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Faith, Hope and Charity.

A Apple iPhone 13 — 1/50s ƒ/2.4 ISO 800 at 1.5 mm

N 16 B 254 C 8 E Nov 29, 2024 F Jan 13, 2025

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For those who have a few minutes the attached link provides a most interesting read into the background of the World War 11 Gloster Gladiators of Malta. In essence when Italy entered the war on the side of the Axis powers Mussolini's airforce commenced airborne attacks on 11th May 1940. Seemingly without any air cover the British who governed Malta found themselves in a particularly tough place and could expect nothing more than an Italian invasion. Thankfully a number of crates were uncovered that had been left behind by a visiting aircraft carrier. Inside were the components of six Gloster Gladiators. These six ancient biplanes were hurriedly assembled and used in such a way that any three were always available to defend the island. Any combination of three (three of the six) became known as Faith Hope and Charity. At times literally hundreds of Italian bombers were used to bomb the island. All the time being harassed by the Gladiators. Somehow these old Gladiators managed to stave off the aggressors until at some point in June the RAF were able to replenish their defences through the arrival of a number of Hawker Hurricanes.

To put into perspective how important the island was to both sides, later in the war during the siege of 1942 Valletta became the single most heavily bombed place on earth.

This photo depicts the only one of the six aircraft to have survived. It is displayed without its wings inside the museum at Fort Saint Elmo in Valetta.

Here is the link for the full data. www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/british-biplanes-f...

Tags: Gloster Gladiator RAF Fort Saint Elmo Faith Hope and Charity Valletta Malta

Blue hour at the Armenian National History Museum.