Gladiator - The Forgotten Battle of Britain Fighter

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Special thanks to High Flight for Gloster Gladiator footage. For more excellent aviation footage, visit: / xr221
Dr. Mark Felton is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.o...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; High Flight; Airwolfhound

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26 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 1,7 тыс.

@SGHB200 3 года назад

The three Gloster Gladiators based in Malta in 1940 when Italy declared War, conspicuously named, Faith, Hope, and Charity, were the first to spring in action to defend the island, as they were the only fighters defending the island at the period. Due to the valiant effort of their pilots in defending the island against all odds, they achieved legendary status in the history of Malta, and are remembered to this day.

@PaulP999 2 года назад

There were more than three but it was good publicity to maintain that view, doesn't take away their great achievement anyway!

@dirkusmaximus9268 2 года назад

Fighting the Italians in WW2 must have been the absolute blessing compared to other adversaries. Only the Bersaglieri got really famous as fearsome warriors, even earning a lot of respect by the Germans lancers of the DAK.

@Wilko710 2 года назад

Did you just copy word for word a War Thunder loading screen? 😂

@gnas1897 2 года назад

@@Wilko710 he did 😂

@bronsonperich9430 Год назад

Any Allied force fighting against Italy had a ridiculous advantage. The Italians had the best biplanes in the war and they still couldn't beat the Galdiators.

@TheCcponyboy 3 года назад

What a company Glosters were, the last biplane fighter in the RAF and the first jet, the Meteor...

@swimmad456 3 года назад

And all within 8 years

@johnbockelie3899 3 года назад

The mighty Bismarck was taken down by bi planes. Plus the Royal Navy.

@garryjacky577 3 года назад

First jet in the RAF but not the first jet in the world. The germans had the first jet aircraft.

@neilturner6749 3 года назад

Well, they had little else to develop in the meantime did they? Making other manufacturers’ aircraft as a sub-contractor meant their own design team could get on with experimental work without affecting war production, unlike supermarine or hawkers

@neilturner6749 3 года назад

@@garryjacky577 Er who said the world? You’re correcting something you just made up in your head...

@tmclaug90 3 года назад

The British jumped from the Gladiator to the Meteor in like 6 years.

@LogieT2K 3 года назад

Its actually incredible to think about Nothing like total war to fuel innovation

@garryjacky577 3 года назад

@@LogieT2K to be fair there was research 15+ years in the making over in Britian on jet engines before the meteor was made. so really it's not all that shocking. It's not like they used biplanes cause they had to. They just are cheap and handle well. And it's not like they just invented jet engines all of a sudden cause of ww2.

@tmclaug90 3 года назад

@pisswobble not really.

@garryjacky577 3 года назад

@pisswobble curiosity, sex drive, social status, recognition and approval, power, self mastery and growth, passion, and rewards/money. Just to name a few. This guy doesn't know what hes talking about.

@99IronDuke 3 года назад

Both the Gladiator and the Meteor being made by The Gloster Aircraft Company (1917-63).

@ziggy8190 3 года назад

I remember the stories of these defending my home town of Plymouth from RAF Roborough! As a young adult it was the story of my home town during the war which got me engrossed into military history a couple years ago , something which I’m still in love with today!

@mashbury 3 года назад

Protecting Guzz 👍👍

@simonbird1973 3 года назад

Ahem, Plymouth became a city in 1928

@carltonleboss 3 года назад

Nice profile pic

@l-russell3949 3 года назад

ayy a fellow janner

@mashbury 3 года назад

@@l-russell3949 Ansome ..

@markkosmider2144 3 года назад

A heartfelt thank you for mentioning Pat Pattle. Sadly this brilliant high-scoring fighter ace does not get the recognition he deserves.

@robindavis3667 2 года назад

Very true, if Pattle the squadron records weren't lost, and Pattle wasn't killed in Greece, he would have been officially credited with 50 + confirmed kills.

@Brave_Sir_Robin 3 года назад

15 and 1/2 kills in a gladiator! Impressive!

@johnbockelie3899 3 года назад

Luftwaffe pilot " Ach !!!, ist dis some kind of joke, I vil make match sticks out of dis."

@UGotSimmonSized 3 года назад

What does half a kill imply? He did damage to a plane and someone else finished it off?

@grumpyboomer61 3 года назад

@@UGotSimmonSized Pretty much. Probably shared with his wingman.

@PassportToPimlico 3 года назад

@@UGotSimmonSized Shared the kill with someone else.

@UGotSimmonSized 3 года назад

Right on. Thanks guys!

@Spitfiresammons 3 года назад

perfect timing while building a model kit

@pervertt 3 года назад

Tip to my 8 year old self: Never again buy a 1:72 scale kit of a Gladiator. It is impossible to glue the upper wing into place.

@Spitfiresammons 3 года назад

@@pervertt I did build a new tool airfix gladiator and its well glue the upper wing with masking tape for a hour

@letoubib21 3 года назад

The 1:32 model? Is that good? 'Cause I'd like to build either the _Gladiator_ or the Fiat CR.42 _Falco_ *. . .*

@Spitfiresammons 3 года назад

@@letoubib21 well I'm never build a 1/32 gladiator or fiat cr.42 but that well do that in a future

@ianbaird1774 3 года назад

I have one in my stash waiting to be built

@SGortelli 3 года назад

My mothers uncle (a Dutch pilot) joined the Brits and was decorated for his Bravery. His name was Jan de Wit.

