Operation Splice ran from 19 to 22 May 1941 and delivered forty-eight Hurricane IIs from Ark Royal and Furious. At the same time, two MW7B tankers carried 24,000 tons of fuel while the faster MW7A convoy moved six freighters and its escorts toward Malta. The Royal Navy sent the slow tankers ahead, released the faster ships later, and used the main fleet as cover so the groups reached the danger zone together. A minesweeper detonated twelve mines while leading the arrivals into Grand Harbour. The schedule and escort plan show what confidence in sea control meant in practice.
Chapter · 1:38:01-1:44:05
Splice, fighters, fuel, and convoy timing
Splice paired forty-eight carrier-delivered Hurricanes with tankers and a fast convoy timed to reach Malta together.