98 RODRIGO MARTÍNEZ-VAL PEÑALOSA
PALABRAS CLAVE: Segunda Guerra Mundial, Historia de la aviación,
Hurricane, El Alamein, Afrika Korps.
ABSTRACT
This paper describes a British War Cabinet initiative, set up in July
1940, in the troubled moments after the defeat of the French army and the
foreseeable invasion of Great Britain by the German army. The War Cabinet
decided the urgent supply of fighters and light bombers to Egypt by means
of an air route that started at Takoradi, Gold Coast (current Ghana). The
objective was to reinforce the British position in Egypt and to avoid the advancement
of Italian troops from Libya. This reinforcement was kept during
more than three years and was essential to defeat the Italian army at North
Africa as well as the German Afrika Korps. More than 5000 aircraft, arrived
half-assembled in large crates at Takoradi harbour, were fully assembled in
provisional facilities and flew over jungles, savanna and dessert until its destination
at the Nile Delta area. This reinforcement provided the necessary air
superiority for the battles in 1941 and, very decisively, for the battle at El
Alamein in Autumn 1942.
KEY WORDS: Second World War, History of aviation, Hurricane, El
Alamein, Afrika Korps.
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INTRODUCCIÓN
La Segunda Guerra Mundial ha sido, con gran diferencia, el conflicto
bélico más destructivo y de mayor alcance geográfico de todos los
ocurridos en la historia de la humanidad. Por ello, son numerosísimas
las gestas, situaciones, personalidades, etc, que han tenido lugar, aunque no
todas ellas hayan recibido suficiente atención.
Cuando se aborda la historia de cualquier guerra, generalmente se
plantea en términos de hechos notables protagonizados por individuos o
grupos, y los hechos se describen de manera épica, entusiasta o anecdótica;
pero, a veces, el estudioso debe adoptar un punto de vista diferente y pro
Revista de Historia Militar, 130 (2021), pp. 98-142. ISSN: 0482-5748