@theoriginaldylangreene 3 года назад

Do you know any more about his story? Why was he decorated?

@SGortelli 3 года назад

@@theoriginaldylangreene I believe for bravery but i will try to verify with the family. I can not seem to find any sources online about him.

@sparkyhayes9543 3 года назад

Great to hear the Irish Air Corps get a mention! There is a great story about the flight of Gladiators that were based on Gormanston Airfield in Co. Meath in 1940 in the event of a British Invasion from Northern Ireland into Éire, which was a possibility at that stage of the war. The Officer Commanding of the flight was asked by a senior Air Corps officer how he felt they would fair against the 2 Squadrons of Hurricanes based in the north should the British Invasion come, his reply was ‘I’m sure we would give a great account of ourselves, but it would be an interesting 20 minutes!’ Great Video as always Mr Felton.

@Trantor.Citizen 3 года назад

This plane was the first scale model that I ever built at the age of 5. A gift that my brother gave me. An 1:72 scale matchbox... What a beautiful plane.

@Ndlanding 3 года назад

I fear you have memory problems.

@lauriecroad3186 2 года назад

@@Ndlanding I built several - but I think they were Airfix Models - in the '50s.

@Ndlanding 2 года назад

@@lauriecroad3186 Exactly. Matchbox made diecast models, not kits.

@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 Год назад

@@Ndlanding Pity your wrong though. Matchbox made plastic kits through the 1970s, 80s & 90s. I bought MANY of their WW2 aircraft and vehicle kits. They made 1:32, 1:35, 1:43, 1:72, 1:76 and 1:700 scale tanks, aircraft, car, lorry and ship models. Simply google image "matchbox model kits" to see your error.

@denispatry6934 9 месяцев назад

For me too, the Airfix 1/72nd Gloster Gladiator was the first I built, followed by the Beaufighter.

@roberttilton7927 3 года назад

Lest we forget these brave hero's who stood up to be counted in our hour of need.

@AtheistOrphan 3 года назад

Heroes*

@TheTenthLeper 3 года назад

@@AtheistOrphan pashol na hoy

@matthewcaughey8898 3 года назад

They stood up with whatever weapons they had

@cornbreadfedkirkpatrick9647 3 года назад

Here here.

@samuelelder9434 3 года назад

Here here

@iskender1327 3 года назад

Roald Dahl flew gladiators before he got a hurricane in Greece.

@bernardthedisappointedowl6938 3 года назад

He was a very tall fella - I'd imagine the Gladiator was a bit more comfortable! ^oo^

@redwingrob1036 3 года назад

YES. He crashed in one in the N African desert, being wrongly directed to what was supposed to be his first posting. His resulting head injury, concussion, & the effects of it prematurely ended his career as a fighter pilot. SMALL & tragic world. In the aerial battle over Athens between the RAF & the Luftwaffe in April 20th 1941 DAHL wrote : "THEY GOT FIVE OF OUR 12 HURRICANES...FOUR WERE KILLED. AMONG THE DEAD WAS THE GREAT PAT PATTLE..." (Going Solo 1986). HAVE you done a prog on the Lysander, Doc?

@redwingrob1036 3 года назад

@@bernardthedisappointedowl6938 LOL. He crossed the Med to Greece 'scrunched' up in a Hurri, & had to be lifted out of the cockpit! "YOU OUGHTN'T TO BE FLYIN FIGHTERS A CHAP OF YOUR HEIGHT," he said. "WHAT YOU WANT IS A RUDDY GREAT BOMBER WHERE YOU CAN STRETCH YOUR LEGS OUT." "YES," I said. "YOU'RE RIGHT." 😅🤣😂 (Dahl, R. Going Solo. 1986)

@lopezmt5 3 года назад

I wonder if he called his plane the Giant Peach…

@bernardthedisappointedowl6938 3 года назад

@@redwingrob1036 Brilliant, ^oo^

@andrewthomson 3 года назад

Imagine the nuts you need to fly a Gladiator against a 109.

@logoseven3365 3 года назад

I think Pattle scored against them. Edit: I was wrong. He shot them down after his transition to Hurricanes. Still a monster.

@Dishol 3 года назад

"That's a lot of nuts!"

@wbnc66 3 года назад

The cockpit was specially modified to fit the massive brass balls of the pilots :D

@marmite8959 3 года назад

@@wbnc66 that's why the Swordfish was open cockpit; so the pilots could hang their colossal balls over the side and out of the way

@sobrevalorado 3 года назад

Malta is not in the Eastern Meditetranean, it's in the Central Mediterranean

@garrington120 2 года назад

The Gladiator was only 50MPH slower than the first Hurricanes . A really beautiful aircraft and the absolute pinnacle of biplane fighters.

@gunnargundersen3787 3 года назад

I believe the Italians also used biplanes during the battle of Britain. The CR42.

@xmaniac99 3 года назад

Yes they did, Mark did a video about them last year. It wasn’t a success.

