Corgi AA36209 Gloster Gladiator MkI, L8011, YK-0, RAF 80 Sqn, Pat Pattle, Egypt, Spring 1940

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Marmaduke St. John Pattle (nicknamed ‘Pat’) was born in South Africa in 1914 and joined the RAF in 1936. He was posted to 80 Squadron, which had just been equipped with Gloster Gladiators. ‘Pat’ Pattle was to fast become the leading Gladiator ace, with fifteen and a half victories of his total of thirty-four confirmed. L8011, YK-0 was the regular Gladiator flown by Pattle in the pre-war years and through most of the spring and early summer of 1940, serving in Egypt.
On one occasion following an engine failure it bounced off the desert surface losing one wheel in the process. Pattle managed to restart the engine and land the aircraft back at the airfield without causing any further damage. It remained with the Squadron throughout the fighting in the summer of 1940 and Pattle may well have scored some of his victories with it. It went to Greece with the Squadron but was transferred to the Royal Hellenic Air Force on 2nd December 1940.

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