Gloster Gladiator Mk.II, N5903, G-GLAD - The Fighter Collection

Imperial War Museum, Duxford 7 June 2023. The Fighter Collection's chief pilot, Pete Kynsey, takes Gloster Gladiator Mk.II, N5903, G-GLAD for a test flight, following its first flight in 6 years the day before. Engine problems had grounded the aircraft, on its way back from La Ferte Alais Airshow in France, in Summer 2017.
The purpose of this flight was to 'run in' a new set of piston rings that have been fitted to the Gladiator's Bristol Mercury Engine. Further 'test flights' were made on Tuesday 13 June and more are planned as necessary in order to get the aircraft ready for the airshow season and a planned appearance at Flying Legends Airshow at Leeds East Airport (formerly RAF Church Fenton) on 15 and 16 July.
Gladiator, N5903, was the last of 25 Mk.II aircraft built under Contract 773235/38 and delivered in 1939. It is believed that she briefly served with 141 Sqn in October 1939 at Grangemouth, west of Edinburgh, and was then allocated to the Air Ministry Development Pool as a flight trials platform in December 1939. Following this N5903 was placed in long-term storage with 27 Maintenance Unit at Shawbury in May 1940, until she moved on to 8 MU at Little Rissington in October 1943 and then subsequently to 61 Operational Training Unit at Rednal in November 1943.
N5903, along with her Shuttleworth sibling Mk.I L8032, was earmarked for meteorological survey work and returned to Gloster's at Hucclecote for conversion in January 1944. This conversion didn't happen as more modern types took on such duties instead and the two Gladiators remained unused at Hucclecote.
After the war in February 1946 famous wartime Ace and future test pilot, R. P. ‘Bee’ Beaumont, flew her on four occasions.
In 1950 the Gladiators were handed over to Air Service Training for ground instructional use with N5903 going to Ansty, near Leicester, and L8032 going to Hamble. When the Ansty School closed Viv Bellamy saw the pair on a visit to Hamble, and as an ex Fleet Air Arm Sea Gladiator pilot during the war he had an affinity with the type. He purchased both aircraft for £1 each.
He moved them to the nearby Eastleigh base of his air charter company, Flightway. It was here that the task of getting one of the Gladiators back into airworthy condition, unfortunately N5903 was chosen as the donor aircraft in favour of L8032, even giving up her Bristol Mercury VIII engine that had just eight hours logged since being installed.
N5903 was used for spares to support the successful rebuild of L8032, which flew again in 1952. N5903 remained hangared, until both aircraft were sold back to Gloster's for £50 and L8032 attended displays across the UK for the next few years. It is assumed N5903 accompanied L8032 when she was presented to the Shuttleworth Trust in 1960. In 1971, N5903 was loaned by the Shuttleworth Trust to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton. She was in a sad state when she arrived, with no engine, propeller, or spinner.
Following refurbishment work N5903 was placed on museum display in 1978 at Yeovilton in a spurious Fleet Air Arm colour scheme as Sea Gladiator N2276, complete with a dummy arrestor hook under the rear fuselage, wooden flaps and a glass-fibre spinner.
Following purchase from the Shuttleworth Collection the Gladiator joined The Fighter Collection fleet in 1994, arriving by road at Duxford from Yeovilton on December 1. By 2004 restoration of N5903 was progressing, following concerted efforts by the TFC Engineering Team and contracting out of the fuselage woodwork to Skysport Engineering. In 2006 the rebuilt wings were trial-fitted to the fuselage. 2007 saw the fabric work completed by Vintage Fabrics, who also applied the 72 Squadron colours worn today. 72 Squadron was the first frontline RAF squadron to be equipped with Gladiators at Hornchurch, Essex in March 1937. In addition to these markings N5903 also wears the blue fin and forward tailplanes of the personal aircraft of the ‘B’ Flight commander. By late 2007 the re-covered and painted wings were refitted permanently.
The first post restoration flight was on Thursday 10th July 2008, with TFC Chief Pilot Pete Kynsey. On Sunday 13 July N5903 taxied out and took off for a test flight during the Flying Legends Airshow.. Unfortunately due to a number of factors these were the only flights N5903 undertook and she was returned to the hangar. Over the next few years she underwent some minor work which culminated in another test flight on Wednesday 1st May, 2013. Since then N5903 became a popular performer at airshows, until an engine problem grounded her during summer 2017. She now flies once again.
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[@JohnAndrew-j4k]

What a beauty full and underrated aircraft.

[@scopex2749]

When I got to my first posting after completing my apprenticeship, I was in the tech WO's office one day and noticed a beautiful large oil painting of 2 of these superb little aircraft flying, behind his desk! I believe he served on them!

[@craigpennington1251]

Love these things. Those guys had stainless steel balls to go into battle in these crates. What an awesome dream to fly one or even get a ride. Very very nice. P.S. No matter what the situation, there seems to be another sound of something that always takes away from the subject shown on a flyby. I've noticed it on 90% of the videos I've watched. I guess we just have to live with it.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

Very nice to see this one flying again, I thought the flywheel would have slowed down before he engaged the starter there, but it started very well. Very many thanks for posting this privileged view Steve! Chris B.

[@HighFlight]

Thanks Chris, it was good to see, especially when it's been gracing the hangar and worked on for so long. Enjoy the sunshine. Steve.

[@453421abcdefg12345]

@@HighFlight Ha Ha! We have just had 4" of rain in 2 hours, but there is sun to come, stay dry! Chris B.

[@HighFlight]

@@453421abcdefg12345 At least it must be warm rain!🌦

[@453421abcdefg12345]

@@HighFlight Not sure what is going on at youtube H/Q, they have changed my title again? Ahh yes the rain is warm, and it makes lots of steam when it hits the ground. 35 degs now, so clothing is a problem! Chris B.

[@daniel-m]

C'est un véritable bonheur de pouvoir voir voler encore cet avion magnifique. Bravo à l'équipe de maintenance et de restauration !

[@davidobyrne9549]

My dad's favourite biplane. He joined the RAFVR in 1937 and had flown most of the Hawker biplanes before war broke out in late '39. Spending the first two years on Hurricanes, he then came to be seconded to a Met. Flt. based in Cyprus which used the Gloster Gladiator on daily missions up to 20,000 feet taking meterological readings on the climb and descent. These would then be used by the RAF Met Office to forecast the weather in the Eastern Meditteranean sphere of operations. He loved the 18 months there flying the Gladiators.

[@skyhigh1278]

The first enclosed cockpit UK fighter bi plane

[@richmorg8196]

I have a dycast model of a Mk2 Gloster Gladiator in camflage colours that has a three bladed propler unlike the Mk2 in the film that has a two bladed propeller. I understand that the Mk2 was fitted with a bigger and faster engine than the MK.1. And that the MK2 was first fitted with a two bladder propeller and then later fitted with a three bladed propeller when war broke out to make the plane faster and more efisant that enabled the Gladiator to out movnar and turn a tighter circle than some moner planes of its day evn though they were faster than the Gladiator. Like the Hurricane could turn a tight circle than the Spitfire that was faster. The Mk2 was also latter fitted with heaver calaber guns on the wing with the two 303 fitted on the body firing through the propeller.

[@jamesbartlett5640]

Good to see TFC Gloster Gladiator back in the air. As they fly it different to what Shuttleworth collection does.