@Pitcairn2 3 года назад

@@xmaniac99 A neighbour of mine was Sir Alan smith, one time wing man to Bader.. He well respected the Falco.

@xmaniac99 3 года назад

@@Pitcairn2 He must have had quite the stories to tell.

@wideyxyz2271 3 года назад

They did I think they attempted a raid on the north east and faired really badly!

@robertjames6640 3 года назад

True but the Italians did not fly in the actual battle until the very end when they contributed around 170 mixed aircraft to the effort. Italy did not enter WW2 until June 1940. The Fiat CR42 was an exceptional plane used by the Italians throughout their time in the war.

@GilHezkia 3 года назад

The career of Eric "Winkle" Brown should be the subject of a future video. A one-of-a-kind legend.

@nialldoyle8206 3 года назад

I read his autobiography. “Wings on my sleeve “Super interesting. You will enjoy it. Shalom.

@hifives2 3 года назад

Look up his wikapeada profile , an astonishing list of every type flown the only allied pilot to to complete a successful test flight of the Messershmitt 163

@nialldoyle8206 3 года назад

@@hifives2 yes indeed. He was a phenomenal aviator. I doubt his record will ever be beaten. In his autobiography he tells a tale of knowing the difference in sounds between missing the carrier arrester hook and the cable snapping. That’s how many carrier landings he made. . I have a sneaking suspicion they don’t make people like that anymore. He also comes across as quite a nice easy going bloke. Some man.

@shaunmcmillan6791 3 года назад

It’s already been done, a very good documentary.

@kirklenagh3095 3 года назад

What an extraordinary life he led.

@paulkoza8652 3 года назад

What a remarkable story about a forgotten piece of equipment. This is a testament to Mark Felton to bring it to light.

@GopaiCheems 3 года назад

The only thing I know about the Gladiator is that Roald Dahl was assigned to a squadron of it, before he was assigned to a Hurricane squadron in the Mediterranean theatre. So this was a welcome video!

@vanpenguin22 3 года назад

Roald Dahl? Okay, I cant help myself. I wont a Gloster Gladiator daddy, and I wont it NOOOOOW!!! 😅😅😅

@vanpenguin22 3 года назад

The Gloster Gorcock, No kidding, look it up. Was an ALL STEEL airframe. They managed a single copy and thought better of it after the first test flight.

@joeperez3520 3 года назад

Some Gladiators were also sent to Norway during the British/French participation in that campaign. The Italian CR 42 biplane saw action in The Battle of Britain as well.

@kaletovhangar 3 года назад

Don't forget massive use of I-153 biplanes by red army air force in 1941&2.Obe of best Soviet fighter pilots, Gregory Rechkalov, started his combat debut flying I-153,saving his comrade from German BF-109s.

@knutberg6764 3 года назад

The Gladiator was also the best known fighter plane of the Norwegian air force during the invasion.

@oldfatbastad6053 3 года назад

"completely outclassed", tell that to anyone who was hit by a torpedo from a Fairey Swordfish.

@maisonraider4593 3 года назад

Yes. Like the German ships that managed to run the gauntlet of the English Channel during operation Cerberus and shot down every swordfish without sustaining a single torpedo hit.

@simonh317 3 года назад

@@maisonraider4593 Bismark would like to have a word......

@roberthoward9500 3 года назад

@@simonh317 As would all those Italian ships anchored at Taranto.

@coling3957 3 года назад

@@maisonraider4593 there were dozens of ships in that dash, not just the 2 battle-cruisers.. it was a failure of the RAF who detected them too late, the Swordfish were rushed in without support.. they tried... in 1940 they knocked out the Italian battle fleet at Taranto and in 1941 damaged the Bismarck, leading to its doom. .. brave men flew in those planes. Bismarck didn't shoot down a single aircraft.

@maisonraider4593 3 года назад

@@simonh317 Bismarck AA gunners led their targets too much as it seems, not expecting they would be attacked by such a slow flying model. In the attack on Bismarck not a single swordfish went down. In the attack on the German ships during the channel dash, not a single swordfish survived. The plane was simply too slow and poorly manoeuvrable. No need to take it into mythic territory for a couple of successes they had. After Bismarck and Taranto, and the channel dash I never heard of another swordfish attack.

@wilhelmsokolic1046 3 года назад

Please do a piece on "Pat" Pattle, the Forgotten Ace. The top scoring western ace. His story deserves to be told.

@robindavis3667 2 года назад

There is a book on Pat Pattle titled 'Ace of Aces', very good read.

@johnwindo9164 3 года назад

I WAS AN APPRENTICE AT GAC in the 1950-1960's. One of our projects was to rebuild the gladiator for the Shuttleworth collection. MY LIMITED EFFORT was cleaning up the engines exhaust pipes. The day the gladiator was officially handed over to the Shuttleworth collection I was at college so I missed the event. However the day before the gladiator was flown into Brockworth by test pilot Dicky Martin. Upon arrival at the airfield he gave a fantastic air display. "Beating up" the airfield many times. I was fortunate to view this display from the apprentice school which was adjacent to the airfield. .

@grahamwood9428 3 года назад

The nicest sounding engine ever, it simply purrs around the sky.

