Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
June 1941. Over the skies of Syria, an aircraft already considered obsolete is about to write its final chapter.
As the campaign intensifies, Vichy French fighters and bombers continue to challenge Allied control of the air. Modern monoplanes dominate the battlefield—but in one encounter, they are met by something far older, and far more agile than expected.
What follows is a brief but telling clash that would mark the end of an era for the RAF. Confusion in the air, split-second decisions, and a mismatch of technology all come together in a dogfight with an unexpected outcome.
Beyond this encounter, the wider air war continues to evolve, with reinforcements arriving, bombing campaigns expanding, and both sides adapting to a conflict that remains largely overlooked.
This is the story of the Gladiator’s final combat—and its last victories in British service.
Check out previous episodes if you missed them:
youtu.be/2S2VVscSQ3o
youtu.be/_spJp-nG0hk
youtu.be/2N6W9_aBLGE
youtu.be/mc8dE8UIgfc
youtu.be/EADG2H4jpbw
Main sources:
- Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar, 1940-42
amzn.to/3QQ2Ieo
- French Aces of World War 2
amzn.to/3QvtgBRr
- Gloster Gladiator Aces
amzn.to/4aMWW4r
- L'Aviation de Vichy au combat: La Campagne de Syrie, 8 juin-14 juillet 1941
amzn.to/4inm7zh
- Vichy Air Force at War: The French Air Force that Fought the Allies in World War II
amzn.to/4xjjBhh
When you purchase these books on Amazon through the links in this description, the channel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. The proceeds help fund new book purchases and support the creation of future videos.
Support the channel on Patreon
patreon.com/showtime112
Donate via Paypal:
paypal.com/paypalme/showtime112
Join our Discord server:
discord.gg/c56q7tUNCP
Echoes of Time by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300029
Artist: incompetech.com
June 1941. Over the skies of Syria, an aircraft already considered obsolete is about to write its final chapter.
As the campaign intensifies, Vichy French fighters and bombers continue to challenge Allied control of the air. Modern monoplanes dominate the battlefield—but in one encounter, they are met by something far older, and far more agile than expected.
What follows is a brief but telling clash that would mark the end of an era for the RAF. Confusion in the air, split-second decisions, and a mismatch of technology all come together in a dogfight with an unexpected outcome.
Beyond this encounter, the wider air war continues to evolve, with reinforcements arriving, bombing campaigns expanding, and both sides adapting to a conflict that remains largely overlooked.
This is the story of the Gladiator’s final combat—and its last victories in British service.
Check out previous episodes if you missed them:
youtu.be/2S2VVscSQ3o
youtu.be/_spJp-nG0hk
youtu.be/2N6W9_aBLGE
youtu.be/mc8dE8UIgfc
youtu.be/EADG2H4jpbw
Main sources:
- Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar, 1940-42
amzn.to/3QQ2Ieo
- French Aces of World War 2
amzn.to/3QvtgBRr
- Gloster Gladiator Aces
amzn.to/4aMWW4r
- L'Aviation de Vichy au combat: La Campagne de Syrie, 8 juin-14 juillet 1941
amzn.to/4inm7zh
- Vichy Air Force at War: The French Air Force that Fought the Allies in World War II
amzn.to/4xjjBhh
When you purchase these books on Amazon through the links in this description, the channel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. The proceeds help fund new book purchases and support the creation of future videos.
Support the channel on Patreon
patreon.com/showtime112
Donate via Paypal:
paypal.com/paypalme/showtime112
Join our Discord server:
discord.gg/c56q7tUNCP
Echoes of Time by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1300029
Artist: incompetech.com
