[diecastdirect.com]

Gloster Gladiator J-8A "Royal Swedish A.F." w/Skis Diorama in 1:72 Scale. This diorama will be limited to only 172 in the United States. This model should arrive on or around the first of the year.

[timbo]

Isn't that meant to be from Finland??

[PH-LKK]

Technically, it was a Royal Swedish Air Force Volunteer Unit flying under the colors of the Finish Air Force. Not sure what the command structure was at the time, but I suppose it could have been analogous to the AVG flying for China the following year. I've seen this unit referred to as "Flygflottilj 19". Anyone care to comment whether this is a Swedish designation or a Finish designation?

[JETFAN]

Flygflottilj is Swedish for Wing.

There was a Swedish volunteer group in Finland, Kungl Svea Flygflottilj (No.8 fighter Wing) but the Finns had 39 ex-RAF Gladiators too.

Foreign Gladiator operators were:-
Norway - 12
Finland - 39
Sweden - 55
Belgium - 22
China - 36
Irish Air Corps - 4
Greek Air Force - 19
Portugal - 15
Egypt - 45 (some reposessed by the RAF during WW2)
Iraq - 14
South Africa - 12

Many came from RAF stocks, but some were delivered new.

Lots of potential color schemes!

[timbo]

OK I'm confused now - is this dipicting the swedish volenteers or a Finnish unit. Was not aware that Sweden sent volenteers to fight in the winter war

[Berkut76]

Originally Posted by timbo

OK I'm confused now - is this depicting the Swedish volunteers or a Finnish unit. Was not aware that Sweden sent volunteers to fight in the winter war

It was a Swedish-stuffed and flown by Swedish pilots unit fighting on the side of Finns during the Winter War of 1939-1940 against the Soviet aggressors.

Swedish Gladiators flew 464 sorties with its pilots claiming ten aircraft destroyed in combat for the loss of two.

The Finnish pilots didn't like Gladiators too much primarily due to its rifle-caliber armament, which they called paint chippers. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, front-line Finnish Gladiator unit (LLv 26) upgraded to FIAT G-50. In total Finns flew 600 missions in Gladiators claiming 34 victories for the loss of 11 Gladiators and six pilots killed.

Regards,

Sergey

[fileasfog]

Is there a stand to depict the plane flying?

[STARMAN 352ND]

I kinda like the little set up of the Gladiaor J-8A Diorama.
Might be something i'll add to my collection.
JP

[mikeb1958]

What's the 'snow' made out of? Maybe one of those spray cans of fake snow you spray on the Christmas tree and windows.

[p-51d]

This is a batch of 2400 so many will be available in UK with a discount, shop around, this one will bomb in UK.