Resident at Luqa in those days were 38 Squadron equipped with 8 Shackleton MR.2Cs and 39 Squadron with 12 Canberra PR.3s and one T.4. The Shacks wore the standard grey scheme with white roof, but WL740 was unusual in having the words 'Royal Air Force Coastal Command' across the fin below the fin flash and a union jack above; the unit emblem of a seagull appeared on a white disc on the nose and the squadron number appeared in customary style on the rear fuselage with large letter codes on the nose. The identified aircraft on strength at that time were WR961/S, WL795/T, WL740/U and WR956/W, with codes V/X/Y/Z being seen but remaining elusive. The 39 Squadron Canberras, on the other hand, were less colourful; they were finished in silver overall (the T.4 with yellow training bands) but with a yellow and black arrow head on the tip tanks, in the centre of which was the black number 39. They carried their codes in white on the black anti-dazzle panel in front of the cockpit only and the identified aircraft were WE137/A, WE138/B, WE139/C, WE144/D, WE168/E, WE169/G, WE174/H, WF924/K, WT481/L (T4), WF927/0 and WE135/P, with codes F and J seen but unidentified. The only other resident at Luqa was the remains of a Javelin on the fire dump carrying the serial 7740M (was this XH840 which crashed there on delivery to 60 Squadron in Singapore?)

[Webmaster’s note: XH840 was an FAW.9, which suffered Cat. 3 damage during re-fuelling on 27.09.61. It was given Cat. 5 damage status on 28.09. On 02.01.62, the aircraft was given serial 7740M and used for ground instruction.]

The first 2 days were spent around Luqa during the morning, sightseeing around the island in the afternoon (the British at Luqa mostly packed up work at 1300 hours) and Valletta at night. During those first 2 days, I logged the following military visitors which quickly shows why Luqa whilst the RAF were there remained one of the high spots for the military aircraft enthusiast: Argosy C.1 XN820 114 Sqdn, Javelin FAW.9 XH885/E 23 Sqdn, Canberra B(1)8 WT348 and XM272 of 88 Sqdn, the 2 Hunter FGA.9s which we had seen at Lyneham, C-119G Packet CP-28/ OT-CBH 15 TW Belgian AF, Varsity T.1 WL678/C 115 Sqdn, Devon C.1 WB530 of RAF Idris Station Flight, an unidentified SO.95 Corse of the French Navy and a similarly elusive French AF Dakota, plus the star, perhaps, of my whole stay, Turkish AF Dakota serialled CBK-04.

The next day we were taken to the naval air station at Hal Far to visit the 705 Squadron detachment equipped with a motley collection of early Whirlwinds and at least one Dragonfly; I could also see in the distance that 728 Squadron were resident with at least 6 Meteor TT.20s visible along with a couple of Meteor T.7s. Then we were whisked off to some wet dinghy drill in the clear blue water of Marsaxlokk involving an RAF launch and Whirlwinds WV203/961 and WV205/962 from 705 Squadron - I managed the route launch/sea/chopper/launch without getting my camera wet. Sometime later we were back at Luqa where Army Beaver AL.1 XP816 had arrived for a weekend stop. That weekend the RAF did not stop as Canberra B.2 WK121 and Hunter FGA.9 XE617, both from Boscombe Down, turned up and I had a six-hour flight in Shackleton WR956 courtesy of 38 Squadron.

The following Monday we were again seeing various sections of Luqa and I noted Pembroke C.1 WV747/I, of 152 Squadron, Canberra B.2 WF914, silver with no markings but showing evidence of recent service with 73 Squadron in Cyprus, and white Valiant BK.1 XD857 from Marham without any squadron identity. Next day we set out to RAF Ta Qali, the third airfield on the island and at that time the only residents were the Malta Communication Flight equipped with Valetta C.2s VX539 and VX574 plus Devon C.1 WB535; VX539 took us on a one hour 15 minute trip south to RAF Idris in Libya where we were to have a one night stay. Idris was a little disappointing, aviation-wise, the only military aircraft to be seen being Scout AH.1 XPI65 and Whirlwind HAR.10 XP300, both out from Boscombe Down on tropical trials, plus the two 88 Squadron Canberras which had earlier, been through Luqa. We paid a visit to the nearby bombing range and watched the Canberras doing some toss bombing, and then we were back again to Luqa aboard VX539 again, but not before I had observed an IL-14 taxying in - almost certainly a civilian.

