How many fighters defended Malta at the start of the war with Italy?

In March 1940 it was decided to give Malta some degree of fighter protection using some of the available Sea Gladiators and pilots. Six Sea Gladiators were assigned to the unit, four assembled in April and the other two in May. Of the four assembled in April, two were for normal operation, one was kept for spare parts, and the other was held in reserve. In June, two of the Sea Gladiators had crashed and two more were assembled. On June 11, 1940, when the air battle for Malta began, the air defense consisted of four Gladiators, two of which kept continuous watch during daylight hours.

On June 10, Italy entered the war, and that same day ten Cant Z.1007 bombers of the Regia Aeronautica attacked Grand Harbour and Hal Far. For several weeks the island of Malta was protected by a small force of Gloster Sea Gladiator biplane fighters.

The unit is the origin of the story that only three aircraft, named Faith, Hope, and Charity (N5519, N5520, and N5531), formed the island's fighter cover. In reality six aircraft were operational, though not always at the same time, and others were used to obtain spare parts. The names Faith, Hope, and Charity were applied to the aircraft many months later, by a Maltese newspaper.