Without demising the Gladiator I think its fair to say that the Fiat was more modern, faster and just a better plane overall than the elderly Gladiator. And one thing that's generally forgotten is that the RA never had in mind that the Fiat would be its frontline fighter, it was an interim fighter until the G.50, Re.2000 and the C.200 became
The Gladiator was developed from the Gloster Gauntlet. It first flew in 1934 and entered service in 1937. Even as it was introduced, the design was being eclipsed by the new generation of monoplane fighters. In the North African and Greek theatres, RAF Gladiators achieved some success against the Italian Regia Aeronautica, which was mainly
The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) was officially formed by the Kuomintang (KMT) after the establishment of the Aviation Ministry in 1920. As tensions mounted between China and Imperial Japan in the 1930s, air units from the Chinese warlords, including those from the Guangdong Provincial Air Force, and overseas Chinese aviators, became integrated into the centralized command of the ROCAF
Gustavsson and Slongo's Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces 90) and Andrew Thomas' Gloster Gladiator Aces (Aircraft of the Aces 44) feature details of additional users and operations. Note, for instance, that Belgium flew both types – and that Finland almost did!
Fiat CR.42 Falco Militair Vliegwezen-Aéronautique Militaire (Belgian Air Force 1925-1940) 3 Esc. Red Cocotte, II Groupe, 2 Rég. d'Aéro R-1 April 1940 - Nivelles; 3 Esc. Red Cocotte, II Groupe, 2 Rég. d'Aéro R-17 May 1940 - Nivelles; 4 Esc., II Groupe, 2 Rég. d'Aéro R-5 April 1940 - Nivelles. Gloster Gladiator Gloster Gladiator Mk.I
FIGHTER. Virtual Aircraft Museum / Italy / Fiat. Often compared in concept and design with the Gloster Gladiator, against which it frequently fought in 1940-1, the Fiat CR.42 Falco (falcon) biplane did not first fly until 1939, however, and such an anachronism is difficult to understand. Employing the same Warren truss system of interplane
Squadron Leader P H "Paddy" Dunn, the Commanding Officer of No. 80 Squadron RAF, sitting in the cockpit of his Gloster Gladiator at Sidi Barrani, Egypt, a few days after leading 'B' and 'C' Flights in a major engagement with Italian fighters over Bir el Gobi, Libya, on 8 August 1940, in which they claimed nine Fiat CR.42s shot down for the loss of two Gladiators.
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fiat cr 42 vs gloster gladiator
