Difference between revisions of "Tuck's Gladiator Mk II"

From War Thunder Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Visual (beta)Wikitext
(Created page with "{{Specs-Card|code=gladiator_mk2_tuck}} == Description == ''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircra...")
 
(→‎In-game description: Reformatted)
 
(26 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
{{Specs-Card|code=gladiator_mk2_tuck}}
+
{{About
 +
| about = premium British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| usage = other versions
 +
| link = Gladiator (Family)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=gladiator_mk2_tuck
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.31]]. The plane is painted with the camouflage scheme of British pilot Robert S. Tuck who served in the RAF with No.65 Squadron during the interwar period.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
−
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
−
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, maneuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!--''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''-->
 +
 
 +
Tuck's Gladiator Mk II performs identically to the regular [[Gladiator Mk II]]. This means it has good speed an acceleration for a biplane, and like most other biplanes is far better at turning than the monoplanes it faces; it is also one of a limited number of biplanes with flaps, which are hard to break off and can be used to further improve turning performance.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 +
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 4,420 m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 +
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 +
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
 +
|-
 +
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 +
|-
 +
! Stock
 +
| 399 || 386 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 16.7 || 17.7 || 13.0 || 13.0 || rowspan="2" | 232
 +
|-
 +
! Upgraded
 +
| 431 || 414 || 15.3 || 16.0 || 18.8 || 15.7
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Details ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | Features
 +
|-
 +
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
 +
|-
 +
| X || ✓ || ✓ || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | Limits
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
 +
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 +
|-
 +
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 +
|-
 +
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 469 || 320 || ~11 || ~5
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 +
|-
 +
| < 240 || < 180 || < 330 || > 190
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
 +
|-
 +
! Optimal altitude
 +
! 100% Engine power
 +
! WEP Engine power
 +
|-
 +
| 4,100 m || 810 hp || 850 hp
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 +
 
 +
The Gladiator is extremely weak and vulnerable to enemy fire. It does not sport any armour protection, and thus the critical components (engine, pilot, fuel tanks, etc) are unprotected, even from low-calibre machine guns
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 +
=== Offensive armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|Browning (7.7 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 +
 
 +
* 2 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, fuselage-mounted (600 rpg = 1,200 total)
 +
* 2 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
 
 +
Try to avoid enemy monoplanes if you are at an altitude disadvantage since you will bleed a lot of speed in combat. Instead, begin climbing up to 2,000 - 3,500 m and only attempt to assault enemy aircraft when they are flying below you and are alone. Another reason to fly high is the engine temperature. When diving, turn your engine off ('I' key by default) which will not only prevent the engine over-revving, but also cool your engine rapidly and fly silently, making the enemy unaware of your presence.
 +
 
 +
'''Simulator:'''
 +
 
 +
The Gladiator is a lovely plane to learn with in Sim. It can be used in turnfighting and bomber interception. Like in AB and RB, it is excellent in turning tightly and continuously, and it has lovely low-speed handling and low stall speeds, making it a great starter plane for Sim. Also it has a decent reflector sight for an early biplane, unlike other early planes with those awful telescope-like sight, which is an advantage in all engagements. However it does have its drawbacks: the rather big nose blocks the visibility a lot, offering very poor over-the-nose visibility which is a disadvantage in a turn fight, because when leading a shot the enemy will always get obstructed by the engine, making the player guess the shot. Also its upper wings and various frames and strings between the wings will get in the way when you look aside.
 +
 
 +
Note: it is recommended to set the convergence within 300 m, with vertical convergence on, because the majority of turnfights happen at that range or closer.
 +
 
 +
Before engaging a fight, it is better to have an altitude advantage first. When approaching the fight try to figure out which is your teammate and which is the enemy, to avoid going for a second pass, as the energy retention of the Gladiator is rather slow. Also pick your target carefully. For easier aiming, you want to go for those unmanoeuvrable twin engine aircraft like [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]] or [[Ki-45 (Family)|Ki-45]], or bombers if there are any. Given the bad forward visibility of the Gladiator, these are the best options as they are quite slow and sluggish, and are a bigger target to hit. However getting hits on them doesn't mean good damage, so you must be patient. When dealing with fighters, it is way harder to aim. The elevator control of the Gladiator is quite sensitive, giving it good manoeuvrability, but at the same time, bad handling. The Gladiator will respond in a very fast turn upon moving your stick/mouse by a little bit, which makes tracking nimble planes quite hard. But once you get used to it, try to lure every enemy into a turnfight, as that is where the Gladiator shines. Quite a bit of bullets are required to effectively damage the enemy so you must be patient. If you find an enemy at your six, utilise your great turning ability and simply do tight turns, most monoplanes won't be able to cut inside your turn and they might disengage. However with biplanes you will need some defensive manoeuvres like barrel rolls.
 +
 
