Once again, the folks at Mushroom Models Publications have provided us with what amounts to a tome, this time the initial volume on a favorite of many, the Gloster Gladiator. This is one of those British fighters that was the end of the line for a type. In this case, the biplane. Developed from the very popular and similar Gauntlet, the Gladiator was about as modern as it could get with an enclosed cockpit and four machine guns. It entered service just before the Spitfire and about the same time as the Hurricane. It was well received by those who flew it and went on to be the main type for many RAF units. It also served with the FAA and a number of foreign countries.

Being developed and available at a time of great tension in the world, it was not unusual that there would be a demand for the type. With Germany re-arming and war seemingly inevitable, many nations were scrambling to bolster their defenses. Many looked to the Gladiator to help do that. When war came, the Gladiator was to be found on all fronts from Norway to North Africa where it put up a gallant defense against generally more modern aircraft. It was the Mediterranean where it was the most effective as the Italians were not quite a well equipped as were the Germans. The type soldiered on throughout the war in second line units, being the main type for many Meteorological Flights.

Mushroom Models tells the full story of the development of the Gladiator and the different variants that were developed. This volume also covers the many nations that used the type from Belgium to Sweden and many in between.