations for the straight wires   (if I would like to do the same, I am almost sure I would fail)

[Doug K]

A very nice piece!  And, yes, Gladiators are tough to rig...

I'm relaxing with a beer  as a reward!

But the engine is great 

[The Rat]

Aye, she's a bonnie bit o' work. 

[zenrat]

Good job.

[NARSES2]

You've done a good job on that one sir 

[Captain Canada]

Looks great in those colours and markings !

[Doug K]

Thanks guys, the low-res photos hide a multitude of sins!