Gloster Sea Gladiator mk1

[Mike Esposito]

Can someone tell me if the Sea Gladiator had the Watts wooden prop or the 3 bladed one.

 

I am eyeing the Roden 1/48 kit to go with the CR 42 I'm building.

 

Thanks

[72modeler]

Mike,

 

According to written sources, the Sea Gladiator Mk 1's were fitted with a fixed-pitch Fairey Reed prop; I have also seen photos of at least one, on Malta IIRC, that was fitted with the Mercury XV engine and Hamilton Standard variable pitch prop salvaged from a Blenheim. I think it was N5520, named Faith, one of the three famous Gladiator Malta defenders.

Mike

[Grey Beema]

The Roden Sea Gladiator is basically a Gladiator boxing with an extra spruce carrying the three blade prop, Spinner and dinghy pack, so you get both the two blade and three blade props in the boxing..  Assuming you have the same boxing as me that is...

 

[tonyot]

They had both! 

There was not a specific Sea Gladiator Mk.I,..... there was the (Interim) variant with the external arrester hook which was converted from RAF airframes and the straight Sea Gladiator which was built from scratch with the recessed hook and also a dinghy pack between the u/c legs, although this was often deleted in service.

As for props,...... the (Iterim`s) usually had a 2 bladed prop and the straight Sea Gladiator`s were built with the 3 bladed prop,.... but these were interchangeable.

In service the 2 bladed prop was found to give a better take off and climb performance and many Sea Gladiator`s were retro fitted with the 2 bladed propeller.

 

Here is a newly delivered Sea Gladiator, still in its silver finish,... with its 3 bladed propeller;

 

And here is a Sea Gladiator during WW2, now painted in camouflage,... with a 2 bladed prop fitted; 

 

And this famous photo on Malta shows both 2 and 3 bladed props being used together,.....this was before the Bleriator modification with the Blenheim propeller being fitted;

 

And,....here is a Sea Gladiator (Interim) with its external arrester hook;

 

Hope this helps,

                      Cheers

                                Tony

Edited August 24, 2017 by tonyot

[Colin W]

Well answered Tony.

I built a Sea Gladiator from the Roden kit a few years ago as one of the Malta defenders. I recorded a note that it was a sea Gladiator but all the naval equipment was removed! Ie no hook or dinghy pack.

I suppose that makes it a Gladiator with RN on the side. 

 

Colin 

[Mitch K]

The "land service" Sea Gladiators had the hook removed, it seems, but the recess that held the hook was still present and covered with doped fabric. In 1/72 scale green Rizla paper makes a good linen patch substitute - it also works well for gun port fabric covers on (e.g.) Hurricanes/Spitfires.

[72modeler]

3 hours ago, tonyot said:

They had both! 

There was not a specific Sea Gladiator Mk.I,..... there was the (Interim) variant with the external arrester hook which was converted from RAF airframes and the straight Sea Gladiator which was built from scratch with the recessed hook and also a dinghy pack between the u/c legs, although this was often deleted in service.

As for props,...... the (Iterim`s) usually had a 2 bladed prop and the straight Sea Gladiator`s were built with the 3 bladed prop,.... but these were interchangeable.

In service the 2 bladed prop was found to give a better take off and climb performance and many Sea Gladiator`s were retro fitted with the 2 bladed propeller.

 

Here is a newly delivered Sea Gladiator, still in its silver finish,... with its 3 bladed propeller;

 

And here is a Sea Gladiator during WW2, now painted in camouflage,... with a 2 bladed prop fitted; 

 

And this famous photo on Malta shows both 2 and 3 bladed props being used together,.....this was before the Bleriator modification with the Blenheim propeller being fitted;

 

And,....here is a Sea Gladiator (Interim) with its external arrester hook;

 

Hope this helps,

                      Cheers

                                Tony

I had no idea about the externally and internally mounted arresting hooks, Tony- thanks for the tidbit! (I must have a spare Blenheim  motor and prop in my spares inventory somewhere... 'scuse me while I go rummaging.)

[tonyot]

55 minutes ago, Colin W said:

Well answered Tony.

I built a Sea Gladiator from the Roden kit a few years ago as one of the Malta defenders. I recorded a note that it was a sea Gladiator but all the naval equipment was removed! Ie no hook or dinghy pack.

I suppose that makes it a Gladiator with RN on the side. 

 

Colin 

Cheers Colin,

                  Well the Malta aircraft had the hook and dinghy pack removed but the hook recess was still present and was not covered up, as per this photo of the surviving aircraft displayed (very badly,..poised on top of a display case!) in Malta;

 

The first four Malta aircraft also had armour plating installed behind the pilots seat,.....which was made by the shipyard in Grand Harbour,....this is still visible on the surviving Malta aircraft;

 

So a bit more than having `Royal Navy' written on the side,...... and this was only added right at the end of their career in Malta and not during their days as a fighter!  

 

The addition of a Blenheim prop was a bit more technical,..... the engines were upgraded and adapted too and some had a pair of guns added underneath the upper wings too!

 

Cheers

          Tony

[Mitch K]

26 minutes ago, tonyot said:

 

The addition of a Blenheim prop was a bit more technical

 

Cheers

          Tony

Indeed it was. Especially the use of a bicycle pump to operate the pneumatics so providing two positions for the variable pitch prop!

[Junchan]

Here is a photo of the Malta Sea Gladiator with a D.H. Hamilton variable pitch 3-bladed prop.

 

Jun in Tokyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/horaburo/albums

[tonyot]

Hey Mike,...no worries,.....thanks for the` like',...... glad I and the others went to so much trouble trying to answer your query! 

 

Tony

[Mike Esposito]

Yes. Very nice. I definitely fancy the wooden two bladed prop look. 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2017 by Mike Esposito