The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter manufactured by the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Although reminiscent of older biplanes of the First World War, the Gladiator was something quite different. Powered by the 840-horsepower Bristol Mercury VIIIA 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, it had considerable grunt with a top speed of 257 miles per hour, along with being heavily armed (for the time) with four Browning.303 machine guns. Several squadrons of Gloster Gladiators fought with some success in the early days of WWII in France, alongside the RAF's newer Hawker Hurricane. 247 Squadron, equipped with Gloster Gladiator fighters were tasked with the defense of the Royal Navy Dockyards at Davenport and Plymouth during the Battle of Britain until replaced by Hawker Hurricanes. The Gloster Gladiator is probably best remembered for its stoic defense of Malta when three Gloster Gladiators, nicknamed Faith, Hope and Charity, although outgunned and outperformed, held off the might of the six air force until relieved by the Hawker Hurricanes of 261 Squadron.