1960-1969

DATE	AIRCRAFT	SQDN	SERIAL	NOTES
21.01.60	EE Canberra PR.3	39	WF926	Flew into sea on GCA approach at night. 2 fatalities. The search for the crew was called off on the 24th. I received the following e-mail from Gordon Whitfield about the loss of this aircraft. 'I did the preflight on it, so I had to go before a "Board of Enquiry". It was put down to pilot error. I remember they were doing blind instrument flying that fateful day, so the pilot had to cover his visor so he couldn't look through the cockpit canopy. So whether his instruments were faulty or he misread them we shall never know. They were a very popular crew, we said why them!'
15.03.60	DH Sea Venom FAW.22	894	XG614	Shore-based at Hal-Far from HMS Albion for a ten day detachment with several other similar types. Collided with XG723 during night-time maneuvers. Two survivors, two fatalities.
15.03.60	DH Sea Venom FAW.22	894	XG723	Shore-based at Hal-Far from HMS Albion for a ten day detachment with several other similar types. Collided with XG614 during night-time maneuvers. Two survivors, two fatalities.
23.03.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VT104	Shot down by Seaslug missile fired from HMS Girdleness. First Meteor drone to be shot down.
29.03.60	F. Firefly U.9	728B	VT104	Shot down during gunnery practice.
06.04.60	W. Whirlwind HAS.7	824	XL85	Crashed in the sea off Malta.
11.05.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VT110	Shot down by radar-controlled gunfire from HMS Girdleness.
11.05.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VT243	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
12.05.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VT310	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
18.05.60	W. Whirlwind HAS.7		XK938	Ditched off Malta.
25.05.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone.	728B	WB245	Crashed during take-off from Hal-Far.
10.06.60	Gl. Meteor T.7	728	WA650	Crash landed at Hal-Far, one fatality.
09.08.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	RA3_7	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship. Serial number may be RA387 or 397.
10.08.60	A. Shackleton MR.2	38	WL788/R	Aircraft now transferred to 38 squadron. Undercarriage collapsed during engine start-up at Luqa, the Cat.3 damage being repaired at the Maintenance Base, Safi.
11.08.60	W. Whirlwind HAS.7	824	XK910	Collided with mast on HMS Scorpion.
08.09.60	Gl. Meteor U.15	728	VT282	Shot down during radio controlled target firing.
19.08.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	VT481	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
24.08.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VT417	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
25.08.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	WB410	Crashed during landing at Hal-Far, after ship gunners failed to shoot it down.
26.08.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	VT364	Crashed during landing at Hal-Far, after ship gunners failed to shoot them down.
26.09.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	WB331	Written off whilst being landed at Hal-Far.
06.10.60	Gl. Meteor F.8	MC-TTS	WH364	Unspecified category 3R damage. To 137MU, Safi for repairs
06.10.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	WB365	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
06.10.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	WB392	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
07.10.60	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	WB374	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
14.10.60	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VW258	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
22.11.60	F. Gannet	849B	XL495	Ditched 22m from Delimara Point, flying from HMS Victorious.
07.03.61	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VT268	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
20.04.61	W. Whirlwind HAS.7	824	XN303	Ditched and sank off Malta.
30.06.61	Gl. Meteor T.7	728	WG115	Port wheel bay caught fire during start-up.
06.10.61	EE Canberra D.14 drone	728B	WH921	Shot down by a Seaslug SAM missile fired from HMS Girdleness. This particular aircraft was the first to see FAA service, the first to be delivered to 728B, and also the first and last to be shot down by a Seaslug missile.
12.10.61	Gl. Meteor T.7	728	WA600	Aircraft destroyed after aborted take-off, no fatalities.

Accident Report

Aborted Take-Off

The following article, by Major Mark A. Said, AFM, appeared in issue 7 of the Malta FLypast.

Two days after a Handley Page Hastings crashed on take-off at El Adem in the Libyan desert, resulting in the tragic loss of ten Maltese serviceman, another British military aircraft was lost at Hal Far under similar circumstances.

