Seafox or Seagull?

[alex crawford]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the details. That's another book on my shopping list. I would assume it has details on the Sea Galdiators as well.

Just had another thought.

Could the Seagull have been attacked by Cr32/42's and reported as Gladiators? Does anyone know if any Italian units were active over Bardia on this day?

Alex

[Ludovico Slongo]

Italian fighters did were active during the day and during early morning a quite well known engagement took place over Tobruk harbour between a couple of Cr 42s of 10° Gruppo CT a couple of CR 32s of 8° Gruppo CT and Sunderland “X” L 2160 of 230 Sqd. piloted by Wing Commander G. Francis and Flight Lieutenant Garside. (You can find details of the engagement in the site of Hakan Gustavsson), however it seems that the combat was indeed between the Fiats and a Sunderland so apparently no connection with the Seagull loss. Other morning engagements for the day were an unsuccesfull interception of 55 Squadron's Blenheims made by CR 42s over Tobruk T2 and finally a strafing attack against 11th Hussars armoured vheicles near Bir el Gobi made by CR 32s of 8° Gruppo. You should keep in mind that the records of 10° Gruppo for the period were reconstructed in 1941 and are not complete so it is not possible to exclude with the highest degree of certainty an Italian involvment.
Ludovico.