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Planes on Film
The following is a list of films/commercials, shot in/around Malta, either with an aviation theme, or which utilised aircraft. Some of the aircraft used were locally based, but frequently, aircraft and/or helicopters were brought over for the duration of the shoot.
Films/commercials have been listed in alphabetical order, but no claim is being made that this list is complete. In a few instances, it is known that an aircraft was used for a film, but details about the shoot itself are lacking. These (aircraft) have been listed under Misc.
Bold, black text indicates additional/corrected info to previous material. Film/ commercial title in bold, blue text indicates a completely new entry since the last update.
Anyone who can add to, or correct, the information on this page is welcome to contact me. All the aircraft mentioned are listed in a table for easy reference. This table may have aircraft that may not be listed in the main text.
This page was created on 10.10.05.
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Airline
A TV series that utilised the DC-3 (see also The Protectors, further down) was this Yorkshire production about a man setting up his own airline in England after the end of WWII. Two aircraft were utilised, registered G-BHUB and G-DAKS, which arrived at Luqa Airport on 29 March 1981, departing on 27 April. Filming dates were between 02-24 April. A third aircraft, a Piper PA-23-250 Navajo, G-BBAV of Pan Universal Aircraft Surveys was used as a camera ship for the air-to-air shots. The three aircraft arrived in formation over the airport.
Additionally, the production company made use of four other DC-3s, which were located at Safi, at the former MIACO aircraft maintenance company. These aircraft were registered C-FITH, N535M, N565, and a fourth unidentified DC-3, which so far has eluded proper identification. It was described as being white with a blue cheatline, making it one, of at least nine, DC-3s that were painted in such a manner.
Black Eagle
In this 1988 production, the opening shots show Air Malta B.720-B 9H-AAO landing and taxying into Park 8. Also visible were B.720 9H-AAL, and unidentified Air Malta B.720 * and B.737. Also used was the Helicopter Flight’s AB.206 Jet Ranger, 9H-AAJ.
Story: A CIA and KGB agent fight it out for some secret stuff dropped in the Mediterranean sea.
* Unidentified means that the reg was not visible. Since 9H-AAM had been wfu in 1981, 9H-AAN had been sold in 1984, then this should make it 9H-AAK .
Crash
For this 1986 German TV production, Air Malta’s B.720 9H-AAM was given fictitious Skyline titles and airline colours. After the shoot, the aircraft was taken over to the fire dump.
Due Bolt in Uno
A commercial for a clothes washing powder, it also involved an Air Sqn's Alouette as well as a Maritime Squadron AFM's Kondor class patrol boat. Alouette identity unknown.
Fifth Missile, The
An Armed Forces of Malta helicopter, AB.206A JetRanger, 9H-AAJ, was painted up as a US Navy machine for this television mini-series shot in Malta in 1985. It carried serial number 751. The colours worn by 9H-AAJ were a mix of water paint and dishwashing liquid soap, to facilitate the colour’s removal after filming had ended. Story: The crew of a US Navy nuclear submarine is struck by toxic poisoning from their newly painted vessel.
Heroes in the sky
A Maltese documentary about British pilots who served in Malta during WWII. Included the use of Malta Aviation Museum’s Spitfire and Hurricane as background during interviews.
Investigators, The
Part of this film involved the use of a “Cessna” aircraft at Hal-Far airfield. Most probably this would have been one of Harry Falzon’s Cessna’s 172s, 9H-AAA or 9H-AAD.
Largo Winch
Frequently seen at Med-Avia, B.727 P4-FLY was used between 07-08 September 2007 for both static and take-off/landing shots. Carried “Korsk Corporation” titling on the forward fuselage.
Maltageddon
A parody of the 1998 Hollywood film Armageddon, this Maltese-language film, released in 2009, sees the saving of the planet resting on the shoulders of an assorted bunch of ill-trained misfits. Parts of the film were shot at the Malta Aviation Museum at Ta’ Qali, DC-3 T9-ABC being easily recognisable.