Jerry King-Tour was the pilot of the 728 Squadron Meteor T1.20, WA600, which went straight off runway 31 following an aborted take-off. Jerry was taking an air traffic controller in the back seat for a jolly.

He recalls:

"My aborted take-off during daylight hours on 12 October 1961, was caused by some malfunction of the undercarriage. As reports from the Tower indicated that I was on fire before I left the runway, I would assume that I lost brake hydraulics and this fluid was ignited by friction of some sort. With the nose wheel off the deck and the aircraft about to un-stick, we suddenly started to swerve to port and I got the impression, flying by the seat of the pants, that had we staggered into the air the aircraft would have rolled over to port out of control. So I put the nose wheel back on deck and applied the brakes, which failed. Had I lost brake fluid (which I didn't know at the time and still don't, as it happens) this was hardly surprising. As we had no bang-seats or hook to be dropped on occasions such as this to catch wires at the end of the runway, there was nothing to do except wait for the inevitable crash.

"The aircraft left the runway, already on fire, and prior to crashing through the perimeter-fence, having crossed the cricket pitch; the port (I think it was the port but it could have been the starboard) wing root hit an upright pole that carried binoculars for use by the target-drone squadron (728B Squadron). This caused the aircraft to rotate rapidly in the horizontal plane. We crossed the perimeter road still rotating and hit the first stonewall travelling backwards at a great speed. This collision removed the main undercarriage, as I remember it, and part of the engine nacelles. We then ploughed on through a small field and whilst still rotating hit the second stone wall going sideways. Malta has quite a few of these rubble walls scattered up and down the breath of the Island!

"This brought us to an abrupt halt and the aircraft blew up or rather that is how it appeared to us at the time. My immediate reaction was to vacate the aircraft and get my passenger out of the back after which we both got as far from the burning wreckage as possible. I do remember being on fire and staggering around this Maltese field looking for someone to wrap me in a blanket. I had obviously lost my marbles and expected someone to appear and put the flames out of my flying suit. As there was no one in this field with a handy blanket I then thought the best way to put the flames out was by rolling over and over on the ground but being a Maltese field (no disrespect to the Maltese, but a matter of fact!), there were rocks and boulders everywhere and this was not possible. So the third option and the correct one, albeit rather late, was to get out of my flying suit overalls, which I did. When the ambulance arrived I was staggering around in just my underpants!

"We were carted off to the sick-bay at the Air Station where we were given pain killing injections and then on to Bighi Naval Hospital by ambulance. The naval sentry at the gate challenged us for identification before he would let us in! Good old Navy, I don't suppose they will ever change! It just happened that I was admitted to Bighi a few hours after my daughter Georgina was born there."

Jerry had fourteen skin grafting operations there, carried out by Surgeon Commander James Watt (later to become Surgeon Vice Admiral Sir James Watt) and a further two in England at Haslar. His passenger fortunately spent only three weeks in hospital but Jerry was destined to remain there for ten and a half months altogether. When the passenger was discharged from hospital he visited Jerry and told him that his last words were "We are about to crash. I suggest that you tighten your safety harness."

The passenger said he tightened his safety harness and then they blew up! Jerry continues:

"An article which appeared in a naval flight safety review a few years later reported that after the crash someone was seen rolling up my flying suit and walking off with it under his arm as a souvenir and the crash helmet, with a split right down the front, was sent off to Farnborough for analysis."

Following the crash, the Fleet Air Arm instructed all aircrew not to wear nylon clothing underneath their flying suits. Jerry King-Tours had been wearing long white nylon socks and these contributed to his worst burn injuries.

Jerry King-Tours had previously been involved in another mishap in mid-Atlantic. This time it was in an 801 Squadron Seahawk FGA.6, WV846. In this first incident, on 29 April 1958, the fuselage was badly damaged following a heavy deck landing. He got an apology from the Commander (Air) who said:

"Terribly sorry about that King. I should have fired a red very light at you and sent you round again."

