Håkans Aviation page - Gloster Gladiator in 72 RAF Squadron service

Gloster Gladiator in 72 RAF Squadron service

72 Squadron
Tangmere, March 1937 to May 1937. Church Fenton, June 1937 to April 1939. The unit also operated Gladiators for two weeks in March 1940 from Acklington on the Northumberland coast due to the bad state of the airfield at this time.
Code letters: "RN".

Serials Code Arrival Note Departure

K6130 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6131 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 26/03/38 Ran out of fuel on approach to forced landing while lost and overturned and wrecked. To 9 FTS.

K6132 22/02/37 From Manufacturer To 603 Sq.

K6133 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 23/07/37 Flew into ground out of cloud on ferry flight, Sealand – Church Fenton, Barmby, Yorks., and destroyed by fire; P/O Philip Hughes Crompton KIFA. (63,10 hours)

K6134 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6135 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6136 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6137 22/02/37 From Manufacturer 21/07/39 To 607 Sq.

K6138 04/03/37 From Manufacturer 29/06/38 Collided with K6139 2m S of Selby but returned to base. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6139 04/03/37 From Manufacturer 11/03/37 Engine cut and a/c force landed and overturned in a ploughed field at Ford’s Farm, Upton Grey (village between Alton and Basingstoke); P/O Lawrence Frederick Henstock safe.
Returned to Squadron after repair.
29/06/38 Collided with K6138 and crashed 2m S of Selby, Yorks.; F/L William Forster Pharazyn KIFA. (105,27 hrs)

K6140 04/03/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6141 12/03/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6142 12/03/37 From Manufacturer 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6143 12/02/37 From Manufacturer Used until 04/39. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K6144 31/03/37 From Manufacturer 01/12/38 Abandoned in spin, Monk Freyston, Yorks. (122,45 hours)

K7893 07/05/39 From 3 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7897 18/05/38 From 3 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7898 18/06/38 From 3 Sq. 21/07/39 To 607 Sq.

K7922 14/05/37 Allocated to DTD at Glosters.
02/06/37 To DTD at Faireys for propeller trials.
18/08/37 To 72 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7934 26/05/37 From Manufacturer. 07/02/38 Hit high-tension cables on hill in mist and crashed 4m north of Brough. Aircraft destroyed by fire and P/O Alfred Alexander Devany KIFA. 01/04/38 SOC (107,20 hours).

K7954 07/05/39 From 3 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7963 07/05/39 From 3 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7969 05/10/38 From 85 Sq. 10/03/39 Engine cut and hit hedge in forced landing, Ledsham, Yorks. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7974 23/08/38 From 87 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7977 05/10/38 From 87 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7978 23/08/38 From 87 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K7981 RN-D 23/08/38 From 87 Sq. 22/02/39 Overshoot landing into ditch, Church Fenton. 06/07/39 To 1597M at 6 School of Target towing.

K7986 07/05/39 From 3 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K8004 06/08/37 From Manufacturer 10/07/39 To 615 Sq.

K8018 25/08/37 From Manufacturer 05/04/38 To Packing Depot.
05/05/38 To Aircraft Depot Aboukir for 33 Sq.

K8019 25/08/37 From Manufacturer 05/04/38 To Packing Depot.
05/05/38 To Aircraft Depot Aboukir for 33 Sq.

K8024 07/05/39 From 3 Sq. 11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.

K8040 15/06/39 From 65 Sq. Used for trials. 18/12/39 To Rotols.
26/09/41 To Aircraft Gun Mounting Establishment.
12/10/41 To Telecommunications Flying Unit.

Gloster Gladiator Mk.I (K6130) of 72 Squadron operating from Church Fenton, Yorkshire, in June 1937.
© 1999 Rick Kent

Gloster Gladiator Mk.I of 72 Squadron flown by Flying Officer James Brindley Nicolson while operating from Acklington in March 1940. Nicolson was decorated with the Victoria Cross on 15 July 1940 while flying Hurricanes with 249 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, and was thus the only RAF fighter pilot decorated with this award during the Second World War.
© 1999 Rick Kent

Gladiator K6143 at Gloster Aircraft Company, prior delivery to 72 Squadron.
Photo kindly provided by Vincent Jones.