The remaining week or so was spent on and around Luqa and the main island but I kept a quiet eye on the transit ramp at the airfield and noted the following: R4D-8 50828 from NAF Naples, Hastings C.IA TG582 from 70 Sqdn at Cyprus, Bristol Freighter XJ470 from Boscombe Down; Canberra B.15 WJ780 from Cyprus but devoid of unit markings; Canberra PR.3 WF925 from 231 OCU; SC-54D 42-72647 from the USAF base at Wheelus in Libya; Beverley C.1s from Abingdon XB267/B, XB269/F, XB283/G, XB284/H, XB285/J and XHI16/Y and Hastings from Colerne TG55I, TG606, WD476, WD477, WJ327, WJ331 and WJ340 all taking troops to a NATO exercise in Northern Greece; Canberra B.6 (mod) WT301 from 51 Squadron with a pointed nose like the T.11 at that time and painted all silver; T-33As BD+840 and BD+845 of WS-50, WGAF; Hastings C.IA TG509 of 70 Sqdn; Canberra B.2 WH741, like WF914 before it showing signs of recent 73 Squadron ownership on the fin; Canberra B(1)8 XH228/C of 3 Squadron, Valetta C. 2 VW195 from the Middle East Comm Flt in Aden; Meteor TT.20 WD785/HF-582 from 728 Squadron at Hal Far; Sea Devon C.20 XK896 from Hal Far Station Flt; Hastings C.2 WJ338 'Iris 3' on one of its many overseas signals visits; Valiant B.1 WZ378 from Marham; C-54E 45-0544 of the USAF AFCS; Argosy C.1 XN852 114 Squadron; and finally Hastings C.4 WD500 the personal aircraft of the C-in-C Near East Air Force based in Cyprus.

After a splendid 2 weeks in the sun with the RAF and with no money left and very tired from too many late nights, we piled aboard Britannia C.1 XM497 for the flight home and slept most of the four and a half hours back to Lyneham. The sight there of Heron CA+001 and an unidentified camouflaged Noratlas of the WGAF along with Hastings C.1A TG512 of 70 Squadron finished off a memorable trip in all respects and one for which I shall always be grateful to the RAF.

SERVICE	TYPE	SERIAL	SQDN	NOTES
	B. Britannia C. 1	XL658		Flown by a 511 Squadron crew.
	HP Hastings C.1A	TG509		Visiting from 70 Squadron in Cyprus.
	HP Hastings C.1A	TG512	70
	H. Hunter FGA.9	XF431, XF456		Delivery to the Middle East after overhaul.
	V. Valetta C.2	VX573		Gibraltar Communications Flight.
WG AF	DH Heron	CA+001		After Malta trip.
WG AF	N. Noratlas