 +
If you are not very experienced in Sim, you can also go for even bigger targets (bombers) for easier aiming. However you want to be more careful when hunting bombers, since with the Sim control (whether it be mouse joystick or a real stick) the plane will manoeuvre much more gently, making itself a great target for the bomber's gunners. DO NOT follow behind a bomber's six unless you are sure that its tail gunners are unconscious. Chasing behind a bomber makes yourself stationary for the tail gunners, and you will be showered with bullets. Your big radial engine will usually get damaged. Instead, before attacking, get an altitude advantage over the bomber by flying around 2 km above it. The bomber should only fill up about 1/6 of your gunsight. The best position for an attack is at the bomber's high six so you can adjust the lead much easier. Dive at the bomber, but not directly at it, try to predict where you two will crash by imagining yourself as a missile, that's where you should aim at (deflection shooting). To maximise the damage it is better to aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up quite some bullets. Only fire when the bomber passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything, but with a accurate burst on the engine the 4 MG can at least damage it. With an engine damaged most bombers cannot go far.
 +
 
 +
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
  
−
== Weaponry ==
+
[[Ki-27 otsu|Ki-27]], [[N1K1]], [[He 51 (Family)|He 51]], [[I-15 (Family)|I-15]], etc. - Those commonly seen planes are equally good at turnfights and will be a hard target to down since they are very small and agile. To deal with them you need to practice leading and deflection shots, plus manoeuvres like barrel rolls and scissors. They still need plenty of bullets to get damaged, so these kind of targets are the hardest to kill and requires great skills from the player. Specific notes to the I-15: do not try to out-turn it. Use the Gladiator's speed advantage over it.
−
=== Offensive weaponry ===
 
−
''Describe the offensive weaponry of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''
 
  
−
=== Suspended weaponry ===
+
[[Do 17 Z-2]]  This early twin engine plane always shows up as an AI controlled recon aircraft that you have to down, which is a good news as AI won't manoeuvre aggressively. However this plane is extremely durable for the Gladiator's weak MGs. When it shows up as an AI, deflection shots are not recommended as the small shooting windows really does nothing. Instead, try disabling its 2 gunners first, then just sit behind it and burst on its wings and engines. When attacking the gunners try to not get your engine damaged by pulling evasive manoeuvres as soon as the bullets come close, since the Do 17 might outrun the Gladiator in a level flight if your engine is damaged.
−
''Describe the aircraft's suspended weapons: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
=== Defensive weaponry ===
+
[[He 100 D-1|He 100]], [[Bf 109 E-1|Bf 109 E]], [[He 112 (Family)|He 112]] - These early monoplanes might not be able to out-turn the Gladiator, but they can easily outrun it as the Gladiator is rather slow. These fighters will usually BnZ you, so you must constantly look above and behind you. If they are diving on you, use your roll rate and dodge under their negative G areas. Most players will try to follow up, if not immediately losing track of you. Several dodges might make them impatient and give up BnZ, and if they really start to turnfight with you, they are already dead.
−
''Defensive weaponry with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
=== Manual Engine Control ===
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
 +
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
 +
! colspan="3" | Radiator
 +
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
 +
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 +
|-
 +
! Oil !! Water !! Type
 +
|-
 +
| Controllable || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Premium aircraft
 +
* Good manoeuvrability for its tier
 +
* Low stall speed
 +
* Excellent max speed
 +
* Decent for boom & zoom attacks
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Extremely weak 7.7 mm machine guns, despite having four of them
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Bleeds a lot of speed in sharp turns and extreme manoeuvres
 +
* Fixed pitch propeller - engine will overheat when over-revving
 +
* Not suitable for dogfights, especially against monoplanes
 +
* No armour whatsoever
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 +
The Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter was the best and the last biplane in service with the British RAF.
 +
 
 +
This aircraft, Serial No. K8015, was part of the 'B' Flight of the No. 65 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was piloted by Robert Stanford Tuck, a famous British ace.
 +
 
 +
In 1935, Tuck entered service with the British RAF, and by 1942 he had 29 enemy aircraft destroyed and 2 shared destroyed, in addition to 6 hostile aircraft damaged and 1 shared damaged, plus 6 probably destroyed.
 +
 
 +
In January 1942, his plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, and Tuck executed a forced landing in France, where the Germans took him captive. In February of 1945, however, he managed to escape to meet the approaching Red Army and soon returned to his homeland.
 +
 