Jerry recalls:

"Goodness knows what good that would have done as the storm was still there and as a result the Mirror Landing System was still unserviceable (it was gyro stabilised and coming up against the stops due to the pitching motion of the ship)."

Neither crash was due to pilot error.

The pilot went on to fly Ambassadors, DC-7Bs, Comet IVs and Boeing 727s. Jerry's brother-in-law, Dean Kelly, was based on Spitfires at Ta' Qali during the height of the air battle of Malta. He ended his service career commanding a Canadian Voodoo Squadron.

DATE	AIRCRAFT	SQDN	SERIAL	NOTES
30.10.61	Gl. Meteor U.15 drone	728B	VZ415	Shot down by radar-controlled gun fire from RN ship.
13.11.61	Gl. Meteor U.16 drone	728B	WE932	The last aircraft to be shot down by a Seaslug missile from HMS Girdleness.
23.11.61	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	VT413	Shot down by a Scimitart from HMS Centaur.
23.11.61	F. Firefly U.9 drone	728B	VT430	Shot down by a Sea Vixen from HMS Ark Royal.
10.06.60	Gl. Meteor T.7	728	WA650/573	Crashed in a field at Safi, whilst in the circuit for a landing at Hal-Far. One fatality.
16.10.60	Gl. Meteor F.8	MC-TTS	WH364	Issued to MC-TTS at RAF Ta' Qali on 07.07.59. category 3R damage, to 137 MU for repairs. In 2004 a/c was part of the Gloustershire Aviation Collection.
27.09.61	Gl. Javelin FAW.9	OFU	XH840	Damaged during refueling and not repaired. To fire dump by 1962.
17.09.62	DH Sea Venom			Crashed at Hal-Far, one fatality.
07.03.64	Gr. Tracker	Netherlands Navy/2 Squadron	153	Aircraft stolen by Dutch technician who got airborne at 06.55 from Hal-Far. Landed at disused strip at Benina, at 12.15 hrs.
22.09.64	Av. Shackleton	38		Used to locate to yachts participating in a round the island yacht race during the night of 21/22. Worked in conjuction with the minesweeper HMS Crotton.
02.06.65	EE Canberra T.4	39	WT481	Crashed in sea off Malta. Three fatalities.
30.06.65	Gl. Meteor T.7	728	WS115	A fire broke out in the portwheel bay during engine start up.
07.04.66	EE Canberra PR.9		XH177	This aircraft suffered from main spar cracks in 1965 and became Cat5(C) at Safi on this date. It was SOC 05.7.67 and seen outside dismantled on 31.10.67. The nose section was returned to UK (presumably St Athan) and was passed to the Wales Air Museum. It is now with the Newark Air Museum.
18.01.67	EE Canberra PR.9		XH167	Aircraft aborted take-off run, stopped by crash barrier at end of runway. Previously reported as “Minor accident on runway RAF Luqa”. Newspaper report dated 20th.
24.02.67	Gl. Javelin FAW9R	29	XH884/Q	Aircraft held in reserve at Hal Far. It was SOC on this day and seen on its belly on the dump on 30.4.67. Damage caused by part of a grating falling on the aircraft.
06.03.67	Gl. Javelin Mk. 7	29	XH776	Aircraft was passed from 29 sqdn, coded ‘P’ to the Luqa reserve on 08.11.66. It was declared Cat 5C on 06.03.67, having been dropped whilst being weighed. SOC on 23.05.67 and passed to the Luqa Fire Section.
12.07.67	EE Canberra PR.9		XH135	Unable to lower nose wheel. Runway covered with foam, to reduce danger of fire. Aircraft landed on main undercarriage. No injuries.
__.04.68	EE Canberra			Aircraft was participating in an exercise held at Malta, when sortie had to be abandoned due to a crew member suffering from severe toothache. The newspaper report was dated Saturday, 27.04.68.
26.08.68	EE Canberra B.16	249	WT369	Aircraft suffered a port u/c collapse on landing Luqa whilst on detachment to Luqa during runway repairs at Akrotiri. The aircraft swung off the runway, being declared Cat 5 and presumably scrapped locally.
