Merlins over Malta

[58warren]

I'm planning on arranging my summer hols to coincide with the arrival of the Spitfire and Hurricane in Malta this year. I believe they are scheduled to arrive on the 22nd September. Should be great when they fly over the Grand Harbour in Valleta. Anyone else going there? :)

[Mr Orange]

Please feel free to check out this thread also....

http://www.diecast-aviation.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=165&highlight=merlins+malta
:)

[charley]

Oh yes!!! Booked and ready...

Keep your eye on www.merlinsovermalta.com great site with news, history and competitions. The guys need as much help as possible to raise funds to get the Spitfire and Hurricane to malta 'and' back....website explains all


Spit and Hurri coming in over Grand Harbor! :cool: There is NOWHERE else you wanna go this year!

[58warren]

Charley, I've been to Malta three times noe and love the place. First time was back in 1988, then 1990 and again in 2004. The history is fascinating.

My favourite story is of the Italian pilots, many of whom did not want any fight with the people of Malta or the RAF. Apparently one RAF pilot couldn't shake off his Italian counterpart, but the Italian never fired at him, just broke off the engagement eventually and waved at the RAF guy before firing his guns into empty space and returning home! Some Italian pilots would drop their bombs in the sea and turn around to head for home!

Really looking forward to meeting some of the veterans who will be there. Flights seem to be about £140 return - good value.

[The Defiant Man]

Agreed - went in 2001. Nice little air museum and an excellent general WWII museum in Valetta.

[charley]

The Museums Hurricane will be Taxying at the Airport during the airshow in September!!

Hopefully three 'Merlins Over Malta' !!! :cool:

[DCRanger]

[QUOTE=58warren]
My favourite story is of the Italian pilots, many of whom did not want any fight with the people of Malta or the RAF. Apparently one RAF pilot couldn't shake off his Italian counterpart, but the Italian never fired at him, QUOTE]

Interesting comment as I have just finished reading 2 books about George Beurling. He was of the opinion that the Italians were much more inclined to mix it than the Germans. I think he is the first person I know to differ on the general opinion about Italians in the war. (and the old joke, what's the smallest book in the world - the Italian book of war heros. Appologies to any Italians reading this).

[58warren]

The Museums Hurricane will be Taxying at the Airport during the airshow in September!!

Hopefully three 'Merlins Over Malta' !!! :cool:

They finished putting it back together yet, Charley? Saw it in late August and it still needed quite a lot of work doing. Looked like they were doing a fantastic job though.

I presume the museum Spitfire is a non runner at present. Be lovely to see that in working order....

[charley]

well the Hurricane is just waiting for the wings to go back on but is pretty much complete apart from that... engine in and ready to go!! Hopefully we will see her Taxi with HAC's Hurricane both carrying Sqn Codes HA-E and HA-C :cool:

The Spitfire, unfortunatly is far from being a complete 'running' airframe :(

[minter]

cant go...skint...mrs would have a fit...kids in tow (no thanks) just hope its covered in flypast or something with some good piccies

[charley]

cant go...skint...mrs would have a fit...kids in tow (no thanks) just hope its covered in flypast or something with some good piccies

Hopefully plenty of coverage for this one...

Spit and Hurri coming in over Grand Harbor! Boy is that going to be a sight!

Flypast have been keen supporters of the project so no doubt plenty of piccies!!! :)

[minter]

yeah forgot about that, thats where ifirst heard of it with coulson doing a special painting

[CFBC]

Well, we hope everyone gets there Newsletter "in support" of this great project..... I would personally like to thank the Merlins Over Malta team for their efforts and insights into this Project and if we can support them in any other way, well...... We will..... Thanks guys. :)

[snafu]

As there seems to be quite an interest through the Forum on this topic, is it possible for the Malta Project Team to post on here where they're up to in terms of fund raising and how near they are to actualy realising their dream of flying the two planes over Malta.

Would the site team be open to this kind of interaction?

[lovethoseplanes]

Oh yes please... Any information that could be allowed to be posted would be warmly welcome. I have been folllowing it on the Flypast Forum and also in Flypast. :)

[scramble]

well the Hurricane is just waiting for the wings to go back on but is pretty much complete apart from that... engine in and ready to go!! Hopefully we will see her Taxi with HAC's Hurricane both carrying Sqn Codes HA-E and HA-C :cool:

The Spitfire, unfortunatly is far from being a complete 'running' airframe :(

I can confirm that, just seen the progress of this baby two weeks ago and have been given a full explanation of what work has been carried out and only one wing is left for re-build from scratch. Its a sight to behold, I'll try to get some pics but cannot promise you when.