@negativeindustrial 3 года назад

At the end of the video it sounds more like a long flatulence.

@SgtSteel1 3 года назад

@@negativeindustrial I think that's an aircraft on the ground taxiing. If you go back about 5 mins you can hear one on it's own. Fantastic sound :) edit: 1:55

@Ndlanding 3 года назад

@@SgtSteel1 If you trust ANY of the sound or video in this episode, you're walking on thin ice.

@SgtSteel1 3 года назад

@@Ndlanding Ok

@grahamwood9428 3 года назад

@@Ndlanding True, the video does not catch the sound but I live in Duxford and when the Gladiator based there last flew (about 4 years ago) it really did purr.

@wallybrown9509 3 года назад

I LOVE that their are people out there that love the classic warbirds and their history. Keep up the great work. Thank you Mark.

@oldfatbastad6053 3 года назад

any day that Winkle Brown gets a mention from Dr F is a good day :)

@chaz1961mt 4 месяца назад

For those who state otherwise, the Faith, Hope and Charity catchphrase was no myth. The Local population in Malta came up with such during the early days of World War Two. Faith, Hope and Charity were actually four Royal Navy Gloster Gladiators biplanes still packed in crates, the fourth Gladiator was used for 'spares' for the other three biplanes. The gallant pilots (there were several) flew these three Gladiator biplanes from their base on Malta and fought alone against the Italian Regia Aeronautica during 1940. Hurricanes and Spitfires replaced the ageing Gladiators after 1940. Another fascinating biplane was the Fairey Swordfish, 'The Stringbag' as they used to call it. It was used as a torpedo bomber by the Royal Navy. The crew of two or three who flew such slow and antiquated flying machines faced certain death, yet they bravely persevered albeit with a high casualty count yet achieving successful hit rates to the detriment of the Axis forces.

@dellawrence4323 3 года назад

RIP Eric "Winkle" Brown who died last year, the greatest naval aviator who ever lived.

@julianbennett3772 Год назад

I grew up on stories of Faith Hope and Charity, so always nice to see the Gladiator properly commemorated! Thanks

@thomasgonzalez7133 3 года назад

Dr. Felton with a great assist in kicking off the week with another great video.

@anttis2432 3 года назад

Gladiators were used also well in Winter war by Finnish Air force and Swedish volunteers. That plane model affected in the WW2 surprisingly more than expected.

@justwatchmegonow 3 года назад

This ties in nicely to "the forgotten turning point of WW2, the battle of Malta"

@alastairbarkley6572 3 года назад

Except that by that time, there was a huge rift in Anglo-American agreement about the overall strategy of the war. Deep down, the Americans had ZERO INTEREST in the Mediterranean, viewing it as a secret Churchill campaign to protect the Empire and acquire territory in the Balkans via costly operations in very difficult terrain. The Americans went along with N. Africa, Sicily and Italy because they had no better options but have complained ever since about how they were 'duped by the British'. I doubt you'll find many Yanks thinking Malta was important, let alone a turning point.

@alanh7495 3 года назад

My first Airfix kit was a Gladiator way back in the 1950's when I was a schoolboy, it is still my favourite biplane. The Shuttleworth example is magnificent.

@peterernoob 3 года назад

Great video! Some Norwegian Gladiators managed to get a couple of kills over the Oslo-fjord, during the first day of the invasion.

@LNDEB 3 года назад

And one of these Norwegian Gladiator (423) is curently under restoration to flying condition.

@paulshearer9571 2 года назад

The gladiator torpedo planes were also instrumental in crippling the Bismarck.

@wearetomorrowspast.5617 3 года назад

My favourite Airfix kit.

@MrLudvigsen 3 года назад

Norway had Gladiators in 1940. The wing was based at Fornebu Airfield outside Oslo. The Gladiators did a good job in fighting the german planes.

@pablononpicasso1977 3 года назад

Thanks for digging the historical soil Mark and showing there was a lot more to the battles than the popular. There are some great accounts of the Gladiator fights over Greece and North Africa. One book I read was about and Ace who was thought to have died by falling asleep from mission exhaustion during the Greek Campaign. The book I read was from a second hand bookstore but gripping in it's account, 'Ace of Aces' The Story of Pat Pattle

@paulpowell4871 3 года назад

Impressive speed and ceiling for that plane. Many Men with superior weapons fell to Arrows, Hammers, Knives and Shovels in the past several centuries.

@jeffrhall9219 3 года назад

Did you ever create an episode for Faith, Hope and Charity? The Malta Gladiators? Thanks for the amazing work.

@philipjooste9075 3 года назад

Please no! Do not perpetuate the myth!

@PassportToPimlico 3 года назад

@@philipjooste9075 Perhaps an episode explaining the reality?

@teaandmedals 3 года назад

War thunder loading screen in a nutshell.

@firemonkeyzodiac1018 3 года назад

Malta was actually defended with Seafires and Hurricanes, not Gladiators.

@s208richard8 3 года назад

The Half Far flight - though there were more than 6 of them, only 3 flew at any one time. Some Phantoms and Tornadoes also took their names, aircraft tailcodes F H C and D (Desperation) , and carry the Maltese Cross on their fins.

