Air operations in East Africa from September 1941

Those few Ju-86s the SAAF had were sent to the force blockading French Somaliland in late September 1941. That left a very reduced force to operate against Gondar. In an attack on Gondar in October 1941, 7 Hartbeests, 4 Gladiators, and 1 Hurricane "dropped 7,810 lb. of bombs on the northern positions". A Gladiator had shot down a lone CR42 over the Gondar-Wolchefit road, later in October. At the end of October, No.3 Squadron SAAF had returned after rearming with Curtis Mohawks. Air operations intensified in anticipation of the assault on Gondar. This is based on the account in Vol.II of the Official History.