This latest addition to Osprey's Duel series turns back to the air and covers two antagonists that initially met each other in the air over Malta. In fact, the book also covers the air war over Malta to some extent, though really only where the two aircraft types are considered.

Starting with the Macchi, a background and history are provided for this aircraft. Through the years prior to WWII, the Italians had be using relatively low powered radial engines in their aircraft. By this I mean that these engines were stretching to produce more than 800hp. Meanwhile, their contemporaries had switched, for the most part, to liquid cooled in-line engines which were easily producing 1,000 hp and even more. 200hp doesn't sound like a lot, but it means a lot in combat, especially when you don't have it.

Italian planes were also designed to be very maneuverable and like the Japanese, were fond of biplanes for that very reason. Unfortunately, the Italians did not learn from the lessons of the Germans during the Spanish Civil War and so did not embraced liquid cooled engines or hit and run combat. This, as much as anything, resulted in their inability to do well, even when they had a good aircraft.

Thanks to finally getting a good in-line engine, the DB.601A which they built under license, they had the ability to build a world class fighter. The folks at Macchi took their radial engine C.200, and with a redesign of the fuselage, came up with the C.202, probably the best full production Italian fighter of the war. This aircraft saw its introduction to battle over Malta.

Meanwhile, the British had considered the Med to be a secondary front and had almost totally ignored the defense of Malta. When the Italians turned their eyes on it after Italy declared war, the island was ill prepared for what came. A handful of Gladiators with the occasional Fulmar was it until some Hurricanes were sent. Still, many of these were destroyed on the ground and in the air as the pilots sent to Malta were generally fresh from flying school. What Malta needed were pilots with experience and Spitfires.

After many months of losing planes and pilots to the Italians and then the Germans, Spitfires started trickling in, along with experienced pilots. Things then started to change. Many consider the Spitfire the best interceptor of the war, a task for which it was designed. It has proven its capabilities during the Battle of Britain, and would now do the same in the skies over Malta.

Despite a harrowing existence of daily scrambles, poor food, poor living conditions, and issues with health and disease, the British Spitfires were able to thwart the German and Italians. To bring things into perspective a bit more, the Germans left back to Russia and North Africa just when Malta was in the worst straits. The Italians did not have the airpower needed to complete the campaign so once again, external forces saved the day for the British.

In combat, the Spitfire V and Folgore were pretty equal as planes. The Spitfire had the better armament with the Folgore having better handling and speed. What really made the difference was pilot training, tactics and the inability of the Italians to quickly replace losses; both in pilots and planes, a situation that lasted the rest of their war.

In this book, the author covers the backgrounds of both planes, the development and combat of the two. Much of the book centers on the battles between the two types during 1942. We also get a look at tactics and pilot training on both sides. While the planes were quite even, only one RAF pilot succeeded on shooting down five or more C.202s while two Italians reached ace status against the Spitfire V in battles over Malta.

One could rightly say that it was the Spitfire and those who flew it that made all the difference. It is a book that is well written, has a gob of period photos, some excellent art work and is well worth reading. Pick it up, I know you'll be pleased.

June 2014

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