Test rigged with wings installed

A founder member of the RAF Museum when it opened in September 1972 and seen here just over a year later. The aircraft was bombed by the Luftwaffe on April 24, 1940 on Lesjaskogsvatn in Norway, a frozen lake where it and others had landed. The fuselage was recovered in August 1970. Current in 2022.

A founder member of the RAF Museum when it opened in September 1972 and seen here just over a year later. Allocated maintenance serial 8372M. To RAFM, Cosford November 2016. Current in 2022.

Later displayed at Yeovilton painted as Sea Gladiator N2276, and moved to Duxford on 1 December 1994. It was registered as G-GLAD on 5 January 1995 and was restored to flying condition over many years, taking its first post-restoration flight on 10 July 2008.

British flying instructors posing in front of Gladiator fighters transferred to Egypt. The middle aircraft can just be read off as L9041 on the fuselage and underwing. This is an Egyptian serial and according to one source this is ex N5886. Photo by: Margaret Bourke-White / Life

Ex N5903. Previously displayed at the FAAM at Yeovilton as Sea Gladiator N2276, and moved to Duxford on 1 December 1994. It was registered as G-GLAD on 5 January 1995 and was restored to flying condition over many years, taking its first post-restoration flight on 10 July 2008.

Standing inside the hangar at Duxford, this Gladiator flew in 2008 after lengthy restoration. Last of the 25 Gladiator Mk.IIs built under Contract 773235/38, the aircraft was probably delivered to No. 141 Sqn. at RAF Grangemouth in 1939. Transferred into storage and onto 61 OTU in 1943, it was to be converted for meteorological survey work in 1944. Sold postwar to different owners, it was bought by The Fighter Collection and restored with a 'swift volant' on the blue tail as a No. 72 Sqn. Gladiator flown by the 'B' Flight commander.

Following the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, 263 Sqn was sent to Norway on HMS Glorious and landed southwest of Trondheim. It was a cold spring and the the RAF used the frozen Lake Lesjaskog to operate from. However the frozen surface thawed during the day, and disregarding advice from the Norwegian liaison officer, the RAF left the aircraft unattended overnight and when the Luftwaffe He 111s attacked in the early morning, the Gladiators were frozen into the ice and most of 263 Sqd was obliterated. The remains of the aircraft were sold to a local scrap merchant. N5641 was dismantled and placed in a shed where it remained until the mid-1970s when it was moved to Rygge for restoration. It is now on display in Bodø.

Owned by The Fighter Collection Duxford, currently dismantled for restoration Duxford Hangar II

On display at RAF Museum Hendon. This Gladiator was taken on charge in Aug. 1937. It served briefly at Boscombe Down in 1941 to test a pair of additional 0.303 in. guns fitted under the top wing. The aircraft was used as a trainer with No. 5 (P) Advanced Flying Unit in 1942. It was struck off charge in March 1948.