Malta Story
Perhaps one of the better known films about Malta during the Second World War, this 1953 production told the story of Malta’s stubborn refusal to succumb to Axis bombing. Another important aspect was the scene showing the aircraft landing at Safi Strip. This landing strip fell into disuse after the war, and was completely obliterated with the extension of runway 14/32. The approximate location of this strip, however, can be judged by the red-domed chapel (commonly referred to as Ta’ Loretu) seen in the background.
Midnight Express
In the first few minutes of the film, entirely shot in Malta, passengers can be seen climbing on board an Air Malta B.720-B AP-AMJ used in the film, the letter ‘J’ being clearly readable on the nose. Story: The true events of an American tourist caught smuggling drugs in Turkey, and his eventual escape.
Misc – Bits & Pieces
A British Airways Bell 206, G-AWGU, was brought over to photograph the Middle Sea Race on 04 October 1973.
On 21 May 1984, Air Malta B.720-047B 9H-AAL was used for either a film or a commercial. Any further information will be welcome.
An unidentified autogyro was in Malta during October 1978, for a commercial or film shoot, but no further details are available.
Aerospatial AS-350 Eurocopter, F-GFDL, left Malta on 08 January 2002 after filming a commercial at Rinella film facilities.
Although not shot in Malta, the James Bond thriller The World is not Enough featured a CASA 212 twin turbo-prop aircraft, registered F-GOGN, which was flown by two Maltese pilots, Mark Vella Tomlin and Joseph Aquilina.
Munich
This Steven Spielberg film, parts of which were shot around Malta during July/August 2005, made use of a BAC 111 stored at the maintenance facilities at Safi on 21 July. Although registered in Liberia as 9L-LDL, it still carries the titles of its previous owner, British World. Story: Mossad agents on the search for the PLO terrorists who killed the Israeli athletes participating in the Munich 1972 Olympics.
Mystery of the Missing Ace, The
On 20 May 2003, the Malta Aviation Museum was one of the locations used for the shooting of a documentary about the life of Wing Commander Adrian Warburton, a Royal Air Force World War II pilot, who spent three years based in Malta. He was the CO of 69 and 683 Squadrons. A reconnaissance pilot, he went missing in a Lockheed P-38 Lighting over Germany on 12 April 1944, and it wasn’t until November 2002 that his remains were finally discovered. Although the Aviation Museum had requested that his body be buried in Malta, it was at the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Durnbach, Germany, where he was shot down, that he was finally laid to rest, with full military honours. The documentary had actors Ben Stuart as Wing Commander Adrian Warburton, and Irene Christ as Christina Radcliffe, Adrian’s girlfriend. It was aired on BBC 2 on 14 November 2003, as part of that station’s Timewatch series.
Paqpaq
A Maltese language motoring TV series. On 17th December 2006 (the anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight appropriately enough) featured the Air Squadrons’ Bell 47G-2 AS7201, which has since been retired from active service, and donated to the Malta Aviation Museum. The programmes web site URL was also written on the 47’s canopy. Aerial shots taken by (unidentified) Alouette. The segment also included aerial shots of an Alouette and AB.212
Powerboat Racing – 1992
The first edition of the International Offshore Powerboat race was held in Malta on Sunday 21 June 1992.
Apart from the Air Squadrons’ and Italian Military Mission’s helicopters to provide SAR facilities, Bell 206 Jet Ranger, I-LLEO arrived on the 18th to provide an aerial platform for the cameras. This particular helicopter would again be seen the following year for the same event.
Also used was Malta Air Charter’s Mi-8 CCCP-24637.
Powerboat Racing – 1993
This was the second time the International Offshore Powerboat race was held in Malta as part of the Championship series.
The main race day was on June 27 and it attracted more visitors that the previous year. A number of helicopters acted as camera ships as well as providing rescue facilities. The following is a list helicopters used.
