'Take a politically insane concept, wed it to a militarily very powerful and efficient nation, and you have an utter disaster on your hands.'

I wonder who we could apply that to today.

On the Malta thing, air superiority is only useful as a first step in gaining command of the sea, as proved by Admiral Cunningham in the Crete campaign.

(A small anecdote about Admiral Cunningham. After the war he was was Chairman of the Planning Committee on a Local Council (South West England), and the Clerk to the Council had the annoying habit of saying 'Yes Admiral', 'No Admiral' to Cunningham, who then said 'I don't use my service rank in civilian life, but if you must it's Admiral of the fucking Fleet!'