 | Malta's Gladiators| Old Threads Discuss Malta's Gladiators in the Old Stuff forums; But it is still true that they fought with such ferocity that the Italians estimated their numbers to be 50.... |
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09-22-2004, 02:55 PM
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#16 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,512
| But it is still true that they fought with such ferocity that the Italians estimated their numbers to be 50.
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09-22-2004, 04:37 PM
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#17 | | Minister of Whoopass
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi
Posts: 13,746
Country:  | Ferocity from a Biplane.... Now thats funny..... Them damn Eyetalianos....
__________________  "After That Second Kill, I Knew It Was Time To Get The Hell Outta There..."-- Lt. William Northrop Case
To See My IL2 Sturmovik Video Tribute to My Grandfather, Click Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk | |
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09-23-2004, 02:36 AM
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#18 | | Member
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 82
| I'm surpised they could even catch those Eyties , and attack them .Didnt the Itallian planes have 4 tailgunners , to defend themselves while racing back home. | |
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09-24-2004, 06:23 AM
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#19 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 584
| Well Johnny, it's a very true story about 'Faith, Hope and Charity'. - They were a rude awakening for the Italian Air Force, the 'Regia Aeronautica', and did a terrific job holding Malta until better reinforcements arrived...It's a great read, written by Kenneth Poolman, and I thoroughly recommend it.... | |
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09-24-2004, 06:31 AM
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#20 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 584
| I notice that the Amazon-server hasn't got it...the copy I have is a 'New English Library' paper-back, 1974. - It was first published in 1954 by William Kimber & Co. Ltd.
- For all those 'Gladiator-scoffers' out there, this story will change your opinion of this, the 'Last of the Fighting Biplanes'.... | |
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09-24-2004, 01:11 PM
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#21 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,956
Country:  | Quote: |
and did a terrific job holding Malta until better reinforcements arrived
| the re-inforcements in question being a pathetic 4 hurricanes..............
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09-27-2004, 12:19 AM
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#22 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 584
| All in all, they lost some battles, but they won the war to keep Malta, against overwhelming odds...Malta's story is one of real courage and fortitude, something that would make any Englishman and Commonwealth citizen PROUD.... | |
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09-27-2004, 02:16 AM
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#23 | | Member
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 82
| Rule Brittania! Just shows what a lots of courage and ingenuity can do. | |
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09-27-2004, 04:06 AM
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#24 | | Member
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 82
| It has always surprised me why the krauts never took Malta.Due to its strategic importance it should have been taken.They could then have strangle the supply lines to Monties 8th Army , set up a u-boat base and airbase and probably won the Africa campaign. | |
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09-27-2004, 09:20 AM
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#25 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,512
| That's the thing: the Germans never made a real effort to take Malta. I think an interesting 'what-if' would be, what if instead of wasting his highly effective paratroops over Corsica Hitler had used them to secure Malta?
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09-27-2004, 09:56 AM
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#26 | | Member
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 82
| Would have been serious S**T for the Allies! | |
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09-27-2004, 01:04 PM
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#27 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,956
Country: | we wouldn't have won the war in north africa if we didn't have malta..........
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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09-27-2004, 06:08 PM
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#28 | | Minister of Whoopass
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Long Island Native in Mississippi
Posts: 13,746
Country: | Definate agreement there....
__________________ "After That Second Kill, I Knew It Was Time To Get The Hell Outta There..."-- Lt. William Northrop Case
To See My IL2 Sturmovik Video Tribute to My Grandfather, Click Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtzN5RuNNJk | |
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09-27-2004, 10:28 PM
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#29 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 584
| The History is well-worth the read ! - The Maltese people were very brave also, the tonnage of bombs dropped would be a study, the Axis Forces did try really hard to take Malta....the fact they couldn't achieve total Air Superiority determined that paratroops couldn't be used....and all in all, it was a decisive battle, because Rommel's resupplys couldn't be protected from our Beauforts, [and I think the RN's Swordfish were even employed at times]...-It was a very close thing, and it was one of those battles that folk don't really appreciate for the enormous 'keystone' that held the whole Axis battleplan in the Mediterranean, in place....they lost that and the Med and then Sicily, Italy and on into Germany, so it was very crucial....'Faith, Hope and Charity' is an awesome read...... | |
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09-29-2004, 01:48 PM
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#30 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,956
Country: | many torpedo planes were operated in the med, swordfish, beauforts, beaufighters, wellingtons, i've just read a book called "the ship busters" about half the book's about the war in the med...............
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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