Few people would know that Ken Wallis, the inventor of the micro-light aircraft, known as autogyros, and who still flies them, spent a day in Malta in March 1944.
Being the inventive person he is, he lost no time while here and took a series of photographs that add to the historical chronicles of those war weary days.
These prints, which will probably bring a tear to many of those who still remember the war, were passed on to The Times by Wing Commander Wallis' daughter through a Ray Davies who works for her.
This came about when Mr Davies told her he was travelling to Malta to see his sister Joyce, who lives in Zabbar, and she entrusted the pictures to him.
Wing Cmdr Wallis flew Wellington bombers during WWII and was among those logging the highest number of sorties. His grandfather, who was one of the first five people to fly an aircraft in England back in 1910, was second cousin to Sir Barnes Wallis, famous for inventing the "bouncing" bomb which was used to destroy the Möhne and Eder dams in Germany's Ruhr district in May 1943.
In 1976, Wing Cmdr Wallis flew one of his autogyros in the film The Martian Chronicles, starring Rock Hudson, and later flew his micro-light Little Nellie in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice.
An autogyro is an aircraft powered by a conventional propeller and supported in flight by a freewheeling, horizontal rotor that provides lift.
Other autogyros by Wing Cmdr Wallis are operated in specialised remote sensing military and civil roles. A specially silenced type WA 117 was used in the Loch Ness investigation.
Born on April 16, 1916, Wing Cmdr Wallis developed a practical interest in mechanics, building a motorcycle at the age of 11.
His military career started with Westland Lysander patrols in the Royal Air Force and in 1942 was transferred to Bomber Command, flying Wellingtons near Grimsby and later served in Italy.
He is the oldest pilot to set a world record. On March 19, 1998, aged 81, he flew the fastest climb to 3,000 metres in an autogyro over Norfolk.
Wing Cmdr Wallis is president of the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum.