I entered a writing/speech competition the other day and this is my final draft before the main piece:
One often hears tales of bravery, swashbucklers and heroines fighting off Orc hordes or Pirates or Great armies of evil. But rarely does one hear the great heroism of machines. Of course the machines themselves aren't heroic are they? Perhaps they are. The Gloster Gladiator certainly provides evidence for this theory.
Outdated by the time of its inception in 1937, the Gladiators story starts in the early 1930’s. The time was 1928 and the British Air ministry were keen to supercede the current aircraft. The new aircraft was required to be a Bi-plane with the new Rolls Royce 9 Cylinder evapatorial cooled engine. Late into testing Supermarine and Hawker realised that their actions were in vain. The engine required was too bulky, unreliable and susceptible to battle damage. 3 years of work was gone for two of the biggest aircraft producing companies at the time. However Gloster, who had not originally responded to the Air Ministry's request came up with a simple solution. They took their old fighter, the Gloster Gauntlet and made a few upgrades. The old engine had to go, replaced by Glosters very own Radial engine. 2 extra Browning 7.62mm machine guns were added under the wings, an enclosed cockpit and a few wing struts were removed to make the design more aerodynamic.
At the time a Bi-plane with a 9 cylinder engine had no future in aerial combat and could not compete with the other Monoplane fighters of the time. Yet it had to. The first to receive the new fighters were No.72 and No.3. The time was 1939 and the Vintage Bi-planes flew over the English channel to fight grey planes with black crosses. However the Gladiator was too slow and turned out litteral cannon fodder for the faster and better equipped German planes, flew by pilots who were battle worn through the Spanish Civil War. The British Airmen got the call, flew in, did the impossible and never returned. Next came Norway, where the Aeronautical daredevils were forced to combat the massive german bombers with their four puny guns and suffered horrific casualties. Those that survived long enough to receive orders to fall back to the HMS Glorious died when the ship was sunk by German Battleships. Next came France, the Balkan Islands tragedy, the hopeless battle of Greece, repelling back Rommel's push in north africa, and the bloody siege of Malta. Everywhere the Brits clashed with the Nazi’s there was this tired little obsolete Bi-plane and its valiant pilots, flying into the jaws of death again and again and again.
The volunteer combat aviators that flew gladiators fought with grim determination and primal ferocity against faster, more agile and better armed german counterparts, flown by simply better pilots. Many flew this plucky obsolete Bi-plane, many did what they were recruited for and many never came back. Many will write off a plane as just as a machine, a clever flying contraption. Those people are wrong and the pilots that flew the gladiator knew better. After a plane falls down from the sky in a ball of flame, when they hit the ground in a mess of Fiery metal, when they feel the solid lead fly through their body they go to their own heaven. Only a handful have ever seen this place: Roald Dahl and Marmaduke “Pat” pattle, No. 80, No. 72 and No.3 are all among the magnificent group of brave airmen lucky enough.. And you know what? All old Gladiators are there among many: a place where they shall never grow old.
The 3 planes left to defend Malta from Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe were called, Hope, Charity and Faith. For me, this truly represents the spirit of those brave airmen who took to the skies. Perhaps planes have their own moments of grace. But I for one can say for certain that they DO have their moments of heroism. That is definite.
Some constructive criticism would be appreciated greatly.