SERVICE	TYPE	SERIAL	SQDN	NOTES
British Army	DHC Beaver AL.1	XP816		Arrived for a weekend stop.
	AW Argosy C.1	XN818		A & AEE, Boscombe Down.
	AW Argosy C.1	XN852	114
	A. Shackleton MR.2C	WR961/S, WL795/T, WL740/U and WR956/W	38	Also seen aircraft coded V, X, Y and Z. Serials never confirmed. WL740 carried 'Royal Air Force Coastal Command' across the fin below the fin flash and a union jack above. Based at RAF Luqa.
	A. Vulcan B.2	XL386	9	White
	AW Argosy C.1	XN820	114
	B. Beverley C.1	XB267/B, XB269/F, XB283/G, XB284/H, XB285/J and XHI16/Y		From Abingdon
	Britannia C.1	XM497		Returned author back to the UK.
	Bristol Freighter	XJ470		Boscombe Down
	DH Devon C.1	WB530		RAF Idris Station Flight
	EE Canberra PR.3	WE137/A, WE138/B, WE139/C, WE144/D, WE168/E, WE169/G, WE174/H, WF924/K, WT481/L (T4), WF927/0 and WE135/P	39	Also seen were a/c coded F & J. Finished in overall silver. Tip tanks carried yellow and black arrow head on the tip tanks, in the centre of which was the black number 39. Based at RAF Luqa.
	EE Canberra T.4	WT481/L	39	Finished in colours similar to PR.3s, but with the addition of yellow training bands. Based at RAF Luqa.
	EE Canberra B.2	WF914		Silver, ex-73 Squadron markings, RAF Cyprus.
	EE Canberra PR.3	WF925	231 OCU
	EE Canberra B.2	WH741		ex-73 Squadron markings, RAF Cyprus.
	EE Canberra B.15	WJ780		From RAF Cyprus, without unit markings.
	EE Canberra B.2	WK121		From Boscombe Down
	EE Canberra B.6 (mod)	WT301	51	A/c had a pointed nose like the T.11, silver finish.
	EE Canberra B(1)8	WT348, XM272	88
	EE Canberra B(1)8	XH228/C	3
	Gl. Javelin	7740M		At the fire dump.
	Gl. Javelin FAW.9	XH885/E	23
	HP Hastings C.1A	TG509	70
	HP Hastings C.1A	TG582	70	RAF Cyprus
	HP Hastings	TG551, TG606, WD476, WD477, WJ327, WJ331, WJ340		From Colerne, ferrying troops to a NATO exercise in Northern Greece.
	HP Hastings C.4	WD500		Personal aircraft of the C-in-C Near East Air Force based in Cyprus
	HP Hastings C.2	WJ338		'Iris 3' on one of its many overseas signals visits.
	H. Hunter FGA.9	XE617		From Boscombe Down
	H. Hunter FGA.9s	XF431 and XF456		A/c had been already seen at Lyneham.
	P. Pembroke C.1	WV747/I	152
	V. Valetta C. 2	VW195		Middle East Comm Flt in Aden
	V. Valiant BK.1	XD857		From RAF Marham, without any squadron markings, white.
	V. Varsity T.1	WL678/C	115
	V. Valiant BK.1	WP221	207	White colours.
	V. Valiant B.1	WZ378		From RAF Marham.
	DH Sea Devon C. 20	XK896		From Hal Far Station Flight.
	Gl. Meteor TT.20	WD785/HF-582	728	Hal Far based.
Belgian AF	F. C-119G Packet	CP-28/ OT-CBH	15 TW
French AF	Dakota
French Navy	SO.95 Corse
Turkish AF	Dakota	CBK-04
USAF	DC SC-54D	42-72647		Wheelus AFB, Libya.
USAF	DC C-54E	45-0544		AFCS
US Navy	DC R4D-8	50828		NAF Naples
WG AF	L. T-33A	BD+840, BD+845	WS-50

SERVICE	TYPE	SERIAL	SQDN	NOTES
	Whirlwind	WV203/961, WV205/962	705
	Dragonfly
	Gl. Meteor TT.20		728	At least six a/c observed.
	Gl. Meteor T.7		728	At least two a/c observed.

SERVICE	TYPE	SERIAL	SQDN	NOTES
	V. Valetta C.2	VX539 and VX574	Malta Communication Flight	VX539 took author on trip to RAF Idris in Libya .
	DH Devon C.1	WB535

SERVICE	TYPE	SERIAL	SQDN	NOTES
	Scout AH.1	XPI65	Boscombe Down	Tropical trials.
	W. Whirlwind HAR.10	XP300	Boscombe Down	Tropical trials.
	EE Canberra		88
	IL-14			Civilian.