The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #162232   Message #3863872
Posted By: Teribus
02-Jul-17 - 09:43 AM
Thread Name: BS: Time to choose on June 8th-UK Elections
Subject: RE: BS: Time to choose on June 8th-UK Elections
Ah Raggy you are talking about things that might possibly happen but probably wouldn't as your conjecture lacks logic and reasoning. I, on the other hand am basing what I believe would have resulted had Chamberlain not negotiated a settlement at Munich and had Hitler got the war he wanted and had planned for in 1938. I base what I have said on logic and reasoning that is supported by actual events and outcomes.

- Annexation of Czechoslovakia by Germany, Hungary and Poland.
- Invasion of Holland 1940, 7 days - the result would have been the same, if not quicker, in 1938 or 1939.
- Invasion of Belgium 1940, 18 days - the result would have been the same, if not quicker, in 1938 or 1939.
- Invasion of France 1940, 46 days - the result would have been the same, if not quicker, in 1938 or 1939.

- Battle of Britain 1938 style would have been fought without radar, without the Hurricane and without the Spitfire. With the RAF depending upon the Gloster Gladiator biplane, out performed and outnumbered by the fighter aircraft of the German Luftwaffe, the result would have most certainly have been a defeat for the RAF. In no theatre of operations did the Gladiator prove equal to, or even pose a threat to the Me-109E. Here are some comments by those who flew them:

1: "The Gloster Gladiator was not only pretty to look at, but was a beautiful aircraft to fly, providing that you were not being chased by a Messerschmitt Bf109 at the time."

2: "The Gladiator never did prove itself as a fighting machine and were classed as death traps against the Luftwaffe Bf109s very early in W.W.II."

3: "In early September of 1939, two squadrons flew Gloster Gladiators in France. These were The County of Durham 609 Squadron and the County of Surrey 615 Squadron both were squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force. Both suffered heavy casualties in the heavy engagements that they undertook. Being slow in both speed and in manoeuvrability, the gunners of the German bombers found them easy targets and up against the more modern swift monoplane fighters of the Luftwaffe they were totally outclassed."

4: "When the war moved to the south coast of Britain, Gladiators again became involved, but this time only on a minor scale. But the story was much the same as it had been before, they were being shot down like targets on a practice range. They were eventually withdrawn to areas where they would not be used in combat operations."

No guesswork - all fact - all that has been done is advance the timing to reflect no accommodation being reached or negotiated between Germany, France and Great Britain in 1938.