@Alte.Kameraden 3 года назад

Everyone forgets about the Biplanes. German deployed the He51, and Hs123 in many theaters of the war, including Russia, Poland, the Balkans, Mediterranean, including North Africa, France, Italy.

@paulmaul2186 3 года назад

The Italians used them for the duration of the war, if I am not mistaken.

@m9078jk3 3 года назад

Especially during the Spanish Civil War

@Alte.Kameraden 3 года назад

@@paulmaul2186 Yes, so did France and Russia. Pretty sure Japan was still using Biplanes in many theaters as well. Biplanes were common during the early years of the war. Similar to old vintage WWI small arms. Despite what the propaganda footage tells you, older equipment was far more common place than nations involved in the war wish to admit. They always want to show off their fancy toys, to present some kind of superiority. However, they never completely disappeared, if they still had them, they were still in use somewhere.

@peterharrington8709 3 года назад

Iirc the Yugoslav Air Force operated a couple of Hawker Fury squadrons at the being of the war and I think there were still a few operational Harts and Gauntlets in service with the RAF in the middle east.

@paulmaul2186 3 года назад

Was the Fiat CR42 the fastest mass-produced biplane fighter? I can't think of any that were faster.

@SgtAndrewM 3 года назад

what great timing! i just sat down in my garden with a bottle of san migel, CHEERS MARK!

@christinebiada1292 3 года назад

I thought your profile picture was a hair/eyelash on my screen 🤣. I kept trying to remove it until I realized it’s your profile pic! Love it!

@SgtAndrewM 3 года назад

@@christinebiada1292 😂😂😂😂

@tonys8243 3 года назад

How excellent...cheers 🍺

@SgtAndrewM 3 года назад

@@tonys8243 thanks mate

@nemosis9449 3 года назад

Me too but with a Cider.

@georgejones8481 3 года назад

Shout-out Pat Pattle, 15 kills with the gladiator

@MorrowMatty 3 года назад

South Africans make damn good pilots.

@CPiGTi 3 года назад

@@MorrowMatty 2 out of the 3 top Commonwealth aces were South Africans flying for the RAF. Sailor Malan was the other one

@michaelrabie1833 3 года назад

@@MorrowMatty Pat Pattle was born in Keetmanshoop, Namibia. This from a proud Namibian! :) Ooops! Self edit: Pat was born in SA, but grew up in Namibia.

@RedRocket4000 3 года назад

Well 14 Italian Fiat 42's a bi plane fighter but some of the Italian's could fight and he got shot down probably by a Spanish Ace in one. Still impressive he could have gotten 60 total. Note despite click bate like titles on many kills not being recorded by the enemy read deeper and most of the reported kills were actually damaged aircraft so hitting the enemy plane and it vanishing from the fight were correct reports it just that a good amount of hits turned into damaged craft that made it back. I figure almost all pilots when hit dive till they can figure out what got hit some probably even fake a death spiral for a short bit. And of course some do really lose control from the hit but recover control. As there is no actual score for damaged they probably would have given at least half a kill for these things and as no one had free time to watch what happened to planes hit and dropping from the battle this discrepancy very understandable.

@megatwingo 3 года назад

This silver Gladiator was the first plastic model I owned. But my father build it for me. I've never heard about the German Gladiators. One learns allways something new by watching Mark Feltons channel! :-) Greetings from Germany

@moistysupreme1884 3 года назад

flying this thing in war thunder and knowing what you’re doing, you’re a god at dogfighting

@dannythomson5239 3 года назад

@Jan Brady true that but still, flying bi-planes in warthunder is so much fun, especially if you do come up against some one on the same level of skill as yourself.

@Mouxbar 3 года назад

What it lacks in speed is turned on its head when you get into a turn fight. I had success patrolling at 5000ft behind my lines and pouncing on low level raiders. Good fun to fly :-)

@dannythomson5239 3 года назад

@@Mouxbar the thing i love about flying biplanes is how slow they are allowing for almost slow motion fights very low to the ground and hugging terrain adding new dimensions to the thrills. i liked flying them in 3rd person view allowing to see the whole battle and fly from as far out as possible.

@chrisreynolds7164 3 года назад

You dont actually understand the word "reality" do you?

@hexadecimal7300 3 года назад

Just like the Hurricane in MCFS

@mfcchouinard 16 дней назад

My Father's cousin, Flight Lieutenant Lloyd Schwab, RAF, won a DFC in the Mediterranean theatre flying a gladiator. He was a young Canadian from Niagara Falls. He ended his career as a Wing Commander in the RAF and died of a heart attack in the summer of 1953 in his backyard.

@condorsouthernlands4730 3 года назад

This man deserves so many more subscribers. Glad he’s at least at a million.🔥🔥🔥

@firepatriot42 3 года назад

I read in a book about critical battles of the Mediterranean about how several of these defended Malta for a few months until spitfire reinforcements arrived. Those that flew them were doing so many missions a day that it was mentally exhausting them to the point of breakdown.

@vansongs 3 года назад

My goodness! By far my favourite episode yet. Love of the underdog I guess. Thank you for this!

@mikes1097 3 года назад

I honestly think that you are the best source of historical information on RU-vid!

