Helicopters

This helicopter section added on 06.05.12.

TYPE	SERIAL	COUNTRY	ARRIVED	DEPARTED	NOTES
SA.316	LC2281	Libya			At Luqa on 14.04.76.
SA.316	LC2289	Libya			At Luqa on 14.04.76.
SA.316	LC____	Libya			At Luqa on 14.04.76.
SA.321GM	LC193	Libya	30.12.80	01.01.81
SA.321GM	LC194	Libya	30.12.80	01.01.81
SA.321GM	LC195	Libya	30.12.80	01.01.81

Piston/Turbo-props

AIRCRAFT	SERIAL	COUNTRY	ARRIVED	DEPARTED	NOTES
A. Oxford	105	Turkish AF	c. 1946		Landed at Hal-Far.
A. Oxford	122	Turkish AF	c. 1946		Landed at Hal-Far.
A. Oxford	?	Turkish AF	c. 1946		Landed at Hal-Far.
Beagle 206S	ST-ADA	Sudan	__.09.68		Seen in the markings of the Sudanese AF.
BN Islander BN.2A	202	Abu Dhabi		19.03.69	Pi G-AWVX, sprayed sand overall. Landed at Hal-far due to runway re-surfacing at Luqa. May have arrived on the same day.
DH Mosquito FB.VI	HR339	New Zealand	__.10.47		Aircraft on delivery to New Zealand Air Force. Aircraft history: DH Mosquito NZ2382 The aircraft was built by Standard Motors of Coventry as an FB.VI for the RAF. Serialled HR339, the aircraft is a combat veteran, having served with 487 (New Zealand) SQN at Thorney Island and later with 16 SQN. Sold to the RNZAF, it left RAF Pershore on October 16, 1947 flown by F/L F.J Adams and F/O M.J. Fry. Delayed at Luqa, Malta while an unserviceable engine was replaced, it did not reach Ohakea until March 24, 1948 (flown by F/L Bailey RAF and W/O R.M. Cattermole). A taxying accident (due to ground subsidence) while on the way to Taieri for storage saw the aircraft grounded at Wigram. Sold by Government Stores Board tender No.4980 in May 1953, it was recovered from a farm at Pigeon Bay, Banks Peninsula by the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society. The aircraft remains with the Society and is being utilised with NZ2328 for a composite rebuild to static display. Information courtesy of http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/aviation.html

Jets

AIRCRAFT	SERIAL	COUNTRY	ARRIVED	DEPARTED	NOTES
S. Attacker	R4003	Pakistan	c. 1951

Delivery flights - sort of

Not all of the ferrying of aircraft from one place to another fall under the heading of “delivery flight”, i.e. transferring the aircraft from one owner to another, or in fact, even involve the aircraft becoming airborne. The following are two such examples.

AIRCRAFT	SERIAL	COUNTRY	ARRIVED	DEPARTED	NOTES
HP Victor K.1A	XH667	UK	23.09.75		This 214 squadron aircraft was flown into Malta, then to Hal-Far, were it ended its life on the station’s fire dump. I had received the following e-mail, but sadly do not recall from whom. ”XH667 was the last Mk 1 built and was later converted to an Mk 1A. In early 1965 she was converted with 5 others to the two-point tanker configuration. After service with 55 Squadron three aircraft XH615, XH646 and XH647 were used as conversion trainers with TTF and later 232 OCU. XH667 went to 214 Squadron, XH648 stayed with 55 Squadron and 620 went to 57 Squadron. Where they were used for daytime tanking only and crew currency duties as well as Ranger flights to various locations. I flew in XH667 in June 1974 to RAF Akrotiri with Flt/Lt B—- T------ for a Ranger flight as part of his Captaincy Course Completion. XH667 was flown to RAF Luqa on the 22/9/75 and to Hal Far on the 23/9/75 for fire fighting duties. Struck off Charge on 23/9/75.”
V. Valetta C.1	VX574	UK	14.07.78		Work on turning Hal-Far airfield into an industrial site after the airfield’s hand-over to the Maltese Government had already been initiated, and the dump needed to be cleared. Despite having being retired from service with the RAF Malta Station flight in 1968, the fuselage had remained in reasonably good condition, with “Royal Air Force Malta” and serial number VX574 still visible. Its duties had been communications and VIP flights, along with sister ship VW856. The latter had also been scrapped and sent to the Hal-Far fire dump.