Gloster Gladiator....useful or Useless?

[bronzewhaler82]

Not til the fat lady sings chump...and thankfully we don't have a smiley for that yet! just cos C.C and Lanc have invaded and filled this forum with their spam doesn't mean its worn out - besides you called yourself a gladiator fan so why don't you put something in? or are you too busy with your new fav plane the Ju88? (no i'm not jealous! )

[bronzewhaler82]

And this is your friendly neighbourhood Moderator kindly requesting that the spam takes a break for a while and we get back on topic.....

Would biplanes still have had a place during the later years of WW2 if they had had a more powerful engine and better weapons?

It seems to me alot of Biplanes (I'll use the Gladiator as an example cos its my fav biplane and its appropriate to this thread )
could've been put to better use if they had had a better top speed than about 250mph and had more than a few machine guns for armament

You design some kind of Biplane with cannons fixed (i doubt the wings could take the stress so it would have to be in some sort of reinforced fusealage) and a top speed of about 320mph coupled with the turning circle and general manouvorability of a biplane (which IMO is better than a monoplane) then you might have a lethal combination...opinions? (constructive ones please )

[Rell]

Would biplanes still have had a place during the later years of WW2 if they had had a more powerful engine and better weapons?

Surely thats a bit like saying 'would vinal records be of more use today if they had better sound quality and didnt break apart'

The point is something better came along (CD's) and although records have their uses they have been outclassed.

[bronzewhaler82]

Originally Posted by Rell

Surely thats a bit like saying 'would vinal records be of more use today if they had better sound quality and didnt break apart'

The point is something better came along (CD's) and although records have their uses they have been outclassed.

Not quite the same - Vinal records were replaced by cassete tapes before Cds...

but i do see the point you are trying to make but the biplanes were still useful in later years but just small details kept them down (poor weapons, speed and armour) planes can be improved - a biplane has EXCELLENT manouvorability - the kind you can only get with 2 wings so i was just saying maybe they could've been used more effectively? bring back the triplanes I say!!

[cheddar cheese]

bring back the triplanes I say

and me

[jj1982]

I have to agree with rell....The aircraft today has evolutionised (If it is such a word) from the old classics that we talk about in here. To say that a triplane would be of use in nowadays i personally think is a ridiculous statement. Of course they would be of no use...unless, they had better arnaments, more speed etc....but then you keep perfecting and you end up with modern day aircraft (which is of course improving all the time).

[cheddar cheese]

good point...... i still want them back though

[bronzewhaler82]

Originally Posted by jj1982

I have to agree with rell....The aircraft today has evolutionised (If it is such a word) from the old classics that we talk about in here. To say that a triplane would be of use in nowadays i personally think is a ridiculous statement. Of course they would be of no use...unless, they had better arnaments, more speed etc....but then you keep perfecting and you end up with modern day aircraft (which is of course improving all the time).

I actually said - biplanes in the late years of WW2 - not these days!

[the lancaster kicks ass]

you know i think that everything has to accept defeat and move aside gracefully when something better comes along, i mean if biplanes werwe so god would they have been replaced in the first case?

[bronzewhaler82]

I'm not sure exactly - mainly down to science i think - a stressed fabric skin was needed for biplane use because it was light BUT was crap in terms of armament

A machine gun or cannon could punch through it no problem - but if you made the wings out of a heavier, better armoured material (such as steel) the weight would have a detrimental effect on the planes performance because remember the upper wing is largely supported by the lower wing. basically in english: it would screw up the planes manouvorability and at high speeds-i.e when diving to escape someone - the wings might break off - which is obviously not a good thing

plus huge steel wings would slow the plane down meaning it would have to have a bigger engine..now thats when i run out of steam..why couldn't a bigger better engine be built onto the biplane...i must say i suspect its again down to weight etc - a fabric built aircraft supported by a light steel and wooden frame could only support so much weight and a larger engine may have been too much - i'm willing to admit I could be complately wrong about this so if anyone knows otherwsie please feel free to shoot me down - cheers!

[cheddar cheese]

can i shoot you anyway?

[bronzewhaler82]

I'd rather you didn't old bean

[cheddar cheese]

oh well ill get you in a dogfight between biplanes then i get first dibs on the gladiator

[R Pope]

The Gladiator and other bipes were great in a point defense situation like Malta where the bad guys came to them, but no good in a long range escort mission. The problem with speeds over about 275 mph with two wings is "biplane interference" where the low pressure area above the bottom wing impinges on the underside of the top wing,increasing the drag and losing lift.

[bronzewhaler82]

Yes, its true that they weren't very useful for escort duties but they were quite effective as roaming scouts looking for targets (as in the Gladiators in Norway in April 1940) as you say they had their uses and when they were used - more often than not they performed excellently...

And C.C - as for your challenge...

I'll fly the Tiger Moth and spray you with 'Paris Green' as you pass me in the Glad!