@alanrogers7090 3 года назад

The British children's author, Roald Dahl, (also husband to actress Patricia Neal), flew Gladiators in the Eastern Mediterranean theater and North Africa. When he writes of crashing, it was in a Gladiator.

@MeIduce 3 года назад

Another excellent documentary by Mr. Mark Felton. But I missed the story about Norwegian Army Air Service Gladiators engaging ME-110s over Southern Norway, April 9th 1940. Other users of the famous biplane fighter however was mentioned here.

@Retrorigging 3 года назад

The South African pilot, Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St. John Pattle, DFC & Bar, is surely worth a video in his own right. He never seems to garner the acclaim he deserves and I am surprised to hear his name mentioned here. Although it is far from certain, his final kill total may have exceeded forty, although some historians place it as high as fifty-one. As Mark mentions, 15 kills were achieved on the Gloster Gladiator. He also flew Hawker Hurricanes. The famous writer and RAF fighter pilot, Roald Dahl, paints a poignant portrait of the final days of the British Forces in Greece in 1941; his description of Pattle in "Going Solo" is sensitive and generous. Dahl describes him thus: "He was a very small man and very soft-spoken, and he possessed the deeply wrinkled doleful face of a cat who knew that all nine of its lives had already been used up." He further describes him as being naturally aggressive in combat and very talented as a pilot. He was killed in action on 20 April 1941, off Piraeus Harbour, on a doomed sortie against superior numbers of Me-109s and Me-110s. He was 26, and sick on the day with a fever. He had earlier been rejected by the South African Air Force at 18, but was determined to become a combat pilot. I wish his exploits and life were better known and celebrated.

@veritas-revelare-omnis5217 3 года назад

Monday just got better, thank you Mark.

@167curly 3 года назад

Malta's three RAF Gladiators named "Faith, Hope and Charity" gained immortality in the island's defense against the Axis.

@ohgosh5892 3 года назад

defence not defense.

@vipertwenty249 2 года назад

As a child in the '60's my two most loved airfix biplane fighters were the Gladiator and the CR42.

@intruative 3 года назад

Wow! What a shot! Directly into the bomb bay, exploding it all and killing two bombers in the process? Insane.. whoever shot that shell must have been bought so many beers that night.

@gdutfulkbhh7537 3 года назад

Some crews in Bomber Command thought the Germans had a secret weapon called the ‘Scarecrow’ that sent up a pyrotechnic that looked just as if a Lancaster had been destroyed by a direct hit that set off the bomb load, plus fuel. The reality was one of these direct hits, sadly.

@CliSwe 3 года назад

The manpower for Anti-Aircraft Command was very low-quality in the early years of the War. Rejects from the Army, mostly. But once they'd mastered the superb 3.7" HAA Gun, they provided a formidable defence against the Luftwaffe.

@andrewdking 3 года назад

That's what my Dad did in WWII, Royal Artillery on the south coast anti aircraft batteries

@RedRocket4000 3 года назад

@@CliSwe IQ tests poorly accurate on actual field intelligence and misfits often make great solders with good leadership. In many cases the misfits have talents very good in war but bad in peacetime in example ADHD which is actually hyper focus in areas of talent and inability to focus outside of hyper focus areas. It really should be called Attention Inconstancy disorder. Plus people with ADHD need stimulus which war is very good at providing. I know as someone with ADHD when everyone in a restaurant froze including management over a dangerous patron I easily moved to escort him out and Judo him into submission outside. Will also credit US Army Infantry Officer training, ROTC, JROTC and Jujitsu and Judo training. It is freaky it was a totally full restaurant after a concert that I attended and to see everyone including staff waiting tables frozen in place was freaky as they stayed frozen for at least two minutes I think. My companions followed me along but did not do anything leadership effect I figure this pre cell phone days.

@CliSwe 3 года назад

@@RedRocket4000 Couldn't agree more! Quite often, so-called 'brainy' people do the 'freeze' when confronted with a crisis. Whereas simple creatures like myself always seem to pick the right option. In a 30-year career in Law Enforcement, I've always responded positively and decisively in a crisis. But that wasn't the point I was making: The men of Anti-Aircraft Command during the Battle of Britain had failed physical, not intellectual, entry tests for the Army. One, for example, had no thumbs! They were a motley crew thrown together onto a steep learning curve. But they got it right fairly quickly - as I said, they were not lacking in intellect.

@mpersad 3 года назад

What a fascinating video about the last of the RAF's biplane fighters. Thanks Mark!

@philsosshep4834 3 года назад

I'm sure commando comic books did a gladiator story when I was a kid .

@shanemcdowall 3 года назад

War Picture Library did "The Vicious Circle" 1970 something. I have a copy because it featured New Zealand soldiers. Set in Greece 1941.

@paulmaul2186 3 года назад

It's amazing how far into the war they remained in production and how many were ultimately built. They were a great aircraft.

@myyou2b 3 года назад

Thank you, Dr. Felton, for your continually fascinating content.

@thefurthestmanfromhome1148 3 года назад

A fantastic video. As a Devonian, I had never heard about them flying protection duties on the dock yard. Your a ruddy legend Mark 😍

@MS-Fin1917 3 года назад

During the Winter war Swedish volunteers (Flygflottilj 19) were assigned to aerial defense of Finnish Lapland with significant contribution. They downed eight Soviet aircraft with their 12 Gladiators.

