Refueling of 112 Squadron RAF’s Gloster Gladiator, still with the all silver finish on a Sudanese airfield, 11 June 1940, the day after the Italy’s declaration of war. The plane in foreground is the Gladiator L7614 of 112 Squadron’s Flight B, deployed on Sudan from Helwan, Egypt, which, according the 112 Squadron’s history, was shot down in flames at about 3,000ft over Galabat (or Metemma), during the Sudan offensive to capture the Italian fort, by Fiat CR.42`s of Italian Regia Aeronautica’s 412nd Squadriglia leaded by Captain Raffi near Metemma (Gallabat). The L7614’s pilot, leader of Flight B, F/Lt Pete Savage was killed. Victor Sierra

Shot down by Italian fighters

Squadron Leader P H "Paddy" Dunn, the Commanding Officer of No. 80 Squadron RAF, sitting in the cockpit of his Gloster Gladiator at Sidi Barrani, Egypt. According to IWM this photo was taken a few days after leading “B” and “C” Flights in a major engagement with Italian fighters over Bir el Gobi, Libya, on 8 August 1940, in which they claimed nine Fiat CR.42s shot down for the loss of two Gladiators. Dunn himself was credited with two CR.42s shot down within a few minutes of the start of the fight. Victor Sierra

Gladiator’s pilot

The Italian K14 satellite landing ground at Assab, Eritrea, raided by Bristol Blenheim Mark Is of Nos. 8 and 39 Squadrons RAF, based at Aden respectively at Khormaksar and Sheikh Othman, during the operations against the Italian East Africa, 1940-1941. Note the bombs exploding very near to two Caproni Ca.133 bombers. On the left the black smoke indicate likely an aircraft in flames. The British claimed three Ca 133s destroyed and one damaged. Victor Sierra