Roden 401 Gloster Gladiator Mk.II 1:48

At the time of the Battle of Britain, 247 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was the only unit equipped with the Gladiator Mk.II; pilots flying the type managed to score several victories. The most notable campaigns in which the Gladiator Mk.II took part were the Battle for Norway and the South-African Campaign. Numerous victories over enemy planes proved that when piloted by an experienced pilot, the Mk.II could be a deadly weapon.

Another important part of the Gladiator Mk.II's fighting career was the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. The Swedish volunteer squadron that arrived in Finland with their own Gladiators (the Swedish export version of the Gladiator was known as the J8) fought on the Finnish side along with the pilots of the Finnish Air Force. The Swedes managed to shoot down at least 10 Soviet planes. The most successful Finnish ace Oiva Tuominenn scored 4 victories flying the Gladiator Mk.II.

To secure take-off and landing in snowy regions most Finnish and Swedish fighters were equipped with skis.

The Finnish Gladiator Mk.II fought on the front line the longest, until the middle of 1943. In North Africa the Gladiator Mk.II served until the end of 1942. Other Mk.IIs were used as messenger and weather reconnaissance planes until 1944.