Soon after the outbreak of war, the Italians in Libya began preparations for the invasion of Egypt. The British defence plan was based on holding a line at Mersa Matruh, some one hundred and twenty miles in ide Egypt. The Italians at first advanced about half way to this position and began to gather resources for a major attack. This was pre-empted by a British attack on 9th December 1940, which took the Italians off balance, resulting in a headlong retreat. The British advanced and by 7th February 1941 had captured all of Cyrenaica (the Eastern province of Libya) including the city of Benghazi. This enabled No.3 Squadron, RAAF, to open its score at Martuba in Libya, after the squadron's arrival there in January 1941, with the capture of a Fiat CR 42 from among the two hu nd red abandoned Italian aircraft.
This Fiat CR42 biplane fighter of the Regia Aeronautica was coded '7-70'. It was repainted in silver with British markings and the 'serial number' A421 (signifying 'Australian R42 0.1'). The number was somewhat after the style of RAAF aircraft serial numbers, which are prefixed by the letter' 'followed by a number unique to the type of aircraft, and then an individual aircraft number (e.g., A58-1 was the first Supermarine Spitfire of the RAAF). The CR42 was flown by No.3 Squadron at Benina in Libya, in March 1941. When Rommel's Afrika Korps drove back British forces at the end of that month, the CR 42 was burned at Got-es-Sultan Landing Ground on 4th April, during the retreat, to prevent its recapture. On 12th February 1941, General Erwin Rommel arrived in Tripoli to take command of his 'Afrika Korps'. On 31st March, Rommel's forces attacked the British and scored an outstanding success, largely because the forces which had beaten the Italians had been despatched to help Greece (which Mussolini had invaded in October 1940), or to the Sudan to repel possible advances from Italian territories in East Africa. British forces were forced to retreat to the Egyptian border, while leaving a large garrison cut off at Tobruk in Libya.
Few British aircraft fell intact into Axis hands during these campaigns. The only example known to the writer is the Hurricane I V7670, operated by No. 261 Squadron, RAF. V7670 was SoC as a result of a 'Flying Battle' on 16th August 1941. The circumstances are unknown, but some months later (probably during Operation 'Crusader') this aircraft was recovered in the Western Desert and was taken on the strength of No. 208 Squadron, RAF.
During the period after the British retreat, one incident yielded some captures - a formation· of Junkers Ju 87Bs of the Regia Aeronautica ran out of fuel on 8th September 1941 and force-landed behind British lines. At least one of these aircraft was repainted in RAF markings.
Also during this period the British force are believed to have captured their first Fieseler Fi 156. This may have been the example identified as' M+ZS', flown by No.3 Squadron, RAAF. This Storch was painted in British markings, but retained its Luftwaffe code letters. The fate of this aircraft is unknown, but it may well have been one of the anonymous Fi 156s which acquired British desert camouflage and served the British in a communications liaison role.
A further British offensive took place in November 1941, Operation 'Crusader', which eventually advanced into Cyrenaica. A total of 458 German and Italian aircraft was captured, in various states of repair, at Gambut, Martuba, EI Adem, Derna, Gazala, Berka and Benina. By January 1942, the British had reached EI Agheila, the strategic defence point which had been their previous objective, in 1940. However, after receiving reinforcements, Rommel struck back swiftly and by 14th February 1942 the British were forced to retreat to Gazala, west of Tobruk. Nevertheless, several Axis aircraft captured during the 'Crusader' advance were flown in British marks.
These examples included a Fiat CR42 flown by No.238 Squadron at EI Gubbi, during the unit's residence there between 19th January and 5th February 1942.
It is also probable that a Bf 109F, flown from Heliopolis between February and July 1942 by No.267 Squadron, was captured in Cyrenaica during Operation 'Crusader'. Approximately six hours were flown, mostly on demonstration sorties to Army training camps for recognition purposes. The precise origin and fate of this aircraft are not known.
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