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Rick Kent
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Camouflage & MarkingsGloster Gamecock

February 3, 2015 · in Aviation · · 19 · 2.2K

The Gamecock was developed from the Grebe, with the more powerful Jupiter engine replacing the Jaguar. The prototype was delivered in February 1925 and a further 90 production machines were eventually ordered, entering service with 23 Squadron in May 1926. Due to a high accident rate, the Gamecock had a fairly short service life, the last ones being withdrawn in July 1931.

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3 additional images. Click to enlarge.


19 responses

  1. You said before you make all these color plates yourself, so...theoretically, there's no end to how many of these you can post? If so, you should consider starting another "Groups" category that is solely dedicated to these drawings. Or, if you prefer, I think they would fit that section that already exists in 'groups' called "Aviation Art" - merely a suggestion. 🙂

  2. Very nice Rick. Would love to see drawings of my favourite British aircraft of the 50's - 70's ie. De Havilland Hornet, Supermarine Scimitar, De Havilland Sea Vixen, EE Lightning, Gloster Javelin, Fairey

    • Gannet and Westland Wyvern. Pretty please Rick!

    • Thanks Morne. I know what you mean about those 50's aircraft, they look great, and I grew up watching them flying around, especially the Meteors and Hunters from Biggin Hill.
      Don't forget the Seahawk among the Navy types, one of my two favourite aircraft of all time.

  3. I think there's a beautiful Gamecock on show at RAF Hendon. It's the sort of subject that cries out to be modelled. There's a a superb resin kit in 1/32 - Montex 3202 in fact.

    Re posting profiles in Headlines, I don't think it's an issue. We seem to be seeing a lot of Headlines that include not just photos of a completed project (which may or may not have been the original idea), but often numerous photos in the same essay of WIP images. Personally, I'd prefer to see WIP in its own thread to show project development, with a completed project posted as such in Headlines, together with a link to the WIP thread.

    That said, I'm not losing any sleep over it either way.

    Nice profiles, Rick.

    • PS the Montex kit is now reissued by Alley Cat.

    • Thanks Rob. I worked at Hendon for 19 years but my departure from the Museum was before the Gamecock arrived. A friend of mine who worked there too made a lovely 1/72 model of one, scratchbuilt from plastic card.

    • Rob
      Resticting headlines to photos of the completed projects was never intended, it just happens to be many posters' favourite choice for the front page. But we have also seen posts about kit reviews, events, airshows, profile art, setting up one's own modeling den and what-not.

      I wouldn't like to think of the Headlines as the area restricted to any particular subject. If you want to show something for the World -- write it nicely and go for the Headlines. If it's more specialized, directed to a smaller group of people or a requst for help - go for the Groups.

      Pardon a diversion from the subject of Rick's article. We'd need a Gamecock kit in 1/48...

  4. Gamecock in 1/48th gets my vote, as well. Whatta neat looking fighter! I'll bet it turns on a dime, or a sixpence. or whatever they were using.

    • Definitely one of the best looking fighters ever, Gloster seemed to have a talent for that between the wars. A 1/48th model would look great in those markings too. The Finns also used them, as late as the Continuation War with Russia. It was very manouevrable too, though it had a tendency to right hand spins; deliberate spinning that way had to be banned. They even had real silver threepenny bits back in those days too!

  5. Great profiles from a "hot" aircraft from the past. What a great looking fighter.
    These radial engined bi planes look very powerful and i guess they were in their times

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