ICM Gloster Gladiator

[mozart]

And here's one being restored by RetroTrack and Air in Gloucestershire:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was lucky enough to be given a tour of his workshop (and tea and cakes (homemade by Peter's wife)) by the owner in 2015.  I don't know how far the restoration has progressed though it's up for sale should you have the funds!  This is the history of the ill-fated N5719:

 

Date:22-MAY-1940

Time:10:30 LT

Type:Gloster Gladiator Mk II

Owner/operator:263 (Fellowship of the Bellows) Squadron Royal Air Force (263 (Fellowship of the Bellows) Sqn RAF)

Registration:N5719

C/n / msn:HE-P

Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1

Other fatalities:0

Aircraft damage:Written off (damaged beyond repair)

Location:Høgfjellet at Sjøvegan, Salangen Municipality, Troms county -    Norway

Phase:Combat

Nature:Military

Departure airport:Bardufoss, Norway

Destination airport:

Narrative:
Gloster Gladiator Mk.II N5719 (HE-P): Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from a combat air patrol over Norway. Pilot killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/599): "Gladiator N5719 crashed into a mountain in Norway, 22 May 1940. Pilot Officer M A Craig-Adams: report of death" 

According to unofficial published sources:  

"Michael Alexander Craig-Adams was from Epsom, Surrey. He served in 263 Squadron on both Norwegian expeditions. 

Early in the morning on 26 April, two Gladiators were quickly readied for flight from Lake Lesjaskog and took off on patrol. No sooner were they in the air than the engine of Pilot Officer Craig-Adams’ Gladiator (N5647) suffered a piston rod seizure and he baled out safely. N5647 crashed at Litjdalen, Sunndalsøra. The wreckage has been recovered and the serial number was found on the aircraft. 

263 Squadron suffered heavily losses and was soon withdrawn back to Great Britain to be re-equipped. On 21 May 1940, the squadron again landed in Norway. This time at Bardufoss in northern Norway after having flown off from the carrier HMS Furious. 

On 22 May, the Gladiators undertook more than 30 sorties. At 10:25 eight He 111s of II/KG 26, escorted by two Bf 110s, were sent out on a armed reconnaissance and sank the anti-submarine trawler HMS Melbourne in Gratangsbotn.  

Pilot Officer Craig-Adams in N5719 reportedly attacked a He 111 east of Salangen. Those on the ground heard machine-ground fire, and then both aircraft crashed, all four members of the German crew baling out. Craig-Adams was reportedly found still strapped in his cockpit, dead, only a few yards from the wreckage of the Heinkel in the mountains. It was presumed that he collided, or deliberately rammed the bomber.  

The loss of a He 111 to fighters can’t be verified with German records. However, Luftwaffe records noted a claim for one British fighter shot down in combat, so he may well have been in combat with one bomber. 4./KG 26 lost He 111H-3 1H+OM (Wk.nr. 2520) (Unteroffizir August Riehle (pilot), Feldwebel Karl Heinz Hess (observer), Obergefreiter Josef Kopitz (radio operator) and Rudolf Entrich (air gunner)), which according to the crew was shot down by AA and crashed at Skavlikollen, Salangen.  

Unteroffizier Riehle has later retold Norwegian aviation historians that during the day he flew as no. 2 in a “Rotte” bound for attacking British naval units “north” of Narvik. When approaching for the attack they flew low along a steep mountain wall, against which AA fire ricocheted. He had been wounded in his left hand three weeks previously and to help him flying his observer (Feldwebel Hess) helped him with the throttle and trim! After dropping the bombs, the left engine was hit and started burning. They managed to get the fire under control and flew over hilly terrain and believed that they could return to Trondheim on one engine. However, the observer who was about to correct the rudder trim over-corrected and the aircraft turned almost 90 degrees, which Riehel almost not managed to correct and they crash-landed. Riehle was wounded in the head and back but the other three in the crew were unharmed. They started off towards Sweden on foot but after four days, almost in Sweden, they were captured by Norwegian soldiers and taken POWs. They were shipped first to England and later were Riehle and Hess shipped to Canada, both returning to Germany after the war. Riehle was still living in Germany in the 1980s. A second bomber crashed on return to Vaernes with 45% damage.  

