Chinese Gloster Gladiators

[Ilsa Gutrune]

I have read recently (and sought out this forum to find out if it is true) that the Chinese Gloster Gladiators had the same Browning FN N1939 (in 7.92) as the IAR-80/81? is this true?
I have also heard that due to the German advisors, they had a factory for creating 7.92 ammo?

 

[ThomasP]

I do not know if the Chinese used Brownings in 7.92mm, but they did use rifles and machine guns in that caliber, and had a factory (the Guangxi Arsenal aka Gongxian Arsenal) producing rifles and ammunition in 7.92mm.

 

[Ilsa Gutrune]

Thanks, Thomas.

 

[Weizenbrot]

I have read from some Chinese sources that the guns on the Chinese Gladiator had poor fitting with the 7.62mm ammo purchased from Belgium. This resulted in very low reliability of the guns during fights, with usually only one of the four guns functioning properly. This issue can be observed in fights from late 1938. Considering that the Gladiator was taken out of service in late 1939, it is my personal speculation that the mentioned modification may not have occurred.