17.08.68	NA F-100	US AF	0-52815	Engine shut down in flight, glided for a landing on runway 06 at Luqa, overshot runway, went through perimeter fence, crossed public road immediately outside airport perimeter, and ended up in a field approximately 15 feet below road level. No injuries. Pilot visited Malta in the mid-eighties.
26.08.68	EE Canberra B.16	249	WT369	Undercarriage leg collapsed on landing; swung off runway.
07.01.69	EE Canberra PR.9	13	XH164	Crashed near Addolorata Cemetery whilst trying to land at RAF Luqa. Two fatalities.
25.03.69	EE Canberra PR.9	13	XH130	Crashed in a field at Safi, whilst in the circuit for a landing at RAF Hal-Far on arrival from Cyprus. Crew ejected but were killed.
13.06.69	HS Argosy			Wing hatch torn off in flight, damaging the tail. Aircraft made a safe emergency landing. No injuries/ fatalities.
16.07.69	McD F-4 Phantom FGR.2	6	XV403	Arr on 15 July with XV425, the first two RAF Phantoms to be seen in Malta. Without squadron markings. Departed on the 16th, but lost canopy in flight and returned to RAF Luqa. Left on the 22nd.
09.08.69	EE Canberra PR.9	39		Caught in thunderstorm over Sicily en route to Malta. Damage to canopy, fuel tanks and wing leading edges. Landed safely, no injuries.
05.07.69	A. Vulcan			Malta Air Traffic Control received a Sarbe distress signal. Calls by ATC on 243MHz weren’t replied. SAR crew were called and about to take off, when it was realised the distress signal was coming from an accidentally-triggered life jacket on board a Vulcan at the airport.
__.__.69	H. Hunter x2			Air Traffic Control lost contact with two Hunters on a Malta-Germany flight. 203 Squadron Shackleton, already airborne, was re-routed for SAR duties. Hunters had run short of fuel, and landed in Sicily.
08.09.69	A. Shackleton	203		Aircraft was on a mandatory pilot training sortie, when the no. 4 engine forward prop flew off, damaging both the second prop and the rear fuselage roof. Engine hung from the wing by 20 degrees. A safe three-engined landing was made at RAF Luqa.
10.11.69	A. Shackleton	120		Aircraft lost an engine in flight, inbound to Malta from Sharjah via Luxor, Eygpt. Captain decided not to divert to RAF El Adam in Libya because of the political situation there, but continue to Malta. A test flight on the 12th following an engine change, with the aircraft departing on the 13th.
__.__.69	A. Shackleton	203	XF708	In this first autumn in Malta (1969) Flt Lt Clegg's crew was tasked to carry out an air test on XF708. A short time into the flight one of the engines "gulped", depositing oil all over the wing. The pilots feathered the engine, advised ATC, and returned to Luqa. On climbing out of the aircraft Flt Lt Clegg was met by a visibly shocked SNCO who almost fell at his feet. It transpired that he had been one of the team that had refuelled FIt Lt Clegg's aircraft and on returning the fuel bowser to the yard had been horrified to note that his bowser was marked AVTUR - jet fuel! At the time, the civilian bowser drivers were unavailable, and the RAF team involved was not normally employed in refuelling. He had raced to the ATC tower, ran up the stairs and told the controller that the aircraft should be recalled, at which the controller was able to reassure him that the aircraft was already on its way back - due to an engine failure. Of course, the SNCO assumed that the failure was due to ingestion of AVTUR rather than AVGAS, which made him feel even worse. In fact, Flt Lt Clegg hadn't notice any difference in engine performance; perhaps the jet fuel had not reached the Griffons?