@yewisemountaingoat528 3 года назад

Eight downed Soviet aircraft doesn't sound like a "significant contribution" to me. And since they were 12 themselves... even less. Sounds like a marginal contribution.

@MS-Fin1917 3 года назад

@@yewisemountaingoat528 Sure it doesn't sound like a Battle of Britain, but we need to put things in proportion: In the beginning of the Winter was Finnish air force had 51 combat ready fighter planes. Every single one of them was needed in southern Finland, so the Flygflottilj 19 had the entire responsibility of air operations in northern Finland. For all enemy actions, their presence needed to be taken into account, and they also operated against ground forces with the Gladiators and five Hawker Hart light bombers, with quite fair results.

@andreassoderholm3870 3 года назад

We where about to send some B3's (Ju 86) but the winter war ended before we had time to send them.

@EliteValor1003 9 месяцев назад

Beautiful Aircraft. I may be in a small minority, but I love the Gloster Gladiators. I think they don't get enough love for what they accomplished.

@richardnixon1893 3 года назад

Keep up the excellent work Dr Felton!

@amg863 3 года назад

Nice to see you have 1.4m subscribers now. I like to think at least 5 of these people have discovered your channel through me. I mention in to people a lot on other videos when someone talks about history. Least we can do to pay you back for the all hours you put in for us

@justanotherviewer52 3 года назад

Thanks Mark. Once again, another small piece of history I did not know.

@TRHARTAmericanArtist 3 года назад

With its enclosed canopy, 0.303-inch machine guns , and three blade prop, it was an airplane in transition. Keep in mind that the development in aeronautics really made progress in leaps and bounds during the 1930's, and that the biplane construction had been successful for several years. Thanks again Dr. Felton for bringing this to our attention. I love this period of aviation transition, sort of like the paddlewheel steamers reluctant to give up their sails. : )

@RogueAce93 3 года назад

The Gladiator was a neat, nimble little bus. Also, glad you mentioned Pat Pattle; his story as the top Western Allied ace deserves to be more well-known.

@robindavis3667 2 года назад

Would be nice if Dr.Mark Felton did a video on Pat Pattle. A true unsung hero of the war.

@grumples1517 3 года назад

Awesome video! I always had a soft spot for the odd ball early war British aircraft like the Gladiator (and the Battle, Defiant, etc.).

@casinodelonge 3 года назад

I remember when you could see a Jet and Gladiators in actual combat! Of course there was Wolf, Rhino, Lightning and the others as well...

@ageingviking5587 3 года назад

Good stuff Mark .. Thank you.

@mrhamburger6936 3 года назад

It's amazing how fast airplanes progressed from the first World War to the end of second World War

@dmg4415 3 года назад

Just see 1914 to 1919, that was an enormous development. The 1939 to 1945 no bigger development just very high rate of improvement, until You start to look at Jet engines.

@genes.3285 3 года назад

Yes, the progression could have stopped long ago. Orwell's "1984" was based on the premise of weapons development stopping circa 1944.

@maximilianolimamoreira5002 3 года назад

@@genes.3285 if this happened, we would still be using bolt action rifles as the main weapons of choice.

@navyreviewer 3 года назад

@@maximilianolimamoreira5002 that is perhaps the best idea I've heard in a long time

@1964DAVODAVO 3 года назад

My dad was ground crew in Malta during the blockade ,He was an electrician and worked on the Gladiators and the Hurricanes when they arrived

@hollywheeler2925 3 года назад

You are a great teller of these stories and a great person please keep up the great work Mark !!!

@richwhitaker1506 3 года назад

Remarkable planes flown by remarkable pilots. Thank you for telling their tale.

@draganjagodic4056 3 года назад

Well, this is Mark Felton I like and whose documentaries I respect.

@susanbutler2498 3 года назад

The Gladiator.......By Name AND By Nature!!!!!

@orcinus6802 3 года назад

“Joey, do you like videos about Gladiators?”

@mrrandom1265 3 года назад

🤣🤣

@jaybee9269 3 года назад

Too funny…

@kirklenagh3095 3 года назад

Just made my day

@jcz232321 3 года назад

ROTFLMAO

@azizbekov6009 3 года назад

Thanks Mark, always loved that beautiful bird.

@derin111 3 года назад

Anyone else feel that sense of disappointment when they hear Mark say: “Thanks for watching….” and you know yet another episode has come to an end?

@vladvostok1723 3 года назад

FANTASTIC THAT ALL THE GLADIATORS ARE STILL FLYING IN 2021

@hikerbro3870 3 года назад

Excellent. May I suggest an episode on the Polish biplanes? On the whole they were no match for modern monoplanes, but the Germans seemed to have sorely underestimated them. If I recall correctly, according to one of my old Squadron books, some were even faster (on paper, at least) than some of the Luftwaffe planes. Thank you again!

@jeffpollard7304 3 года назад

Some good post war books, on brave Polish pilot exploits and their excellent contribution to the RAF!

@samsum3738 3 года назад

Last flew in 1953 , as a serving war plane . I was born in 1952 , it makes me feel quite old . But still , a very deadly fighter in the right hands .

