In the defence resolution of 1936 it was decided to organise one new fighter and four new bomber wings. The fighter wing was for the defence of the Stockholm area. The head of the Swedish Airforce found the Gloster Gladiator best suited for the demands. Two squadrons in the wing should get planes from England and the third should get license-manufactured planes. The type was called J8 (J stands for Jaktplan, i.e. fighter).

The first squadron of Gladiator was organised on F8 Barkarby (F stands for Flottilj, i.e. wing) and was received with mixed feelings since the planes where new but obsolete. The first flight of the plane was back in 1934 and more than 500 had been delivered to the RAF. The biplane configuration meant great turnability but the top speed wasn't good compared with modern fighters of the day.

The first J8's had a Bristol Mercury VI with 645 hp, but the successive version (J8A) had a Mercury VIII with 840 hp.

Increasing demands on performance meant that the J8 soon was declared obsolete as a front-line fighter and was relegated to the Air Cadet School F20, to be used as a trainer for singular and formation training.

Gloster Gladiators in the Swedish Air Force.
Air Force number Delivered Codes Notes Struck off charge Total flying time
231 15/04/37 F8-1 Struck off charge due to retirement of the type. 10/02/47
232 12/10/37 F8-2 Struck off charge due to retirement of the type. 10/02/47
233 12/10/37 F8-3, F9-2 Struck off charge due to high total flying time. 18/12/45 983,00 hours
234 12/10/37 F8-4 Destroyed in crash. 22/09/39 140,00 hours
235 12/10/37 F8-5, F8-19 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 26/07/40 310,40 hours
236 30/04/38 F8-6, F10-32 06/10/41 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 12/12/41 523,55 hours
237 27/04/38 F8-7, F10-3 06/08/42 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 23/10/42 619,45 hours
238 10/05/38 F8-8 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 18/12/45 642,00 hours
239 28/04/38 F8-9, F8-3 30/10/39 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 18/11/38 251,35 hours
240 30/04/38 F8-10 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 05/03/46 913,00 hours
241 28/04/38 F8-11, F9-29 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 10/06/41 424,25 hours
242 27/04/38 F8-12, F10-5 07/04/42 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 11/06/42 437,40 hours
243 28/04/38 F8-13 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 27/11/44 913,35 hours
244 27/04/38 F8-14, F9-12, F10-34 14/07/42 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 26/08/42 698,35 hours
245 03/05/38 F8-15 Destroyed in crash. 04/04/41 392,00 hours
246 05/05/38 F8-16, F9-, F10-35 Destroyed in crash. 12/12/41 433,20 hours
247 04/10/38 F8-17, F8-28, F9-28 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 24/01/41 321,05 hours
248 04/10/38 F8-18, F8-9 30/10/39 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 18/11/39 82,40 hours
249 04/10/38 F8-19 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 06/05/46 760,00 hours
250 04/10/38 F8-20 27/05/42 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 21/07/42 348,20 hours
251 04/10/38 F8-21 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 28/05/40 110,55 hours
252 31/01/39 F8-22 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 04/06/40 222,50 hours
253 10/03/39 F8-23, F8-1, F9-17 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 10/06/41 301,00 hours
254 05/01/39 F8-24 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 17/09/46 796,00 hours
255 03/01/39 F8-25 Struck off charge due to too high repair costs. 29/08/45 809,00 hours
256 13/12/38 F8-26 Struck off charge due to retirement of the type. 10/02/47
257 13/12/38 F8-27 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 12/10/45 820,00 hours
258 05/01/39 F8-28 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 16/06/45
259 05/01/39 F8-29, F10-12 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 11/06/42 578,35 hours
260 31/01/39 F8-30 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 04/06/40 219,05 hours
261 20/04/39 F8-31 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 16/06/45 696,00 hours
262 16/06/39 F8-32, F9-92 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 11/07/45
263 20/04/39 F8-33 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 23/08/46 822,00 hours
264 20/04/39 F8-34, F10-14 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 23/10/42
265 10/05/38 F8-35 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 17/03/47 793,45 hours
266 10/05/38 F8-36 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 22/08/46 942,00 hours
267 10/05/38 F8-37, F10-42 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 26/08/42 536,30 hours
268 09/06/38 F8-38 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow “I” or “J”.
Returned to Sweden.
Destroyed in crash. 28/03/41 238,30 hours
269 30/05/38 F8-39 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 25/10/38 59,05 hours
270 30/05/38 F8-40, F10-17 26/01/44 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 23/03/44 440,00 hours
271 30/05/38 F8-41, F10-18 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "A".
Returned to Sweden.
Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 28/02/41 245,20 hours
272 30/05/38 F8-42 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 25/10/38 22,50 hours
273 09/06/38 F8-43, F10-19 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 17/09/46 832,00 hours
274 25/06/38 F8-44 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "D".
10/03/40 Destroyed in crash during test-flight on and ingenjörlöjtnant Åke Hildinger killed. 16/09/41 155,35 hours
275 09/06/38 F8-45 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "C".
17/01/40 1 I-15bis claimed by fänrik Roland Martin of F19 at Märkäjärvi-Salla.
Returned to Sweden.
Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 04/09/45 816,00 hours
276 09/06/38 F8-46 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "L".
Returned to Sweden.
20/02/45 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 29/03/45 771,00 hours
277 09/06/38 F8-47, F10-22 Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 19/09/45 592,20 hours
278 09/06/38 F8-48, F10-23, F16-83 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "H".
Returned to Sweden.
Aircraft preserved at the Swedish Air Force Museum. 30/06/45 699,00 hours
279 25/06/38 F8-49 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "G".
Returned to Sweden.
Struck off charge due to airframe being too old. 30/06/45 740,00 hours
280 25/06/38 F8-50 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 08/08/39 30,00 hours
281 25/06/38 F8-51 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow “B” or “E”.
Lost in Finland on 23/01/40 or 20/02/40. 16/09/41 110,30 hours
282 05/07/38 F8-52 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow “B” or “E”.
Lost in Finland on 23/01/40 or 20/02/40. 16/09/41 116,15 hours
283 05/07/38 F8-53, F10-25 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow “I” or “J”.
Returned to Sweden.
Struck off charge due to too high repair costs. 13/12/46 655,00 hours
284 05/07/38 F8-54, F10-26 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "F".
12/01/40 1 I-15 claimed by fänrik Ian Iacobi of F19 at Märkäjärvi.
17/01/40 1 I-15bis claimed by fänrik Per-Johan Salwén of F19 at Märkäjärvi-Salla.
Returned to Sweden.
05/02/41Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 28/02/41 255,20 hours
285 05/07/38 F8-55, F10-27 Aircraft used by F19 in Finland as yellow "K".
Returned to Sweden.
05/02/41 Destroyed beyond repair in crash. 28/02/41 337,15 hours