Spitfires & Hurricanes at North Front, Gibraltar Desk Mat

Sale price$19.99 USD

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During World War II, RAF Gibraltar and its North Front airfield served as a critical transit and assembly hub for RAF aircraft and squadrons supporting Allied operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Squadrons like No. 43 Squadron RAF and No. 111 Squadron RAF were not permanently based there but temporarily passed through while en route to operational theatres such as North Africa during Operation Torch. The Special Erection Party, established in July 1942, assembled and test-flew crated Spitfires and Hurricanes arriving by sea, sending them to reinforce Malta and other theatres. Additionally, No. 233 Squadron RAF operated Lockheed Hudsons from Gibraltar between December 1941 and February 1944, conducting anti-submarine patrols and convoy escorts. While Gibraltar was not a permanent base for fighter squadrons, its strategic location made it essential for the deployment and support of Allied air operations during the war.