Since June of 1940, the Island of Malta was under siege by German & Italian forces.
A new front had opened in Africa and Malta found itself to be right in the middle of a fierce battle between British Air and Sea forces and those of Germany and Italy.
The Island began the war very poorly defended and British defences of aged Gloster Sea Gladiators and Hawker Hurricanes were struggling to hold onto the Island.
If it falls, then the Axis powers will invade.
If it remains under allied control then Germany will be defeated in Africa.
The Battle for Malta must not be lost!
On the 10th June, Italy declared war on the United Kingdom and France. Italy had for a while been seeking to expand its territories in the Mediterranean and Africa and following the Allied defeat and the capitulation of France that same month Italy saw an immediate opportunity.
The Siege of Malta lasted from June 1940 to November of 1942. The allies desperately reinforced their air defences with first Hawker Hurricanes and then Supermarine Spitfires using aircraft carriers such as HMS Ark Royal, HMS Illustrious, HMS Victorious, HMS Furious and HMS Eagle.
Due to a shortage of carriers, they would resort to loaning an American carrier, USS Wasp to transport Spitfires.
