"Royal Air Force Operations in Malta, Gibraltar and the Mediterranean, 1939-1945." Airmen of the Special Erection Party fitting the engines to Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vs during assembly at North Front, Gibraltar. Behind them can be seen the fuselages of Hawker Hurricanes sheltered in their packing crates. The Special Erection Party was established at Gibraltar in July 1942 to assemble and test fly aircraft crated from Britain by sea for the reinforcement of Malta. They are seen here working on a shipment of 70 Spitfires and 27 Hurricanes which arrived by sea on 15 September 1942 and which were built, test-flown and dispersed to vacant areas of the station in 11 days.