The death has occurred of Air Vice-Marshal David McKinley, a much decorated RAF officer who was Air Officer Commanding, Malta, when Malta became independent.

McKinley, one of the RAF`s most brilliant pilots and navigators, distinguished himself when he made the RAF`s first round the world flight in a converted Lancaster bomber in 1944.

But his most dangerous operation was a 20-hour flight from Britain to north Russia in June, 1941 to ferry a special representative of US President Roosevelt, who was sent to meet Stalin and assess the situation before the US came out in support of the Soviet Union in the war.

Flt Lt McKinley made the 2,000-mile flight in a Catalina flying boat, with much of the route lying parallel with the coast of German-occupied Norway, exposing the aircraft to the risk of interception from enemy fighters. The operation went off without a hitch.

McKinley, who rose rapidly to senior appointments, spent much of his career in Coastal Command, which made him an ideal choice for the Malta command, since operations here at the time were largely focused on maritime patrol. He served here between 1963 and 1965, when he was also deputy commander in chief (air), Allied Forces Mediterranean. He retired in 1968.

He died last month aged 88.