WI: Gloster Gladiator Mk.II, the monoplane fighter

Errolwi

Monthly Donor
Wings can be as strong as you design them to be.
Wiley Post had Lockheed make a custom Vega for him in 1929

He wanted a strong wing for the loads his record breaking attempts would need
vega%20wing.jpg


4750 pounds of sandbags

Wow! Often these stunts aren't done with the wings upside down.
 
I like the idea of a Canadian-built Gladiator Mark X. It would be easy to tool-up because pre-War Canadian production was dominated by wooden wings and welded steel fuselages covered in fabric.

If (Canadian Car and Foundry’s) Michael Gregor got involved, he would sketch outer fuselage mold lines that eliminate much of the parasitic drag.
The Gladiator Mark X sounds a lot like the ATL Gregor Monoplane Fighter we discussed on the “Panic Fighter 1938” thread.
 
I don't see the Canadian built Mk.X in 1941 either. This is because IOTL 76 Hurricanes were built in Canada in 1940 and another 511 in 1941.

Also I'm not keen on the Australian built Mk XII. The first Boomerang was completed in August 1942. I think that ITTL the Australians would have been better off bringing it forward a year or two. The first Wirraway that the Boomerang was based on was completed in July 1939.
This assumes production of the Monoplane Gladiator would start in Canada at the same time as the Hurricane did, and would only be built in Australia as a emergency.

It's not inconceivable that with gloster going over to the Hurricane in 1939 the tooling could be sold off to the Dominions for them to produce their own aircraft at that time. Australia in particular has a need to counter the building Japanese threat. Actually in 1939 a monoplane Gladiator would be a good match for the best aircraft the Japanese have, and being built with secondhand tooling very affordable for Australia, and New Zealand.
 
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Further to my thoughts on Australian production. The M Gladiator, along with the Beauforts they built and the redundant Battles supplied to them as training aircraft would provide Australia with a viable home defence air force up until late 1941.
 
Perhaps some experience in building their own fighters. Australia probably doesn't feel abandoned by Britain here.
 

Driftless

Donor
Further to my thoughts on Australian production. The M Gladiator, along with the Beauforts they built and the redundant Battles supplied to them as training aircraft would provide Australia with a viable home defence air force up until late 1941.

What kind of unique preparation was needed for planes and their engines stationed on non-paved airfields across northern Australia?
 
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