I never thought I would do it, but the next plan is a WWII fighter. No, it's NOT a P-51! It has two wings and a round engine, what else! The Gloster Gladiator is one of my favorites. I like the way the landing gear struts were faried into the wheels. A head on view looks neat. The Gladiator model is a big plane... it is 69 inches from the tip of the rudder to the tip of the spinner. Wing span is 79 inches, totalling 2,078 square inches and target weight is 22 pounds.

The Gladiator is by Doctor Jim Pepino of 3209 Madison Avenue, Greensboro, NC. He calls his business: Scale Plans and Photo Service, and he will enlarge your favorite with his walk in camera up to 3 feet by 9 feet, at a cost far less than you would think, Jim also sent some sample photo packets for me to examine, and the quality is very good. Contact Jim at the above address. He also publishes a catalogue of plans and photo packets he sells, so it might be a good idea to send for the catalogue.

At 22 pounds, wing loading is slightly less than 24 1/2 ounces. Jim suggests the new 50cc Quadra for power and this should make it a very good performer. The fuselage is built on a crutch system, with a quarter by half centerline crutch and the forward part of the fuselage has plywood formers and is covered with balsa sheet back to the cockpit headrest.

Rear fuselage is constructed of balsa formers and stingers. Empennage is built up of balsa and hardwood. Engine mount area is very well beefed up. I say engine as opposed to motor because to me a motor is electric, and a taildragger has a tailskid. if it has a tailwheel, it is conventionally geared. Anyway, back to the "Gladiator". There are so many airplanes that turn me on, I don't have any room for girls. Nobody told me old age would do this to me.

The Cabane struts are from 1/8th inch wire and area very securely anchored and braced. The landing gear is from 1/4 inch music wire, and by George, there is a very well engineered shock system built in, with details on the plans. All right! There are all sorts of small isometric drawings on the plans and lots of construction notes and drawings, and some very good, unique construction ideas.

Wings are constructed of balsa and ply, and appear to built as a single unit, that is the top and bottom wing. Spars are beam type and there are two false ribs between each full rib. This airplane has split flaps on both top and bottom wing, which I never knew, but it is scale, Interplane struts are from quarter by half Sitka Spruce and the strut attachment and flying and landing wire fittings are shown. There is a third plan sheet which has the templates for the formers and all struts on it plus a cut-a-way drawing for the full size ship plus a three-view drawing. With all the information on these three sheets, building the ship would be a labor of love. As a modeler from way back, and a re-viewer, I certainly appreciate all the specs on the plans. Not too many of you do that. Then I have to get my tape and calculator out and guesstimate your drawings.