Gloucster Gladiator Mk1 Propellor

[Guest]

Building this aircraft and there is no info. in the instructions about the prop.


Ascertained that the two bladed fitted to the MK1 was wooden.


Unfortunately ,although there are lots, pictures are in black and white (ie grey) or restored aircraft in colour which seemed to show a replacement in metal painted black.


Has any one any idea if the hub was wooden or metal. Also was it painted in the case of a wooden one.


Laurie

[Ian M]

Simple answer: Yes LOL


I have seen photos of both wooden, unpainted and painted two bladed props. So take your reference photos and have a look...The wooden ones that are unpainted where laminated for strength so have the dark light stripe in them. some also might of had a "bandage" on the leading edge....


the whole prop was wood and carved in one bit. only the small spinner that hid the bolts was separate and more than likely painted metal.


It would look nice with a nice wooden prop.


What scale is your Gloster? the insanely small 1/72 one of one of the 1/48 ones...


Ian M

[Guest]

Gladiator blades were covered in fabric, then painted; black blades were pre-war, introduced, like camouflage, to stop reflections giving away their presence to enemies overhead. Laminations were possibly visible on the hub, but that's all, and, if you're painting the blades, why leave that little bit?


Edgar

[Guest]

Thanks to you both for that info.


Did a little more digging and found a wood prop with the laminations. Seems some did not have a spinner just a hub with the bolts visible.


My type is MK1 pre war in silver. So now a quandary.

insanely small 1/72

Yes I am mostly insane Ian and just about to go fully starting to night. Fixing rigging on a 1/72. This is the second the Walrus being the first.


Just a thought Edgar is that really you in that Iconic photo ?


Laurie

[flyjoe180]

Is that the Airfix old tool Laurie? K6142 the serial? It was delivered along with other Gladiators including K6143 which is shown pre-delivery below. I'd say that was a wooden propeller.


[ATTACH]104314.IPB[/ATTACH]



Also see:


http://raf-112-squadron.org/112_sqn_gladiators.html


http://www.3squadron.org.au/subpages/jackson2.htm


K6142 had quite the short career.

[Guest]

K 6142 Joe. Now that is interesting as that does not have a spinner as I had surmised.


The one supplied with the Airfix kit does. So a bit of improvisation (bodge) is required.


Whoops no3 squadron CO probably not happy and one of his crew must have had a very nasty headache.


Thanks Joe.


Laurie

[Robert1968]

Hi Laurie I'm doing the faith hope and charity case in 1/72 at the moment and not got as far as rigging them but I do recall from reference that the Gloster Sea gladiator ( mk2 ) used a metal propellor constant from the Bristol blenheim Mk1 as these faired better for the Mercury engine at better diving speeds ( not 100% sure on finish as my reference said it was in black metallic ?with usual yellow warning tips. Some gladiators did have a small nose cone on the propellor but not all and sea gladiators had them painted medium grey


To source props I bought two old blenheim matchbox kits that had the correct propellorsfor my Gladiators


Hope when I get round to finishing them I'll post on here

[Guest]

That is very interesting. Insane Robert as it is bad enough fitting the 25 rigging lines on one. Just to let you know that makes 75 to go on yours.


Collected some more info. Chap who worked on a museum Gladiator Mk1 RAF types has written that the props were painted Medium Sea Grey as you have commented on. Another reference to the blades being varnished. The two bladed prop is a Watts mostly used on the MK1 but they experimented with metal 3 bladed props.


On the spinner I read that they had spinners but they were not always fitted. On the yellow wing tips I have not seen a picture of a Mk1 with the Watts prop sporting the yellow tips. The photos Joe has published above does not have yellow tips. The 3 bladed prop is metal black with yellow wing tips.


I wonder if the varnished blades were for shows before the war period etc.


Also found that the rigging is in stainless steel. I had imagined it to be galvanised steel as stainless steel does not have the tensile strength of steel.


From the above for my MK1 props , varnish, painted spinner or no spinner.


Laurie

[Guest]

I'd say that was a wooden propeller.

From all that I have gleaned they are definitely wooden. Interesting as the White Book on The Gladiator, seems to be an authoritarian book, describes the prop as being painted on the front faces grey or brown. On the back side black which looking at your picture Joe supports that.


Laurie