 +
Tuck was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Force Cross, and the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), and was was Mentioned in Despatches three times.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Прекрасным дополнением к статье станут видеогайды, а также скриншоты из игры и фотографии.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Skins
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=gladiator_mk2_tuck Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|iE4wTuJbe2I|'''The Shooting Range #40''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:13 discusses the Gladiator.}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
+
* ''other literature.''-->
−
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
 
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* [https://forum.warthunder.ru/index.php?/topic/197035-gloster-gladiator-mk-ii-iis-iif-taka/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance (Russian Forum)]
 +
 
 +
{{AirManufacturer Gloster}}
 +
{{Britain fighters}}
 +
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 22:51, 19 October 2022

This page is about the premium British fighter Tuck's Gladiator Mk II. For other versions, see Gladiator (Family).
Tuck's Gladiator Mk II
gladiator_mk2_tuck.png
GarageImage Tuck's Gladiator Mk II.jpg
Tuck's Gladiator Mk II
Britain flag.png Britain
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
1.3 1.0 1.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:250 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

The Tuck's Gladiator Mk II is a premium rank I British fighter with a battle rating of 1.3 (AB/SB) and 1.0 (RB). It was introduced in Update 1.31. The plane is painted with the camouflage scheme of British pilot Robert S. Tuck who served in the RAF with No.65 Squadron during the interwar period.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 4 420 m414 km/h
Turn time15 s
Max altitude10 211 m
EngineBristol Mercury VIIIA/AS
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight2 t

Tuck's Gladiator Mk II performs identically to the regular Gladiator Mk II. This means it has good speed an acceleration for a biplane, and like most other biplanes is far better at turning than the monoplanes it faces; it is also one of a limited number of biplanes with flaps, which are hard to break off and can be used to further improve turning performance.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 4,420 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 399 386 10211 16.7 17.7 13.0 13.0 232
Upgraded 431 414 15.3 16.0 18.8 15.7

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X ✓ ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
560 560 N/A 469 320 ~11 ~5
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 240 < 180 < 330 > 190
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
4,100 m 810 hp 850 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural560 km/h
Gear560 km/h

The Gladiator is extremely weak and vulnerable to enemy fire. It does not sport any armour protection, and thus the critical components (engine, pilot, fuel tanks, etc) are unprotected, even from low-calibre machine guns

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB323 Sl icon.png
RB139 Sl icon.png
SB136 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications5 020 Rp icon.png
505 Sl icon.png
Crew training150 Sl icon.png
Experts1 000 Sl icon.png
Aces20 Ge icon.png
Research Aces145 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 20 / 20 / 70 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 75 / 75 / 75 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
60 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
660 Rp icon.png
Cost:
65 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
110 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
1 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
145 Sl icon.png
95 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Mods ammo.png
bmg303_belt_pack
Research:
600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
60 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
bmg303_new_gun
Research:
660 Rp icon.png
Cost:
65 Sl icon.png
45 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 14 x 7.7 mm Browning machine gun
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Fire rate1 000 shots/min
Main article: Browning (7.7 mm)

The Tuck's Gladiator Mk II is armed with:

  • 2 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, fuselage-mounted (600 rpg = 1,200 total)
  • 2 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)

Usage in battles

Try to avoid enemy monoplanes if you are at an altitude disadvantage since you will bleed a lot of speed in combat. Instead, begin climbing up to 2,000 - 3,500 m and only attempt to assault enemy aircraft when they are flying below you and are alone. Another reason to fly high is the engine temperature. When diving, turn your engine off ('I' key by default) which will not only prevent the engine over-revving, but also cool your engine rapidly and fly silently, making the enemy unaware of your presence.

Simulator:

The Gladiator is a lovely plane to learn with in Sim. It can be used in turnfighting and bomber interception. Like in AB and RB, it is excellent in turning tightly and continuously, and it has lovely low-speed handling and low stall speeds, making it a great starter plane for Sim. Also it has a decent reflector sight for an early biplane, unlike other early planes with those awful telescope-like sight, which is an advantage in all engagements. However it does have its drawbacks: the rather big nose blocks the visibility a lot, offering very poor over-the-nose visibility which is a disadvantage in a turn fight, because when leading a shot the enemy will always get obstructed by the engine, making the player guess the shot. Also its upper wings and various frames and strings between the wings will get in the way when you look aside.

Note: it is recommended to set the convergence within 300 m, with vertical convergence on, because the majority of turnfights happen at that range or closer.