Looking forward to see the other merlins coming over...it will be a truly spectacular event..a plus to the Airshow too! :)

[Merlins Over Malta]

You asked and you will get :)

Things with the project are progressing well. We have a lot of support, but we still need more!

We have the "Win a Jaguar (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/competition/)" competition running. This closes on the evening of the 8th of May (the Sunday of the Duxford VE Air Show). We will have another exciting competition coming up in the very near future. I am busy putting that together at the moment.

Donations are greatly appreciated. Without your help, we cannot make this work.

What else do we have?

We have several aircraft prints for sale through our shop page (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/)

Gerald Coulson's "Merlins Over Malta" (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/coulson/)
http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/images/mom_print_shop.jpg

The original of Gerald Coulson's "Merlins Over Malta" is also available...

Robert Taylor's "Malta - George Cross" (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/georgecross/)
http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/images/malta-george_cross_shop.jpg

and also Robert Taylor's "Gallant Ohio" (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/ohio/)
http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/images/gallant_ohio_small.jpg

Proceeds from the sale of these prints go towards the project.

We have several events planned for the next few months. I'll keep you updated on these. In April we will be attending the London Air Show at Earls Court and in May we will be at Duxford's VE Day Airshow.

I'll be back when I have more details for you.

I'd like to thank the guys behind the Diecast Aviation Forum for supporting us and I'd like to thank you for your ongoing support.

We will see you down in Malta where we will have one hell of a party!

Glenn

[CFBC]

Glenn,

Any details forthcomming on the planes themselves? :) Are you allowed to disclose anything.... :)

[Merlins Over Malta]

The Aircraft we will be taking to Malta are HAC's Spitfire Vb BM597 (http://www.historicaircraftcollection.ltd.uk/spitfire/) and Hurricane XII "Z5410" (http://www.historicaircraftcollection.ltd.uk/hurricane/) The Hurricane as has been mentioned is already in a Maltese Hurricane scheme.

As for the Maltese Hurricane, things are progressing well. When the wings are complete, Dad will go down to Malta and paint them.

Glenn

[Sailor.]

Anyone been down for a viewing? If not maybe CFBC might be kind enough to take part in another combined op to whet your appetites with a few piccies? :)

[CFBC]

Sailor... Job kindly accepted.... :D Leave it with me.... Let yer know.... ;)

[Sailor.]

Bit busy this weekend, big wargame today and up the clay field on Sunday. I'm on nights next week so will send them on Monday if that's ok? :)
ps did you all know that the 'plotters' were all female and civvies?
We met a lovely Maltese lady in the British Legion Club who had worked there in the war.

[warbirdguru]

Not only is this an historically significant event worthy of supporting, all the people involved are 'such terribly nice people' (to quote the TV advert) and they deserve great success. A minority of the real warbird fraternity can, sometimes, be a bit stand-offish but HAC are always welcoming and fantastic ambassadors for the full scale warbird movement!

[CFBC]

Members,

To go with this historic event in September, the crew at Merlins Over Malta have now launced their website shop in which all proceeds go towards the raising of funds and would ask all to support them where possible...

The shop can be found here:-

http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/

They also have the Robert Taylor & Gerard Coulson prints also available now.

Updates and news here:-

http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/news/

We, at the D.A.F will continue and support this worthy and historic event and hope you will too.

Thanks

CFBC :)

[charley]

http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/nimrod/

WOW! :eek:

havnt bought anything for weeks...gonna have to give this a go!

[CFBC]

Typhoon and I would just like to thank the project team of Merlins Over Malta who we met and had a bl**dy good afternoon with at Duxford yesterday.

It was a great pleasure to meet you all, learn more about the project, learn more about yourselves and also how far the project has come along and how far it has to go.

It was a great pleasure and if any members out there wish to help this 60th Aniversary Project, then please visit the shop and website as they need your help and support as much as ever!!! :)

[Merlins Over Malta]

This is just a reminder to say that the Merlins Over Malta competition closes is 12 days!

If you would like to win a Jaguar X-Type, a holiday to Malta or the exclusive Diverse Images "Merlins Over Malta" diorama visit www.merlinsovermalta.com/competition/ (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/competition/)

You can download and complete the competition form or you can just put the answers on a piece of paper and send them along with your £5.00 (per entry) entrance fee to the address on the website.

If you get stuck with some of the answers have a look at this competition report (http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/competition/report.html)

We will be at Duxford for the VE celebration Air Show selling tickets. Come and find us outside Hangar 2 and the FlyPast/Friends of Duxford tent near the American Air Museum.

People ask what the chances of winning are! If you enter you have a good chance! If you enter more than once you have a better chance!

Thank you for your support!

Glenn