Bell 206 Jet Rangers G-BRMH, I-CELF and I-LLEO, AS.350B Ecureuils I-GLCL and 3A-MAC as well as AFM AB.47G-2s 9H-AAE and 9H-AAF, Alouettes 9H-AAW and 9H-AAX as well as two AB.212ASW from the Italian Military Mission, MM81210 and MM81215/15-16.
Also following the race from a higher altitude was Piper Lance 9H-ABU.
Powerboat Racing – 1994
The third international offshore powerboat race was held over the weekend of 18 and 19 June, 1994.
Acting as camera ships and providing rescue facilities for the main event on Sunday were Aerospatiale AS.350B2 Squirrel I-GLCL, Agusta A.109A-111 I-TOLU, AFM Air Squadron’s AB.47G-2s 9H-AAF and 9H-AAG, SA.316B Alouette III’s 9H-AAV and 9H-AAW, Nardi Hughes NH.369M 9H-ABY and Italian Military Mission AB.212 MM81211/15-11 from the 15 Stormo.
Following at a higher altitude was Piper Lance 9H-ABU.
Powerboat racing – 2007
Used to film the races was A. Aerospatiale AS-350BA Ecureuil I-GLOP in May 2007.
Protectors, The
A sequence for this TV series was shot on 30 December 1971 at the old civil terminal, using a DC-3 of the LAVCO airline (Libyan Aviation Company), registered N484F. For the shoot, the aircraft’s airline tiles and registration on the port side were painted over.
Silent Enemy, The
After spending several months in storage at Safi Maintenance Unit following its crash landing at RAF Luqa on 13 January 1956, a Neptune aircraft was sold in May 1957 to Remus Films who dumped it over the cliffs at Hal-Far for underwater shots. The British Film Institute (www.bfi.org.uk) thinks it was used for this film. Synopsis: The true story of how Commander Lionel Crabbe with two other divers fought off Italian Navy frogmen placing mines against Allied ships in 1941.
Swept Away
One of the early scenes shows a Gulfstream IV or V both taking off and landing, although reg is not visible. Saw this film (on DVD) for having been partly shot in Malta. Story . . . never mind!
Treasure Hunt
Before The Fifth Missile and Black Eagle, JetRanger 9H-AAJ had already faced the cameras in September 1983, when it was used to transport the female presenter of this British TV series for an episode that was shot in Malta.
TROY
The filming of this epic in June-July 2003 brought some welcome aviation giants to MIA. Volga-Dnepr An-124, RA-82044, and British Airways B.747-400, G-CIVR were used to transport equipment and cast respectively to Mexico, after their shoot in Malta had ended. Also used for air-to-ground shots was a specially modified helicopter, an Aerospatiale AS-355F-2 Ecureuil 2, I-VREM. Story: How one woman caused the destruction of the city of Troy.
U-571
25 March 1999 saw a real gem of an aircraft landing in Malta – a WWII-vintage Fiat G.55, two-seat, single-engined aircraft, representing a Luftwaffe aircraft, complete with Iron Crosses and swastika. Bearing Italian registration I-MRSV, it flew daily, sometimes twice during its stay here. Also used in connection with the filming was Italian-registered helicopter Aerospatiale Ecureuil, I-NDIO. A couple of angry letters in the Maltese press, quite rightly pointing out that America didn’t get embroiled in the war until December 1941. Story: A US submarine crew capture an Enigma machine from a U-boat in 1940/early 1941.
Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya
A Tamil romantic comedy, about a Christian girl and Hindu boy, parts of which were shot in the Maltese Islands in April/May 2009. An AFM Alouette was also utilised by the production company.
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Aircraft listing
All the aircraft mentioned in the above films are to be found in the table below for easy reference, and are indexed by type and registration. Italian, Augusta-built Bell helicopters are to be found under Bell.
An aircraft type in bold indicates a completely new entry since the last update. Other text in bold, usually in the NOTES column, indicates additional information about the aircraft.
This list has been expanded to include aircraft used for general, showbiz-related activity. Some of the aircraft listed here may not therefore appear in the above list.
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Aircraft types: A | AIRCRAFT | OPERATOR | REGISTRATION | FILM/NOTES | | | | | Aircraft type autogyro. No further details available. | | ? | | | Brought Italian artist Laura Pausini on 21.07.09 | | SA.316 Alouette | Air Wing/A.F.M. | ? | Used during filming Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya. | | Aerospatiale AS.350 Ecureuil | Air Panarea | I-GLOP | Power boat races 2007, Used for air to ground (or sea) photography. | | Aerospatiale AS.350 Ecureuil | | I-NDIO | U-571. Used for air-to-ground photography. | | Aerospatiale AS.350B Ecureuil | | 3A-MAC | Used to film the 1993 Powerboat Races. | | Aerospatiale AS.350 Ecureuil | | F-GFDL | Used for a commercial at Rinella film facilities. Also used for the movie “La Tour Montparnasse Infernale” (not shot in Malta). Built in 1985, c/n 1824, previously D-HHKK. | | Aerospatiale AS.350B Ecureuil | | I-GLCL | Used to film the 1993 and 1994 Powerboat Races. | | Aerospatiale AS-355F-2 Ecureuil 2 | | I-VREM | Troy. Equipped with an externally-mounted camera for air-to-ground shots. c/n 5297. Again seen in Malta when it made a night-stop at the Rinella film facilities between 20-21.07.09, departing for the Med-Avia repair facilities. | | Agusta A.109A-111 | | I-TOLU | Used to film the 1994 Powerboat Races. | | An-12 | Air Sofia | LZ-SFN | Brought film equipment on 27.10.05. Left Malta on 02.12.05. | | An-124 | Volga-Dnepr | RA-82044 | TROY. Transported equipment directly to Mexico. |
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Aircraft types: B – C
| AIRCRAFT | OPERATOR | REGISTRATION | FILM/NOTES | | Bell 47G-2 | A.F.M. | AS7201 | Paqpaq. Helicopter donated to Malta Aviation Museum on 30.05.08. | | (A)B.206A JetRanger | A.F.M. | 9H-AAJ | Used for the filming of “Black Eagle”, “The Fifth Missile” and “Treasure Hunt”. | | B.206 JetRanger | British Airways | G-AWGU | Used to film the Middle Sea Race on 04 October 1973. | | B.206 JetRanger | | G-BRMH | Used to film the 1993 Powerboat Races. | | B.206 JetRanger | | I-CELF | Used to film the 1993 Powerboat Races. | | B.206 JetRanger | | I-LLEO | Used to film the 1992 and 1993 Powerboat Races. | | B.720-047B | Air Malta | 9H-AAL | See notes under Misc. | | B.720-047B | Air Malta | 9H-AAM | Crash. | | B.720-047B | Air Malta | AP-AMJ | Midnight Express. This aircraft later became 9H-AAN. | | B.747-400 | British Airways | G-CIVR | TROY. Transported cast directly to Mexico. | | BAC 111 | British World | 9L-LDL | Munich. Also took part as a static display during the 2003 Malta Int’l Airshow. | | Canadair CL600 | | D-BUSY | Brought artist Sting for a concert on 06.06.06. Aircraft left for Israel after concert. | | CASA 212 | | F-GOGN | “The World Is Not Enough”. Not shot in Malta, but aircraft was flown by two Maltese pilots, Mark Vella Tomlin and Joseph Aquilina. | | Cessna 172 | | | The Investigators. Registration unknown. |
