Gloster Gladiator in Operational Training Units service

Operational Training Units

5 OTU
Formed on 6 March 1940 at Aston Down by re-designating 12 Group Pool.
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
K7926   04/04/40 From 141 Sq.   28/06/40 To Marshalls.
24/10/40 To 24 MU.
21/03/41 To Odiham.
15/10/41 To the Middle East.
To 1413 (Met) Flight.
K7928   28/03/40 From 141 Sq.   21/05/40 To ‘G’ Flight.
29/05/40 Returned to 5 OTU.
12/07/40 To 6 MU.
20/02/41 To 52 MU.
27/03/41 To the Middle East.
19/06/41 To 107 MU.
12/07/41 To 261 Sq.
K7943   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool 03/06/40 Damaged by Spitfire K9814 while parked at Aston Down. 21/05/40 To Marshalls.
29/05/40 Returned to 5 OUT.
12/07/40 To 6 MU.
19/02/41 To 52 MU.
12/05/41 To the Middle East.
To 1411 (Met) Flight.
K7944   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool   To the Middle East.
To 112 Sq.
K7945   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool   28/03/40 SOC.
K7951   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool 03/06/40 Damaged by Spitfire K9814 while parked at Aston Down. 29/06/40 To Marshalls.
08/09/40 To 24 MU.
10/04/41 To Odiham.
06/40 Shipped to the Middle East.
To Meteorological Flight, Khartoum.
K7970   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool 04/06/40 Engine cut and overturned in forced landing, Combe Martin, N. Devon. Destroyed by fire. 21/05/40 To ‘G’ Flight.
29/05/40 Returned to 5 OTU.
K7990   04/04/40 From 141 Sq.   21/05/40 To Marshalls.
29/05/40 Returned to 5 OUT.
19/02/41 To 52 MU.
To the Middle East.
14/03/41 To Royal Hellenic Air Force.
K8001   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool   21/05/40 To ‘G’ Flight.
K8015   04/03/40 From 12 Group Pool   28/05/40 To 6 OTU.
K8033   From 65 Sq.
06/04/39 To 8 MU.
09/03/40 To 5 OTU.
  21/05/40 To ‘G’ Flight.
29/05/40 Returned to 5 OTU.
08/08/40 To Marshalls.
07/10/40 To 8 MU.
20/02/41 To 52 MU.
11/03/41 To Royal Hellenic Air Force.
K8052   06/03/40 From 12 Group Pool   17/05/40 To 6 OTU.

6 OTU
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
K8015   28/05/40 From 5 OTU.   01/08/40 To 27 MU.
11/10/41 To 2 AACU.
K8020   14/04/40 From 263 Sq.   01/08/40 To 27 MU.
14/04/41 To Odiham.
26/06/41 To the Medditerranean.
To 80 Sq.
K8027   14/04/40 From 263 Sq.   01/08/40 To 27 MU.
06/05/41 To 52 MU.
30/05/41 At 103 MU in the Medditerranean.
To 1565 (Met) Flight.
K8052   17/05/40 From 5 OTU.   01/08/40 To 27 MU.
15/10/40 To 2 AACU.

8 OTU
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
K7983   13/08/40 From Gosport Station Flight. 15/09/40 Dispersed to Watchfield. 11/10/40 to 8 MU.
19/03/41 To Odiham.
To the Middle East.
15/09/41 107 MU.
To 1413 (Met) Flight.
K8041   From 2 AACU.
17/01/43 To Marshalls.
01/05/44 To 8 OTU.
  No further trace.