@crispinjulius5032 3 года назад

“They gamely gave chase but couldn’t catch up to the bombers.” 🤣 Still got to hand it to the brave boys! For King and Country!

@bfmcarparts 3 года назад

As an RAF cadet in Norfolk in the latter part of WW2, my father recalls watching a Metrological (sp?) Service Gladiator take off each evening to gather readings at various elevations. He described the pilot's descent "like a leaf fluttering to the ground'.

@brianmoore1164 3 года назад

The stones required to fly your Gladiator into a fight with a 109 ,,, oh my

@robertmorey4104 2 года назад

Beautiful lines on the Glad. lovely to em fly again

@Kevin-mx1vi 3 года назад

I'd prefer to believe that the Heinkel exploded because Winkle *wanted* it to, and because no feat of flying seems to have been beyond that incredible man ! 😁

@oldfatbastad6053 3 года назад

it was suicide actually. "gott in himmel, its Vinkle"

@chrismaguire3667 3 года назад

In Spike Milligan's 6-part trilogy about his time in WW2, after his mob landed in North Africa, they were having some free time on a beach when a German airplane flew low overhead. Apparently, it didn't attack, but one of Spike' mates, one Pvt. Edgington, shook his fist at it and yelled "I hope you bloody well crash!". At that, the plane's engine stuttered and, to their astonishment, nosedived into the sea! You'd have to read Book 2, I think, to get the full story, but it's the only time (and, yeah, I know it's Spike's writing 😂) that the downing of an airplane from a soldier cursing it that I know of...

@wideyxyz2271 3 года назад

@@chrismaguire3667 One of my favourite Spike stories was when he was in the western desert in the dead of night crossing into no mans land laying a comms cable for a FOP with a very squeaky cable drum! Its hilarious!

@craigpennington1251 3 года назад

Another great and fascinating piece of history with fantastic footage. Big Thanks.

@davids9520 3 года назад

I wonder if they could have mounted rockets on the Gladiators? The slower moving gladiators could have fired rockets at enemy bombers. Or as ground support against infantry or tanks.

@CliSwe 3 года назад

I don't think the wings were strong enough. Unlike the sturdy naval Swordfish - which weighed nearly 1.5x the Gladiator's MTOW - it was enough to just get those 4x .303 Brownings into the air.

@RedRocket4000 3 года назад

Might have been effective vs 110's assuming the 110's engaged as it was slower it could not force a fight but bombers escorted by 110's as reported here the 110's might fight. The true obsolete part was they could not even catch the bombers only attack them on a pass. Like the Swordfish why even produce them in 37? Swordfish lucky that the Bizmark's firing computers did not have a setting for them and the night port attack a special case in that torpedo nets not use. Both cases of Swordfish success enemy incompetence. Otherwise the Swordfish range tiny and useless in the Pacific.

@Lajs657 3 года назад

Great video, professor Felton. Greetings from Brazil.

@hamhotpocket3788 3 года назад

Mark dropping a fresh one and notification bell is on it today! Hm gunna enjoy another video after some gardening.

@thunderstraw864 3 года назад

How old are you kid?

@robertlaube574 3 года назад

@@thunderstraw864 gardening is a great hobby not just enjoyed by elderly folks.

@thunderstraw864 3 года назад

@@robertlaube574 ok

@hamhotpocket3788 3 года назад

@@thunderstraw864 Old enough to own and upkeep my own garden. Making the assumption I'm a kid though speaks volumes of your character. Have a nice day.

@thunderstraw864 3 года назад

@@hamhotpocket3788 ok

@rodneywhitfield5754 3 года назад

Thank You Mark Felton!

@davidrpriest 3 года назад

Maverick, you have a ME 109 on your tail! No worries, I will throw on the brakes, he'll fly right past my Gladiator!

@tonihokkan9808 3 года назад

Devoted fan level starts when Mr. Felton makes an episode about my favourite British fighter plane.

@thr3aaid944 3 года назад

Forgotten by some and unheard of by most, except our dear Mark who is here to tell us all of tales we otherwise wouldn't have known Love these videos

@unclebob6728 3 года назад

Thank you Doctor F!

@logoseven3365 3 года назад

Read Pattles book. Really good Always thought they were metalized.

@thisisnev 3 года назад

Only the forward fuselage and landing gear.

@estobart 3 года назад

Do you mean 'Ace of Aces' by ECR Baker? I don't think Pat Pattle wrote a book, he was killed April 1941.

@logoseven3365 3 года назад

@@estobart I am so sorry, Bill ‘Cherry’ Vale. Pattle is mentioned. It’s been a while since I read the book.

@nickcollins843 3 года назад

Pattle was South African!

@Georgejoseph74 3 года назад

Txs for the video..have never heard about these brave brave pilots and these planes…

@geordiedog1749 3 года назад

The two waist 303’s fired much slower than those on the wing as they were synchronised with the prop so couldn’t cycle as quickly as wing mounted guns which could fire at 1150 rpm. SA pilots who were used to Gladiators in Africa and the Med found that when they switched to 8 gun Hurricanes their Italian opponents planes “melted” when they engaged them.