HISTORY

Spitfire Mk.Vb, BP844, the first of nine Spitfires to

reinforce the RAF in Malta during Operation Picket

I, takes off from the deck of HMS Eagle on March

21, 1942. In its cockpit sits the commander of E

Squadron. J. “Jumbo” Gracie. BP844 was shot down

over Malta on April 2, 1942.

to be maintained mainly by the naval

blockade of the island, where defenders

were running low on supplies. The lack

of fresh water was unpleasant and food

rations were being reduced. Despite this

desperate situation, however, Malta was

not about to surrender.

When, during June, the Axis forces

experienced a resurgence of losses on

the supply routes to Africa, a renewed

air offensive was ordered. However, the

island managed to replenish Spitfire

numbers in the intervening time provided

during Operations Style and Salient, and

so once again the attackers met stiff

resistance from the defenders and again

suffered heavy losses. During July, the

Italian bomber air force was withdrawn

from the attacks, and in the second half of

the month only German bombers appeared

over Malta with a combined Luftwaffe and

Regia Aeronautica fighter escort.

Here comes Park

The failure of the renewed air offensive

was also significantly affected by the

change of the air force high command on

the island in mid-July. The command of

the air force defending Malta was taken

over by AVM Keith Park. Park’s adversary,

coincidentally, became Albert Kesselring

again. Park had been pitted against him

in the Battle of Britain as commander

of No. 11 Group. In his new position Park

immediately introduced a new tactic, the

aim of which was to attack enemy bomber

formations over the sea between Sicily

and Malta and force them to drop bombs

before reaching their target. The change in

tactics later proved to be a turning point,

as it was very successful and forced the

Luftwaffe to stop bombing in daylight. By

A Spitfire Mk.Vc is transported by lift aboard the

aircraft carrier USS Wasp bound for Malta during

Operation Bowery.

the end of July, one hundred Axis aircraft

had been destroyed, greatly reducing

the strength of the bombing offensive.

When the enemy then switched to highflying fighter patrols, Park showed keen

tactical insight. He limited the Spitfire

patrols to 20,000 feet (6,100 m), so that the

Bf 109s had to drop to an altitude where

the defenders with Spitfires had the

advantage in terms of the performance of

their aircraft.

By August, however, the stock situation on

the island was critical. The defenders were

running out of fuel and other necessary

stuff again and if they were not delivered

to Malta by September, the island would

probably have to surrender. With fuel in

short supply, Park was forced to instruct

his pilots to save as much as possible.

When a Spitfire landed, it did not proceed

with engine on. The pilot immediately shut

it down and the aircraft was pushed onto

its stand. If the plane made an emergency

landing, it had to be pushed off the runway

immediately, even if there was a risk

of further damage, just so that others

didn’t have to circle the airfield and waste

valuable fuel.

With all this in mind, the convoy of the

Spitfire Mk.Vc, BR344, 3oM, during an engine test

aboard USS Wasp during the delivery of Spitfires

to Malta under the code name Operation Bowery.

operation Pedestal was dispatched during

August with a hitherto unprecedented

supplies load carried by 14 British and

American merchant ships loaded with

ammunition, aircraft spare parts, fuel and

food. They were escorted by 36 warships,

including three aircraft carriers. The

Axis powers understood the strategic

importance of this convoy and responded

with a coordinated air and naval attack to

prevent it from reaching Malta. Despite

significant losses of merchant and escort

ships, including the sinking of the aircraft

carrier HMS Eagle, sufficient supplies

were eventually managed to reach the

besieged island. Thus, in late August,

three squadrons of Spitfires were able

to make a highly effective attack on three

Sicilian airfields, in which they shot down

ten enemy aircraft and destroyed 29 on the

ground with the loss of only two Spitfires.

Indomitable Defenders

September became the calmest period of