Gloster Gladiator Mk I
Early Mk I / two-bladed propeller
Colours used
in this example.
Build the main surfaces in light layers. Keep the quiet background softer than the aircraft.
Suggested pencil shades, not exact historical paint matches. Test colours on your paper before building richer layers.
Light overlapping pencil strokes with white paper texture
Layered grey with open highlights
Precise pencil infill
Lengthwise strokes
Light pressure with open paper
Look a little closer.
Explore the details from different angles.
Aircraft reference 1
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Airborne starboard side: silver surfaces, blue and yellow squadron flash, red wheel cover and RAF roundels. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 2
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Parked front three-quarter view: cowling, propeller, fixed undercarriage and rigging. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 3
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Front view during landing: wing spacing, undercarriage and propeller arrangement. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 4
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Port side: K7985 display serial and squadron flash behind the fuselage roundel. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 5
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Rear three-quarter view: tail surfaces and upper-wing markings. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 6
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Banked flight: upper-wing roundels and yellow and blue flashes. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 7
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Maintenance detail: uncovered fuselage structure and exposed radial engine. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 8
Restored Gladiator Mk I L8032 (G-AMRK) in later K7985 markings. Workshop rear three-quarter view: fabric covering, tail and wing bracing. Correct Mk I airframe but a restored configuration using an engine from Gladiator II N5903. The 73 Squadron K7985 scheme is a later repaint, not evidence of L8032 wartime markings. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Historical finishes and markings
Shuttleworth identifies the aircraft as Gladiator I L8032. Its current finish represents K7985 of 73 Squadron and was applied in 2007. The museum documents previous 72 Squadron, 247 Squadron and Norwegian presentations. Treat the gallery as a restored interwar display scheme rather than one universal Gladiator wartime finish.
- silverVisible restored airframe
- blue and yellow squadron flashVisible restored airframe
- red wheel coversVisible restored airframe
Screen swatches are a colouring guide rather than exact paint matches.
Markings: K7985 display serial; RAF roundels; 73 Squadron blue and yellow flashes
In the photographs
Exact Mk I airframe with later display paint and replacement engine; no wartime paint-code claim.
In the coloured example
This pencil interpretation uses upper surfaces: Dark Earth brown, Dark Green; lower surfaces and cowling: Cool grey, Silver grey; roundels: Red, White, Dark blue; propeller: Warm brown. It is a creative colouring example based on the book drawing. It does not reproduce a verified individual aircraft or an exact paint standard.
Make the details count.
Use pale cool grey for silver fabric and stronger highlights on metal cowling panels.
Keep rigging fine and dark rather than thick black bands.
Use red wheel covers and blue and yellow flashes only when following this restored display scheme.
Follow your curiosity.
Model history and further reading.