Okay, - many issues...
Did the western allies (Britain and France at the time) declare war because of Fascism? IMHO yes, they just got around to recognize what the nazi park was all about.
But Franco, he wanted a state of his own, on a park that cannot (due to geographical issues) easily be defeated. He did his work, and then wanted to leave others to their lives. BTW, Hitler approached Franco on the subject of a possible job of Germans taking Gibraltar. Franco said NO.
(This is the occasion where Hitler said that he'd rather have some teeth pulled out than doing that discussion again)
Now,Martyn:
"Converting to Mosquitoes would have meant shutting down factories and re-training the workers. This would have reduced overall bomber production"
Are you sure? The reason for the mossie getting through in the first place was that it used techniques and workforce already available as well as somewhat idle. Same thing was for the continued production of the Hurricane when it was obsolete, - it could be produced along with others because the craft was there as well as the manpower from old.
IMHO no shut-downs, just a change of emphasis.
The Mossie was not the favour at the time, it went up and flew and showed it's true merit, - at the time the ball was already rolling another way...