Craig-Adams aircraft (identified by serial number found on the wreckage) crashed on Høgfjellet at Sjøvegan. It has now been recovered. No wreckage of any Heinkel has ever been found on or near the site of Craig-Adams' crashed Gladiator. Craig-Adams was buried at Narvik’s New Cemetery." 

Remains of this Gladiator were recovered in 1999 and N5719 is under restoration by Retro Track and Air at Cam in Gloucestershire, with the plan to get the Gladiator flying again. to this end, the UK civil registration G-CBHO was allocated on 11 December 2001 

The reported crash location of Hogfjellet at Sjøvegan, which is the administrative centre of Salangen Municipality in Troms county, Norway at approximate Coordinates: 68°52′25″N 17°50′49″E 

Crew of Gladiator N5719: 
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Michael A. Craig-Adams, RAF 41672, killed in action 22/05/1940, buried at Narvik New Cemetery, Narvik, Norway 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by mozart

[Trak-Tor]

While browsing the web, I've stumbled upon this:

 

 

It's not one their site yet. Still it looks nice.

 

Juraj

 

 

[Out2gtcha]

Seems a very logical follow on to their Mk II!   Cant wait till the Mk II gets to US shores. Thanks for sharing

[Kagemusha]

It's available to pre-order at Hannants, due late may. The second decal sheet from ICM is also available.

[mozart]

I've mentioned elsewhere that my brother-in-law's father flew Hellcats with 1844 Squadron (Fleet Air Arm) during the latter stages of the war in the Pacific.  I've never seen his logbook (it's with a daughter down in Cornwall) however I've recently been sent a few extracts including this fascinating page:

 

 

I would imagine the (Sea) Gladiator was a "fun experience" flight, can't think it actually figured in his training.

Edited May 6, 2020 by mozart

[Troy Molitor]

I certainly love the Gladiator,  however this latest ICM box top painting seems a bit off to me?   The Sea Glady is my favorite and usually portrayed is purposeful, robust and legionary defending the skies over Malta.   The box top painting ( to me anyway ) seems off a bit somehow.  Maybe the pilot staring at the artist moments after flaming a Falco is doing it?  

 

Will it keep me from purchasing this kit? Absolutely not.  I’m looking forward to this one.   For sure.

[Trak-Tor]

www.icm.com.ua/news - New kit in May!

 

Gloster Sea Gladiator Mk.II , WWII British Naval Fighter
MODEL KIT No 32042

 

 

 

 

Juraj

[Trak-Tor]

www.facebook.com/ICM.Models

 

Real sprue photo:

 

 

 

Juraj

[DrDave]

That’s good. The sea gladiator has all the parts from every release.

[Out2gtcha]

4 minutes ago, DrDave said:

That’s good. The sea gladiator has all the parts from every release.

 

 

Indeed. If that being the case, one could just get the Sea Gladdy release and have the ability to build any of the 3 variants. The only obstacle would be decals. However, having a Silhouette cutter, I plan on making my own scheme via the cutter anyway. 

[DrDave]

Exactly. Sadly the ICM decals are thin and grabby.

[Out2gtcha]

12 minutes ago, DrDave said:

Exactly. Sadly the ICM decals are thin and grabby.

 

 

Im thinking ICMs superior engineering will make up for the so-so decals (I hope).    Having watched the current build of the Roden Stearman, it seems like their engineering is not quite on part with what I've seen from recent ICM releases, but that will remain to be seen. 

[mozart]

I wonder if the Mk1 price will drop slightly? I intend getting one to convert to a Gauntlet at some point. 

[iang]

I 'm looking forward to this release.

One small point to note, however, is that it is not possible to build the first  two options  -  804 Squadron N2272:G  and 804:H, which incidentally is N2276 and the usual aircraft of Lt Carver RN - without modifying what's in the box slightly. N22xx serial aircraft are Sea Gladiator (interim). The key external distinguishing feature is the presence of an external arrestor hook, not a recessed hook as seen on N55xx serial aircraft. 

 

You can see the external hook on the well known photo of N2272, with S/Lt Sleigh in the cockpit:

 

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by iang

[scvrobeson]

Somebody much smarter than me might know this.  The Finnish Gladiators that we've seen in the olive/silver scheme, was the olive camouflage painted over the silver, or was the silver put over the olive/blue paint job?



Matt