The Strickland Foundation has donated Lm1,000 towards the construction of the Malta Aviation Museum Foundation's Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar, intended to be a memorial to the Maltese, British and Commonwealth servicemen and civilians who were actively involved in the Air Battle of Malta.

The Malta Aviation Museum Foundation had appealed for financial assistance to the Strickland Foundation, aware of the "great love of the late Mabel Strickland for the British Services, particularly the Royal Air Force", it said.

The museum foundation needed to raise a minimum of Lm50,000 to cover the cost of the purchase and erection of the hangar, which is considered to be an essential element of the museum.

Additional funds were needed for the internal fittings and related services, while showcases were necessary to house the many items of interest, connected with World War II, which the foundation has acquired.

The chairman of the Strickland Foundation council, President Emeritus Guido de Marco, had led a visit by the trustees to the Malta Aviation Museum and they were impressed by the amount of work its members have put into the creation of the display of aircraft, artefacts and memorabilia, the museum foundation said.

Three-quarters of the funds for the hangar have been donated mostly by British individuals and associations while the response from Maltese individuals and companies has not been too encouraging, the Malta Aviation Museum Foundation said.

The appeal fund was launched last year and the museum foundation has undertaken to list the names of the donating companies, individuals, groups or associations, who offer a minimum of Lm600, on a commemorative tablet to be displayed in a prominent position once the hangar is completed.

Those who subscribe to a lower amount, but not under Lm50, will be recorded in a displayed donors' book.

The Malta Aviation Museum committee intends to order the hangar in the coming weeks and aims to have the project completed by summer 2005 to coincide with important events, including the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

A number of veterans are being invited to Malta in September 2005 for a reunion called Hero's Return, to be supported by the UK National Lottery.

A Hurricane and a Spitfire are also being brought to Malta to participate in the Malta International Air Show and perform fly-pasts during some of the planned ceremonies. Funds for the initiative - Merlins Over Malta - are being raised in the UK by a British team.

The Malta Aviation Museum's Hurricane II aircraft, which was salvaged from the seabed some nine years ago, should be completely restored to a functional state within the next 12 months and displayed at the air show alongside the visiting Spitfire and Hurricane.

The European Aircraft Preservation Council, of which the Malta Aviation Museum Foundation has just been accepted as a full member, has been approached to hold its annual meeting in Malta during the same period.

These events should culminate in the official inauguration of the Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar.

Once the hangar is completed, it should offer an added attraction to both local and foreign visitors, the museum foundation said, the project being a means of preserving Malta's rich aviation heritage.

It should provide the required space to display wartime aircraft, such as a Spitfire Mk IX, which was restored from virtual scrap. The Malta Aviation Museum also plans to restore a Gladiator aircraft, having already obtained a set of wing parts, and is also in negotiations to purchase a Swordfish aircraft, which needs restoration.

The Strickland Foundation was set up by Miss Strickland in 1979 and is the beneficiary of the majority shareholding in Allied Newspapers Ltd, publishers of The Times and The Sunday Times.

Its objectives are to foster the national interest of Malta and to promote democratic principles, the observance of human rights and the exercise of free press.

It was also established to uphold the European character of Malta and support its presence in the Commonwealth, as well as to finance scholarships.

Among its aims is to improve the standard of Maltese journalism and the preservation of its independence.

The Malta Aviation Museum Foundation continues to appeal for financial support. Cheques are payable to the Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar Fund and can be sent to the Malta Aviation Museum, Ta' Qali RBT 13.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.