Corgi AA36209 1:72 Gloster Gladiator Mk I RAF No.80 Sqn YK-O L8011 Pat Pattle Egypt 1940

A highly detailed 1:72 scale diecast representation of the Gloster Gladiator Mk I flown by renowned Royal Air Force fighter ace Marmaduke “Pat” Pattle during the early stages of the Second World War. Released as part of the Corgi Aviation Archive Collector Series, AA36209 depicts Gladiator L8011, coded “YK-O”, of RAF No. 80 Squadron while operating in Egypt during the spring of 1940.

Born in South Africa, Pat Pattle joined the Royal Air Force during the 1930s and was posted to No. 80 Squadron, which had recently been equipped with the Gloster Gladiator. He went on to become one of the most successful Allied fighter pilots of the early war period, achieving numerous victories during operations across North Africa and Greece.

Gladiator L8011 was regularly flown by Pattle during the pre-war period and throughout much of the spring and early summer of 1940. On one occasion, the aircraft suffered an engine failure shortly after take-off and was forced down in the Egyptian desert. Pattle successfully restarted the engine during the landing run and returned the aircraft to the airfield without further damage.

The model recreates the aircraft's distinctive desert appearance, combining brown and green upper-surface camouflage with contrasting undersides, prominent RAF roundels and the white “YK-O” squadron codes displayed along the fuselage. The open cockpit, exposed radial engine and extensive biplane rigging capture the characteristic appearance of this final generation of RAF biplane fighter.

Developed as an improvement over the earlier Gloster Gauntlet, the Gladiator first flew in 1934 and entered RAF service shortly before the widespread introduction of modern monoplane fighters. Despite its comparatively traditional biplane layout, the Gladiator remained agile and effective, serving with the RAF, Royal Navy and numerous overseas air forces during the opening years of the Second World War.

Limited to only 1,200 pieces worldwide, this release is particularly appealing to collectors of early-war RAF aircraft, North African campaign subjects and historically significant fighter aces. The model features heavyweight diecast construction, simulated fabric-covered surfaces, fine structural bracing wires, a detailed open cockpit with pilot figure and twin machine-gun pods beneath the lower wings. Further detailing includes a visible radial engine, rotating propeller, fixed undercarriage and the original Corgi Aviation Archive presentation stand.

Fact Sheet

Model Dimensions

Model Condition - Excellent (8/10)

• Model is in excellent condition overall.
• Some raised paint is present within one roundel on the top wing.
• Additional glue residue is visible around the strut base; this appears more likely to be from manufacture rather than a repair.
• Some marks are present to one section of the underside.
• The certificate does have some creasing around the edge.

Box condition - Near Mint (9/10)

• Box is in near mint condition overall, with some colour fading present on two sides.

Photographed under studio lighting to highlight even the smallest imperfections. Buy with confidence, what you see is exactly what you get.

Any imperfections are shown in the images and description. Refer to the grading tab for more details. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Any imperfections are shown in the images and description. Refer to the grading tab for more details. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.