Before engaging a fight, it is better to have an altitude advantage first. When approaching the fight try to figure out which is your teammate and which is the enemy, to avoid going for a second pass, as the energy retention of the Gladiator is rather slow. Also pick your target carefully. For easier aiming, you want to go for those unmanoeuvrable twin engine aircraft like Ju 88 or Ki-45, or bombers if there are any. Given the bad forward visibility of the Gladiator, these are the best options as they are quite slow and sluggish, and are a bigger target to hit. However getting hits on them doesn't mean good damage, so you must be patient. When dealing with fighters, it is way harder to aim. The elevator control of the Gladiator is quite sensitive, giving it good manoeuvrability, but at the same time, bad handling. The Gladiator will respond in a very fast turn upon moving your stick/mouse by a little bit, which makes tracking nimble planes quite hard. But once you get used to it, try to lure every enemy into a turnfight, as that is where the Gladiator shines. Quite a bit of bullets are required to effectively damage the enemy so you must be patient. If you find an enemy at your six, utilise your great turning ability and simply do tight turns, most monoplanes won't be able to cut inside your turn and they might disengage. However with biplanes you will need some defensive manoeuvres like barrel rolls.

If you are not very experienced in Sim, you can also go for even bigger targets (bombers) for easier aiming. However you want to be more careful when hunting bombers, since with the Sim control (whether it be mouse joystick or a real stick) the plane will manoeuvre much more gently, making itself a great target for the bomber's gunners. DO NOT follow behind a bomber's six unless you are sure that its tail gunners are unconscious. Chasing behind a bomber makes yourself stationary for the tail gunners, and you will be showered with bullets. Your big radial engine will usually get damaged. Instead, before attacking, get an altitude advantage over the bomber by flying around 2 km above it. The bomber should only fill up about 1/6 of your gunsight. The best position for an attack is at the bomber's high six so you can adjust the lead much easier. Dive at the bomber, but not directly at it, try to predict where you two will crash by imagining yourself as a missile, that's where you should aim at (deflection shooting). To maximise the damage it is better to aim for their wings and engines, as the fuselage usually soaks up quite some bullets. Only fire when the bomber passes in front of your guns. This short window might seem inadequate to do anything, but with a accurate burst on the engine the 4 MG can at least damage it. With an engine damaged most bombers cannot go far.

Enemies worth noting:

Ki-27, N1K1, He 51, I-15, etc. - Those commonly seen planes are equally good at turnfights and will be a hard target to down since they are very small and agile. To deal with them you need to practice leading and deflection shots, plus manoeuvres like barrel rolls and scissors. They still need plenty of bullets to get damaged, so these kind of targets are the hardest to kill and requires great skills from the player. Specific notes to the I-15: do not try to out-turn it. Use the Gladiator's speed advantage over it.

Do 17 Z-2 This early twin engine plane always shows up as an AI controlled recon aircraft that you have to down, which is a good news as AI won't manoeuvre aggressively. However this plane is extremely durable for the Gladiator's weak MGs. When it shows up as an AI, deflection shots are not recommended as the small shooting windows really does nothing. Instead, try disabling its 2 gunners first, then just sit behind it and burst on its wings and engines. When attacking the gunners try to not get your engine damaged by pulling evasive manoeuvres as soon as the bullets come close, since the Do 17 might outrun the Gladiator in a level flight if your engine is damaged.

He 100, Bf 109 E, He 112 - These early monoplanes might not be able to out-turn the Gladiator, but they can easily outrun it as the Gladiator is rather slow. These fighters will usually BnZ you, so you must constantly look above and behind you. If they are diving on you, use your roll rate and dodge under their negative G areas. Most players will try to follow up, if not immediately losing track of you. Several dodges might make them impatient and give up BnZ, and if they really start to turnfight with you, they are already dead.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Not controllable
Not auto controlled 		Not controllable
Not auto controlled 		Not controllable
Not auto controlled 		Separate Not controllable
1 gear 		Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Premium aircraft
  • Good manoeuvrability for its tier
  • Low stall speed
  • Excellent max speed
  • Decent for boom & zoom attacks

Cons:

  • Extremely weak 7.7 mm machine guns, despite having four of them
  • Bleeds a lot of speed in sharp turns and extreme manoeuvres
  • Fixed pitch propeller - engine will overheat when over-revving
  • Not suitable for dogfights, especially against monoplanes
  • No armour whatsoever

History


Archive of the in-game description

The Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter was the best and the last biplane in service with the British RAF.

This aircraft, Serial No. K8015, was part of the 'B' Flight of the No. 65 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was piloted by Robert Stanford Tuck, a famous British ace.