41 OTU
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
N5636   From 1 SAC.   28/11/46 SOC.

60 OTU
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
K8044        
K8045        

61 OTU
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
K6149   From 1622 (Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation) Flight.
13/05/43 To 8 MU.
23/10/43 To 61 OUT.
11/02/44 To Marshalls.
Returned to 61 OUT.
06/07/45 To Marshalls.
13/07/45 SOC.
K7898   From Turnhouse Station Flight.
09/04/43 To 8 MU.
24/11/43 To 61 OTU.
  11/02/44 To Marshalls.
05/02/45 To 8 MU.
27/04/45 To CFS.
K7927   From 1402 (Met) Flight.
24/06/43 8 MU.
11/11/43 To 61 OTU.
24/11/43 Collided with K8045 and abandoned, Audlem, Cheshire during film work. After filming and whilst changing formation from echelon to line-astern they collided and both pilots quickly baled out, suffering only slight injuries. The aircraft crashed just a few hundred yards apart, near the village of Penrhos. The pilot, F/L R. G. Kleimeyer was an instructor at RAF Rednal. It has been suggested that the film in question was entitled "Signed with their Honour" or, "The Air War in Greece”. 30/11/43 SOC.
K8004   From 2 AACU.
08/03/43 To Marshalls.
11/06/43 8 MU.
To 61 OTU.
04/11/43 Hit cable during forced landing in fog, Park Hall Farm, Oswestry, Salop. 659.35 hrs.
K8042   From 5 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit.
15/11/42 To 8 MU.
27/10/43 To 61 OTU.
  14/02/44 To Marshalls.
17/10/44 To 8 MU.
16/04/48 SOC.
Allotted 8372M.
Preserved at Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, UK, and displayed in 87 Sq. colours.
K8044   From 1622 (Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation) Flight.
21/05/43 To Marshalls.
30/08/43 To 8 MU.
21/10/43 To 61 OTU.
  11/02/44 To Marshalls.
04/04/44 To 8 MU.
27/09/44 To 10 MU.
To ECFS.
K8045   From 1622 (Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation) Flight.
21/05/43 To Marshalls.
10/09/43 To 8 MU.
08/11/43 To 61 OTU.
24/11/43 Collided with K7927 and abandoned 2m W of Audlem, Cheshire during film work. After filming and whilst changing formation from echelon to line-astern they collided and both pilots quickly baled out, suffering only slight injuries. The aircraft crashed just a few hundred yards apart, near the village of Penrhos. The pilot, F/L K. Bache was an instructor at RAF Rednal. It has been suggested that the film in question was entitled "Signed with their Honour" or, "The Air War in Greece”.  
K8046   27/10/43 From 10 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit.   11/02/44 To Marshalls.
30/04/44 To 8 MU.
10/05/44 To Glosters.
27/09/44 To 8 MU.
13/07/45 SOC.
L8032   From 1624 (Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation) Flight.   1944 Returned to Glosters at Hucclecote together with N5903 for conversion to met. duties.
Shortly afterwards these duties were taken over by other types, and the conversion work was never commenced.
23/02/48 To Gloster Aircraft
1950 Handed over to the Air Service Training Ltd. together with N5903. L8032 going to Hamble.
When A.S.T. closed its Ansty school both Gladiators were kept at Hamble.
1951 N5903 and L8032 both bought by Viv Bellamy for £1.
1952 Airworth as G-AMRK.
1960 Presented to the Shuttleworth Collection.
Presently air-worthy with the Shuttleworth Collection.
N5903   From 141 Sq.   1944 Returned to Glosters at Hucclecote together with L8032 for conversion to met. duties.
Shortly afterwards these duties were taken over by other types, and the conversion work was never commenced.
02/46 Flown four times by R.P. Beamont at Brockworth.
30/04/46 SOC.
23/02/48 To Gloster Aircraft
1950 Handed over to the Air Service Training Ltd. together with L8032. N5903 going to Ansty near Leicester.
When A.S.T. closed its Ansty school both Gladiators were kept at Hamble.
1951 N5903 and L8032 both bought by Viv Bellamy for £1.
1960 Presented to the Shuttleworth Collection.
~1971 On loan to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton.
1994 Purchased from the Shuttleworth Collection by the Fighter Collection, with the intention of restoring it to flying condition. 01/12/94 Transported by road from Yeovilton to Duxford.
Presently under restoration to flying condition by the Fighter Collection, Duxford, and registered as G-GLAD.

71 OTU
Formed 1 June 1941 at Ismailia, Egypt, by re-designating ’B’ Flight of 70 OTU.
Disbanded 11 June 1945 at Ismailia.
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
1341     SAAF Gladiator with serial from this air force.  

72 OTU
Formed 10 November 1941 at Cathargo, Sudan, by re-designating an element of 211 Squadron.
Disbanded 14 May 1943 at Nanyuki, Kenya.
Serials Code Arrival Note Departure
K8037   03/12/42 From 1414 (Met) Flight. 20/01/43 Swung in heavy landing at Nanyuki.
ROS.
Returned to 1414 (Met) Flight by 09/43.

Gloster Gladiator in Commonwealth squadron service






Last modified 12 August 2012