No 3 Squadron’s first combat role of WWII

Air Force’s No 3 Squadron had its first taste of combat in the Western Desert.  With four of the unit’s Gladiator single-seat biplane fighters (supplied by Britain) were conducting a tactical reconnaissance when they were attacked by 18 Italian CR-42 fighters. In the fight one Gladiator was shot down and its pilot killed, but at a cost to the enemy of three aircraft definitely destroyed and possibly another three which had been sent down spinning out of control behind the Italian lines.