In 1935, Tuck entered service with the British RAF, and by 1942 he had 29 enemy aircraft destroyed and 2 shared destroyed, in addition to 6 hostile aircraft damaged and 1 shared damaged, plus 6 probably destroyed.

In January 1942, his plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, and Tuck executed a forced landing in France, where the Germans took him captive. In February of 1945, however, he managed to escape to meet the approaching Red Army and soon returned to his homeland.

Tuck was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Force Cross, and the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), and was was Mentioned in Despatches three times.


Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #40 - Pages of History section at 05:13 discusses the Gladiator.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the aircraft;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Gloster Aircraft Company, Limited
Fighters  Gladiator Mk II · Sea Gladiator Mk I · Gladiator Mk IIF · Gladiator Mk IIS · Tuck's Gladiator Mk II
Jet Fighters  Meteor F Mk 3 · Sea Meteor F Mk 3 · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41F · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41G · Meteor F Mk 8 G.41K · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper
  Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9
Export  J8A · Iacobi's J8A · ␗Gladiator Mk I · ▄Gladiator Mk I
  ▄Meteor F Mk.8 · Meteor F.8 · Meteor NF.13
See Also  Fokker

Britain fighters
Fury  Fury Mk I · Fury Mk II
Nimrod  Nimrod Mk I · Nimrod Mk II
Gladiator  Gladiator Mk II · Tuck's Gladiator Mk II · Gladiator Mk IIF · Gladiator Mk IIS
Sea Gladiator  Sea Gladiator Mk I
Hurricane  Hurricane Mk I/L · Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M · Hurricane Mk IIB/Trop
Sea Hurricane  Sea Hurricane Mk IB · Sea Hurricane Mk IC
Martin-Baker  MB.5
Spitfire (early-Merlin)  Spitfire Mk Ia · Spitfire Mk IIa · Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I · Spitfire Mk IIb · Spitfire Mk Vb/trop · Spitfire Mk Vb · Spitfire Mk Vc/trop · Spitfire Mk Vc
Spitfire (late-Merlin)  Spitfire F Mk IX · Spitfire LF Mk IX · Spitfire F Mk IXc · Plagis' Spitfire LF Mk IXc · Spitfire F Mk XVI
Spitfire (Griffon)  Spitfire F Mk XIVc · Spitfire F Mk XIVe · Prendergast's Spitfire FR Mk XIVe · Spitfire F Mk XVIIIe · Spitfire F Mk 22 · Spitfire F Mk 24
Seafire  Seafire LF Mk.III · Seafire F Mk XVII · Seafire FR 47
Typhoon  Typhoon Mk Ia · Typhoon Mk Ib · Typhoon Mk Ib/L
Tempest  Tempest Mk II · Tempest Mk V
Sea Fury  Sea Fury FB 11
Twin-engine fighters  Hornet Mk.I · Hornet Mk.III · Whirlwind Mk I · Whirlwind P.9
  Foreign:
Australia  ▄Boomerang Mk I · ▄Boomerang Mk II
France  ▄D.520 · ▄D.521
USA  ▄Martlet Mk IV · ▄Corsair F Mk II · ▄Hellcat Mk II · ▄Thunderbolt Mk.1 · ▄Mustang Mk IA

Britain premium aircraft
Fighters  Tuck's Gladiator Mk II · ▄Boomerang Mk I · ▄Boomerang Mk II · ▄D.520
  ▄Martlet Mk IV · ▄Corsair F Mk II · ▄Hellcat Mk II · ▄Thunderbolt Mk.1 · ▄Mustang Mk IA
  Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M · Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I · Spitfire F Mk IXc · Plagis' Spitfire LF Mk IXc · Spitfire F Mk XIVc · Prendergast's Spitfire FR Mk XIVe
  Typhoon Mk Ib · MB.5
Twin-engine fighters  Hornet Mk.I · Whirlwind P.9
Jet fighters  Attacker FB.2 · Hunter FGA.9 · Lightning F.53 · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 · F-4J(UK) Phantom II · ▄MiG-21 Bison
Strike aircraft  ▄Wirraway · Beaufighter Mk I (40-mm) · Wyvern S4
  Harrier GR.1 · Strikemaster Mk.88
Bombers  ▄Avenger Mk II · ▄Boston Mk I · ▄Catalina Mk IIIa · ▄DB-7 · ▄Havoc Mk I · ▄Hudson Mk V · Swordfish Mk II

Retrieved from "https://old-wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Tuck%27s_Gladiator_Mk_II&oldid=142275"