Flying the Gloster Gladiator: cockpit view from inside a RAF biplane fighter

Gloster Gladiator flying in formation with a Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc, Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib, and Westland Lysander at The Shuttleworth Around the World Air Show 2023.
For details of upcoming events: www.shuttleworth.org/events/

[@johncrispin2118]

Fabulous aeroplane thanks for keeping it in its element.

[@grahamy3400]

Always a favourite of mine.

[@tonytheantony]

Amazing footage!...I need to visit Shuttleworth!👍🙂

[@manmonkee]

Actually the visibility from the cockpit is a LOT better than I imagined it'd be. I always wondered what an Inline engine on the Gladiator would have resulted in. The Italians installed one on a single CR-42 and the performance hike nearly put it up with Monoplanes of the time.

[@wiskadjak]

I imported a fairly accurate model of this aircraft into CFS 2. Seems to have the same buttery smooth handling of the original. I follow the advice of your Gladiator pilot regarding takeoff and landing. Failure to do so often ends in a spectacular crash. When flown in simulated combat visibility and maneuverability are very good. In a dogfight none of the high performance aircraft in the game can touch it and I'm just an armchair pilot.

[@MonostripeZebra]

Amazing perspectives!

[@philbosworth3789]

They look like beautiful flying conditions. In a scenario like that I'd be glad the accompanying aircraft were friendlies, not 109's or 190's. Might have a chance against the Lysander. Great video

[@ifax1245]

Faith, Hope and Charity would disagree...

[@philbosworth3789]

@@ifax1245 Probably, but I'd rather not chance things to a wing and a prayer, cos F, H & C didn't win the war in Malta, more advanced aircraft did.

[@matheusmoreiraleaodesouzam6124]

Plane of Claudia Bruford from Senyoku No Sigrdtifa.

[@trevuser2007]

Awesome video folks, lets have lots more (:+}

[@stuartmiddleton1972]

Love the Gladiator but would like to know - does the bi plane design compromise the pilots situational awareness? Watching this it seems like quite a lot of sky is blanked out? Thanks for any come its on this,

[@ShuttleworthCollection_OW]

Thank you for your question, our pilot says: Yes, it can especially when compared to low wing monoplanes but, for a fighting machine, this can be mitigated to a large extent by placing the upper wing at or close to eye level thereby greatly reducing the blind spot and allowing the pilot to move his head to see above and below the upper wing. Good examples of this are Bristol F2B, Albatros DVa, Sopwith Snipe etc. A bad example is the Sopwith Pup/Camel with a wide cord wing above the pilot's head giving a large blind spot. The Gladiator's upper wing placement isn't too bad in this respect. For a civil aircraft, not having to engage in air combat, the view immediately ahead is more important therefore having the wing well clear above the pilot’s head makes more sense.

[@aleccrombie7923]

Thank you for pointing out the various top wing positions. As a non pilot I would not have noticed myself.