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  #1  
Old 10th March 2010, 21:55
alex crawford alex crawford is offline
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145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

Hi,

I've just received two Gladiator photos that I won on E-bay. They were part of an album taken by someone from 145 Repair and Salvage Unit based at Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Time frame is 1945/46.

To my knowledge no Gladiator ever made it to the Far East. There were plans to send them to fight against the Japanese but this idea was shelved.

The aircraft appears to be a MkI. It has a two blade prop and does not appear to have the 5 piece windscreen as fitted to Mk II's and later retrofitted to some MkIs. The aircraft has the fuselage gun troughs blanked over and the underwing machine guns have been removed. It doesn't look like it has a camo pattern, just one overall colour. Markings look like C1 type on the fuselage and under the wings, although the wing ring is wider than normal. The fin flash has the narrow white stripe.

I wonder if any of the survivors from the East African campaign were shipped to Sri Lanka. Possibly for local defense?

Would anyone have any info on 145 Repair and Salvage Unit? Or any idea why a Gladiator would be in Sri Lanka?

Alex
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Old 10th March 2010, 23:19
simong simong is offline
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Re: 145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

Hi Alex,

Probably not a Gladiator but rather a left-over Sea Gladiator. 797 Squadron used N5500 at Katukurunda, which is down the coast from Negombo and Ratlamana where 145 RS & U were based.
I have the logbooks of a FAA pilot who flew N5500 in May 43 on a local flight and then on a Met sortie a couple of days later.
I too was surprised to see the photos as it suggests that N5500 lasted for a good few years.

Cheers,
Simon
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Old 11th March 2010, 02:28
kaki3152 kaki3152 is offline
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Re: 145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

Can we see the pictures?
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Old 11th March 2010, 08:16
JaganP JaganP is offline
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Re: 145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

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Old 11th March 2010, 20:17
alex crawford alex crawford is offline
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Re: 145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies.

Simon, any chance of a copy or transcript of your FAA pilots entries for flights in N5500? Did he fly any other Glads?

Alex
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Old 11th March 2010, 23:23
simong simong is offline
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Re: 145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

Alex,

Two flights only on Gladiators by pilot AFW Smith. May 26, 1943 15mins FP & Ls (not surprising as arrived in Ceylon less than a week earlier) and then May 28, 50 mins MET flight.

Cheers,
Simon
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Old 14th February 2018, 04:45
JaganP JaganP is offline
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Re: 145 Repair and Salvage Unit, Sri Lanka

A reference to an Indian pilot flying an FAA Gladiator in 1942 at Cochin. https://www.facebook.com/riafww2/pho...type=3&theater

The Sequira mentioned is Plt Offr G E Sequira who died on 25th July 1942
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/218
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