leyreynolds Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I recently saw mention of Gladiators being employed as dive bombers in North Africa. Does anyone have details of the bomb racks fitted please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 I would make a reasonably informed guess that they were the Light Store Carriers used on many prewar and wartime aircraft, not least the first Hurribombers, which were also in the desert. However I suspect the term "dive-bomber" may be overstating the method of delivery. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Probably SAAF Gladiators. If you search through the photo albums here, you will find some Gladiators fitted with bomb carriers. http://biltongbru.wixsite.com/ww2-saaf-heritage/photo-albums Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 East Africa for SAAF Gladiators but not North. Could have been the Aussies, I think that I have seen some such comment about their Gauntlets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 (edited) 11 hours ago, Graham Boak said: East Africa for SAAF Gladiators but not North. Could have been the Aussies, I think that I have seen some such comment about their Gauntlets. The Gladiators operated by 6 sqn at Wadi Halfa, between August 1941 to January 1942 certainly seem to have had Light series bomb carriers fitted see here. Photos credited to Tony W Brooke son of Frank Brooke one of the Transport drivers that delivered 3 Gladiators to Wadi Halfa and Kufra by road from 112 Sqn to to 6 sqn. Selwyn Edited December 24, 2018 by Selwyn 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpie22 Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 21 hours ago, Graham Boak said: East Africa for SAAF Gladiators but not North. Could have been the Aussies, I think that I have seen some such comment about their Gauntlets. Hi Graham, It was the Gauntlets, not the Gladiators, that were equipped with bomb carriers. In late 1940, No. 3 Sqn RAAF had three flights, one equipped with Lysanders, one with Gauntlets, and one with Gladiators. The flight with Glads was regarded as the fighter flight, the others were Army co-op. The Gauntlet flight did see some active service as 'dive bombers'. By early 1941, the squadron was fully equipped with Glads. I have not seen a photo of a No. 3 Sqn Glad with bomb carriers - all had the machine guns fitted under the wing. Not proof positive, but indicative. Missions recorded for the Glads were mainly patrol and fighter recce. Alan Rawlinson in Gauntlet, K7793, "Sweet FA". I imagine the racks fitted to the Gladiators mentioned above would have been similar. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leyreynolds Posted December 25, 2018 Author Share Posted December 25, 2018 Thanks for the info'. Ley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 On 12/25/2018 at 2:25 AM, Magpie22 said: Alan Rawlinson in Gauntlet, K7793, "Sweet FA". I imagine the racks fitted to the Gladiators mentioned above would have been similar. Really lovely pic which prompts a few questions: 1. The aircraft is still wearing black/white underwing recognition markings. Do we know if the fuselage underside was painted black/white or did it retain the aluminium dope? 2. Other pics of 3 Sqn Gauntlets appear to show the 2-blade prop but this has a 3-blade unit. We're the aircraft retrofitted or did the Sqn operate a mixed bag with both props in use? 3. Was the name "Sweet FA" ever painted onto the airframe? If so, I presume it was on the port fuselage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 The name is just visible on the cowling, just above the gun troughs. Maybe I've a bigger screen than you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaselden Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Is it right that I should be feeling screen envy? 😀 Either you have a better screen or better eyes than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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