Gloster Gladiator whiffs

[GTX]

As a back up to their F.5/34 design, Gloster also created 2 monoplane Gladiators:

The first had fixed undercarriage:



Whilst the second had a crude retractable undercarriage and stretched fuselage (but lighter armament):



Regards,

Greg

[zenrat]

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Woooooo! Rocket from the crypt!

I've been looking at what remains after recent builds.
How do we feel about a Gladiator with the Mercury replaced with a Hercules.  Twice the weight but also twice the horsepower.
I feel it may have had some balance issues.  Both in flight and on the ground.  Would have climbed well though.

[PR19_Kit]

Don't stop at a Hercules, go the whole hog and plonk a Centaurus on there. 

[NARSES2]

I've been looking at what remains after recent builds.
How do we feel about a Gladiator with the Mercury replaced with a Hercules.  Twice the weight but also twice the horsepower.
I feel it may have had some balance issues.  Both in flight and on the ground.  Would have climbed well though.

Certainly interesting. It's also got me thinking of a Gladiator with a late Kestrel or an early Merlin ? Maybe a Napier Dagger ?

[Dizzyfugu]

I like the variant with the retractable landing gear - but IMHO it would not work in real life, because the wings would have to be bigger and also the leading edge moved forward.
I have a Gladiator monoplane on my agenda, though - and consider the wings from a Fokker D.XXI (size sould be perfect), with the wheels retracting inwards, pretty conservative. Maybe a different engine, too, and a three-blade propeller with a spinner.

[Dingg]

And what if new Gladiator used only a high-mounted gull wing to give the pilot an excellent view?
Like PZL P.11/P.24? With a fixed chassis as in the original.

Or a quick jump to Bristol F.18/37?

[zenrat]

What if the Centaurus had a bigger brother?
The Bristol Cerberus, a 27 cylinder three row radial...

To loft that skywards a Gladiator would need its centre of lift moved forwards so I am envisaging forward swept wings.  Maybe a Triplane...

[NARSES2]

And what if new Gladiator used only a high-mounted gull wing to give the pilot an excellent view?
Like PZL P.11/P.24? With a fixed chassis as in the original.

Interesting thought.

Could be a link between the Gladiator and Gloster's F5/34 ? Which Magna kit, or did, as I've built it

[Dingg]

Why not? Will try this week to do it. Maybe also A6M2 as Gloster F5/34 ( Gloster Gale Mk.II with Taurus??)  and Henschel HS-129 as Gloster F.9/37( Gloster Gunner Mk.I )

[Dizzyfugu]

And what if new Gladiator used only a high-mounted gull wing to give the pilot an excellent view?
Like PZL P.11/P.24? With a fixed chassis as in the original.

Or a quick jump to Bristol F.18/37?

Why not - should look good, too. But, IMHO, the single wing would again have to be bigger. Some time ago I used the upper wing from a Curtiss SBC, and this alone was not enough, at least for my taste. An interesting idea, nevertheless!

[Tophe]

Are you interested also in Twin-Gladiators?

[Tophe]

And from front:

[ericr]

 

[NARSES2]

That works well 

[The Rat]

I've got a Life-Like Gladiator in the stash, and have a few possibilities in mind. It may get done as a something I've long had a name for, but no firm plans on what to use for it: The Gloster Guttersnipe. A heavily gunned version to help repel Operation Sealion? As the name requires something dirty and brutish it might be the way to go.