A gaggle of Gladiators from 72 Sq.
Identified in the picture are K6130, K6142, K6144, K6131, and K6134.
Every single of them had been lost in crashes by the end of 1940.
For example K6130 was later transferred to 112 Sq. and hit a hill obscured by a cloud at Qaret el Naga on 18 July 1940.

Gloster Gladiator in Commonwealth squadron service

Last modified 14 October 2018

72 Squadron Tangmere, March 1937 to May 1937. Church Fenton, June 1937 to April 1939. The unit also operated Gladiators for two weeks in March 1940 from Acklington on the Northumberland coast due to the bad state of the airfield at this time. Code letters: "RN".
Serials	Code	Arrival	Note	Departure
K6130		22/02/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6131		22/02/37 From Manufacturer	26/03/38 Ran out of fuel on approach to forced landing while lost and overturned and wrecked.	To 9 FTS.
K6132		22/02/37 From Manufacturer		To 603 Sq.
K6133		22/02/37 From Manufacturer	23/07/37 Flew into ground out of cloud on ferry flight, Sealand – Church Fenton, Barmby, Yorks., and destroyed by fire; P/O Philip Hughes Crompton KIFA.	(63,10 hours)
K6134		22/02/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6135		22/02/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6136		22/02/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6137		22/02/37 From Manufacturer		21/07/39 To 607 Sq.
K6138		04/03/37 From Manufacturer	29/06/38 Collided with K6139 2m S of Selby but returned to base.	11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6139		04/03/37 From Manufacturer	11/03/37 Engine cut and a/c force landed and overturned in a ploughed field at Ford’s Farm, Upton Grey (village between Alton and Basingstoke); P/O Lawrence Frederick Henstock safe. Returned to Squadron after repair. 29/06/38 Collided with K6138 and crashed 2m S of Selby, Yorks.; F/L William Forster Pharazyn KIFA.	(105,27 hrs)
K6140		04/03/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6141		12/03/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6142		12/03/37 From Manufacturer		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6143		12/02/37 From Manufacturer	Used until 04/39.	11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K6144		31/03/37 From Manufacturer	01/12/38 Abandoned in spin, Monk Freyston, Yorks.	(122,45 hours)
K7893		07/05/39 From 3 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7897		18/05/38 From 3 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7898		18/06/38 From 3 Sq.		21/07/39 To 607 Sq.
K7922		14/05/37 Allocated to DTD at Glosters. 02/06/37 To DTD at Faireys for propeller trials. 18/08/37 To 72 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7934		26/05/37 From Manufacturer.	07/02/38 Hit high-tension cables on hill in mist and crashed 4m north of Brough. Aircraft destroyed by fire and P/O Alfred Alexander Devany KIFA.	01/04/38 SOC (107,20 hours).
K7954		07/05/39 From 3 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7963		07/05/39 From 3 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7969		05/10/38 From 85 Sq.	10/03/39 Engine cut and hit hedge in forced landing, Ledsham, Yorks.	11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7974		23/08/38 From 87 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7977		05/10/38 From 87 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7978		23/08/38 From 87 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K7981	RN-D	23/08/38 From 87 Sq.	22/02/39 Overshoot landing into ditch, Church Fenton.	06/07/39 To 1597M at 6 School of Target towing.
K7986		07/05/39 From 3 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K8004		06/08/37 From Manufacturer		10/07/39 To 615 Sq.
K8018		25/08/37 From Manufacturer		05/04/38 To Packing Depot. 05/05/38 To Aircraft Depot Aboukir for 33 Sq.
K8019		25/08/37 From Manufacturer		05/04/38 To Packing Depot. 05/05/38 To Aircraft Depot Aboukir for 33 Sq.
K8024		07/05/39 From 3 Sq.		11/05/39 To HMS Argus to form 112 Sq.
K8040		15/06/39 From 65 Sq.	Used for trials.	18/12/39 To Rotols. 26/09/41 To Aircraft Gun Mounting Establishment. 12/10/41 To Telecommunications Flying Unit.