The type to see most action with the RIrAF in the late 1930s and through the 1940s was the Gloster Gladiator: 15 Mk Is and Mk IIs were acquired in 1937, of which six survived to June 1941. After taking away three of these, the British eventually supplied 19 additional Gladiators by 1944, and they thus formed the backbone of the RIrAF’s fighter fleet until 1947-1948. As far as is known, all Iraqi Gladiators were painted in silver dope overall, and wore the usual set of insignia including large black serials and triangles applied under the cockpit, and the fin painted in national colours. Their primary armament consisted of four 7.7mm machine guns (two installed low in the centre fuselage, and two under the wing). This artwork shows the classic ‘five balls’ insignia applied on the rear fuselage and – in the lower right corner inset – the insignia of No. 4 Squadron as in use in the 1940s. (Artwork by Richard Caruana)