WIX Archives
Re: Malta Spitfires
Posted by PeterA on Sun May 25, 2003 04:37:51 PM
In reply top Malta Spitfires posted by Paul McMillan on Sun May 25, 2003 12:35:07 PM
Paul
It is BR108.
The aircraft was located by the RAF sub aqua club circa 1968 and was written up in Control Column magazine.
A team from RAF Luqa pulled her out of the water off Gozo in August 1973.
The RAF cleaned and scraped the barnacles off the engine. Part of the wing sections were incorporated into the wing reconstruction of EN199 as related previously.
Some pix in your mail. Fell free to post them.
We looked on such wrelics far differently then!!
PeterA
: In Malta Flypast Vol 5, there is an article by Air Chief M
: arshal Sir Michael Armitage about his posting (as a Group
: Captain) as Air Officer Commanding RAF Luq in 1972. In it
: he states
:
: "One of these tasks was to refurbish the wartime Gloster G
: ladiator aircraft "Faith", while another was the rescue an
: d restoration of a Spitfire Merlin engine and part of the
: aircraft's badly corroded airframe, which had lain at the
: bottom of the sea for 30 years"
:
: A look at Spitfire International reveals
:
: BR108 - Remains salvaged from Marsalforn Bay, Gozo in 1968
: to National War Musuem, Fort St.Elmo Valetta 5.75 for exh
: ibition (wreckage of fuselage and wings only)
:
: Now is this the same aircraft or another one..
: Armitage clealy states 'rescue' which to me may indicate r
: ecovery in 1972 also he says engine and airframe. The list
: ing of BR108 does not say Engine..
:
: But the 1975 display date, probably means the same aircraf
: t..
:
: Has anybody seen BR108 and how much is left of her?
:
: Thanks
:
: Paul
: