It is lesser known that towards the end of the battle that the air force of fascist Italy joined the combat. Thinking that the war would soon be over, Italy’s dictator Benito Mussolini waited until June 19th, 1940 to declare war on Britain and France. This being one in a series of miscalculations that ultimately resulted in Mussolini being killed by his own countrymen. The Italian flying group known as Corpo Aero Italiano sent approximately 200 airplanes to a German airbase in occupied Belgium to participate in the raids on England. In addition to bombers, part of their contingent consisted of the Fiat CR 42 Falco, a biplane fighter. It was a nimble plane with an excellent turning radius. Used as an escort for Italian bombers, they did not engage in a direct dogfight with British fighters until November 11, 1940, a date shortly after historians consider the Battle of Britain to be over.
The contest was literally a Fiat versus a Rolls-Royce. The British Supermarine Spitfire was propelled though the air by its powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Indeed, this gorgeous monoplane outclassed the tiny Falco in every way. The results were predictable. 5 Falcos were destroyed with no loss to the Sptifires.
What legal lesson can be drawn from this little- known part of aviation history? A key takeaway is do not enter into legal negotiations when the other side has superior armaments. Negotiating a contract crafted by the lawyers of another party can put one with no legal training at a disadvantage. Clauses in a contract that may seem innocuous on the surface may jump out as very dangerous ones to a lawyer with a trained eye. This is especially true when the other party is a larger company who has had their contracts prepared with care and great detail by experienced in house counsel or by a law firm with years of experience with the type of contract being negotiated. It is wise to get a legal opinion prior to putting ink on the signature line of an important deal.
It has been said, “don’t take a knife to a gunfight”. Similarly, using the analogy of this article, “don’t fly a bi-plane into a Spitfire fight”. Those who do not use caution may see their legal rights go up in flames with no way to bail out of the contract.
Make smart decisions with your legal matters, especially when negotiating contracts. When you need help with legal matters, call the one you can trust. Contact Chris today … click here.
