▁( F ighter ▁Squadron ), ▁based ▁at ▁O ta . ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁received ▁ 1 2 ▁M k ▁II ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁M k ▁I ▁ex - RA F ▁aircraft . ▁South ▁African ▁Air ▁Force ▁ ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁Squadron ▁SA AF ▁ ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁Squadron ▁SA AF ▁ ▁No . ▁ 3 ▁Squadron ▁SA AF ▁ ▁The ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁captured ▁ 3 2 ▁Lat v ian ▁and ▁Lith uan ian ▁M k . ▁Is ▁aircraft . ▁Soviet ▁Air ▁Force ▁ ▁Sweden ▁received ▁ 3 7 ▁M k ▁I ▁( design ated ▁J - 8 ) ▁and ▁ 1 8 ▁M k ▁II ▁( design ated ▁J - 8 A ) ▁aircraft . ▁The ▁ 3 7 ▁M k ▁Is ▁were ▁built ▁new ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 7 - 1 9 3 8 ▁and ▁were ▁fitted ▁with ▁NO H AB ▁built ▁Br istol ▁Mercur y ▁V IS 2 ▁engines . ▁The ▁ 1 2 ▁M k ▁II s ▁were ▁built ▁new ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁and ▁were ▁fitted ▁with ▁NO H AB ▁built ▁Br istol ▁Mercur y ▁VII IS . 3 ▁engines . ▁The ▁Glad i ators ▁were ▁in ▁action ▁from ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁against ▁Russian ▁attacks ▁on ▁Finland ▁and ▁some ▁were ▁fitted ▁with ▁ski ▁landing ▁g ear ▁and ▁under wing ▁bomb - ra cks ▁for ▁eight ▁light weight ▁bomb s . ▁Swedish ▁Air ▁Force ▁ ▁Fly g fl ot til j ▁ 8 ▁ ▁Fly g fl ot til j ▁