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Aircraft types: D | AIRCRAFT | OPERATOR | REGISTRATION | FILM/NOTES | | Dornier 328 | | OE-HTJ | Left with former Pink Floyd artist Roger Waters, after a concert on 10.07.06. | | DC-3 | | T9-ABC | Maltageddon | | DC-3 | | | Airline. | | DC-3 | LAVCO | N484F | The Protectors. | | DC-3 | Aces High | G-BHUB | Airline. | | DC-3 | Aces High | G-DAKS | Airline. | | DC-3 | Geoterrex Ltd. | C-FITH | Airline. | | DC-3 | Conoco | N535M | Airline. | | DC-3 | Conoco | N565 | Airline. |
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Aircraft types: E – Z | AIRCRAFT | OPERATOR | REGISTRATION | FILM/NOTES | | Embraer ERJ-135 Legacy | | | Technical stop on 23.03.06 with Rubens Barrichello on board. | | Embraer ERJ-135 | | N678RC | It is believed this aircraft brought artist/s for the Isle of MTV concert on 07.07.09. | | Fiat G.55 | | I-MRSV | U-571. | | Gulfstream IV/V | | | Swept Away. | | Gulfstream V | Universal Studios | N77US | In Malta between 16-17 April 1999. Due to the dates and operator, it most probably brought studio executives in connection with the filming of U-571. | | H. Hurricane Mk.IIA | Malta Aviation Museum | Z3055 | Aircraft also used as background during interviews for “Heroes In The Sky”. | | H. Hurricane XII | Historical Aircraft Collection | G-HURI | Video clips of the aircraft performing during the 2005 Malta air show/Merlins Over Malta were included in the documentary “Heroes In The Sky”. | | HS Nimrod MR.1 | 203 Squadron | XV241 | Aircraft used for a British TV company documentary, on 26.10.73, which included air-to-air photography of a 13 squadron Canberra. | | HS Nimrod MR.1 | 203 Squadron | XV240 | This is how Colin Pomeroy, who served with 203 squadron, described the event. ”The Nimrod flight with the press mentioned in "No. 203 Squadron - The Malta Years" was made on 18th March 1974. I was co-pilot to Colin Hughes in XV240 (Crew 9) and I believe that the second aircraft was flown by Flt Lt Keith Merritt and Crew 2. The camera crew were from ITN, who had the intention of just shooting some general footage of the squadron's activities in the Mediterranean and to do this we rendezvoused with Crew 2 off Kithera and then flew alongside Soviet ships at the anchorage, ITN supposedly filming them photographing the warships. However, ITN were so pleased with the footage obtained that they screened the activity in its own right as the only other item on "The News at Ten" on the night that Princess Ann was shot at in the Mall. There were also reporters and photographers from Sunday Times and Sunday Express on board, but I don't know how they used the material obtained.” | | L. Neptune MR.1 | Royal AF | WX547 | It is believed that this aircraft was used for underwater scenes in “The Silent Enemy”. | | Nord 1002/BF.108 | | G-EMTE/KG-EM | Video clips of this aircraft performing during the 2005 Malta air show/Merlins Over Malta were included in the documentary “Heroes In The Sky”. | | Piper Navajo | Pan Universal Aircraft Surveys | G-BBAV | Airline. Used as a camera ship for the air-to-air shots. | | S. Spitfire Mk. VB | Historic Aircraft Collection | G-MKVB | Video clips form the aircraft performing during the 2005 Malta air show/Merlins Over Malta were used in the documentary “Heroes In The Sky”. | | S. Spitfire Mk. IX | | EN199 | The Mystery of the Missing Ace. Partly shot at the Malta Aviation Museum. Aircraft also used as background during interviews for “Heroes In The Sky”. | | S. Spitfire IX/XVI | Royal AF | TE241 | Malta Story. | | S. Spitfire XVI | Royal AF | TE358 ? | Malta Story. | | S. Spitfire XVI | Royal AF | | Malta Story. | | S. Spitfire XVI | Royal AF | | Malta Story. |
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