Or they could just send them out on raids over France to beat the Hun up over there? That sounds like a good idea.
Fortunately the Air Ministry is Peerless, but it will be interesting to see how much hindsight is dodged.
It is logical to note twelve downed pikots recovered from the Kent countryside and sea and then realise that they would be POWs if fighting over France. It is also deducible that enemy flak would cause more damage to them than domestic flak batteries. There is a strategic advantage to fighting over home territory.
Malta could be identified as somewhere enemy aircraft could be drawn into battle. North Africa is just a theatre where air superiority could be established and exploited due to limited logistics for the Axis. With Sicily in Italian hands, so close, Malta would be hard pressed to equal the logistic support available to the enemy, so they are sure to attack there. If only to suppress air and surface action against convoys to North Africa.
Air has a lot to offer the North African campaign. Fighter cover and reconnaissance of enemy dispositions. A well supported ground campaign that made full use of air superiority to establish supporting air bases, close to Malta in Tunis and Tripoli, by pushing east from Alexandria and bomber bases by the oil refinery in Haifa. Marstan punched metal matting forward air strips, piping fuel stores over the beach from ships off the coast and munnition beach landing craft. unloaded by fat tyred fork lift 4x4 trucks are all plausible developments if you are seriously contemplating supplying a rapid advance over hundreds of miles with little infrastructure in place. Needless to say, RAF beach landing and supply craft could be repurposed or the design adopted and improved for invasion landings.
Meanwhile in Malta:
Radar equipment, hardened and expanded airfield facilities and regular support convoys would be required to match or exceed the threat posed by the Sicilian air bases. We start with three Gloster Gladiators and a little road roller. Any changes would, by Peerless Air Ministry rules, have to use existing resources in a sensible manner. Were the right aircraft carriers used to ferry in fighter to Malta in the Med? Armoured deck only should be the rule.
The four cannon fighters would be Devastating in ground attack in North Africa. Get Leigh-Mallory(?) onto that and another Group can apply his BoB experience to defending Malta. The Near East and North African air force should have smaller elements similar to all the home commands. Enough that he doesn't feel slighted being posted to command here. After all this is the new front line.
Park will have to content himself with the less glorious work of co-ordination. Coastal command should be a route up in rank from the FAA as well as RN. A standard joint command protocol that could be applied to Tactical command and ground controllers with the RN, Army or Special Forces.
The RAF needs raw materials, tools equipment and supplies from overseas. The Mediterranean theatre is important to that but the Battle of the Atlantic is the vital supply line. Coastal Command and the FAA have a leading role to play in ensuring success here. Whomever is in charge of Coastal needs to work hand in glove with there opposite number in the FAA. Given these two theatres will see the most action going forward, Training needs to shift from predominantly interceptor pilots and night bombers for the UK to carrier pilots, maritime patrol crews and the full gamut of types for North Africa.