A suitable home for Faith (2)

On March 8 Mark Rizzo and I wrote in the letters column of The Times regarding the plight of Gloster Gladiator Faith's Fuselage languishing in the War Museum, Valletta. Earlier correspondence by George Said (January 12) prompted my letter.

Recently Pierre Cassar, in corporate communications at Heritage Malta, posted an official reply in The Times, stating among other things that Faith will never be removed from its rightful place. A few days after the letter I went to the Valletta War Museum to see Faith once again. In the museum I had a conversation with a member of staff who was adamant that Faith would not end up as a restoration project, and that the museum only displayed relics not restored items. I pointed out to the gentleman that the RAF had restored Faith's fabric in 1974, to which he replied that they were thinking of removing the fabric leaving Faith as a skeleton.

In the museum I note that Faith is supporting a two-blade propeller. Some literature and photos indicate that the sea Gladiator at some time supported a three-blade propeller. The gentleman also told me that a set of wings obtained in Finland were inappropriate as Finland was part of the German war machine in World War II.

I assume that the Gloster Aircraft Company not Willi Messerschmitt made the Finnish Gladiator wings, so I fail to see how is this a problem! I was also informed that the Valletta War Museum would probably be moving to a more appropriate site. The gentleman would not tell me where Faith's new rightful place would be.

After reading Ray Polidano's enlightening article (April 9) it seems to me that Mr Cassar's arguments do not hold water. If a partnership with Heritage Malta is on the cards, and if the very small Valletta War Museum needs a more appropriate site, would not an annex to, or accommodation close to the Malta Aviation Museum at Ta' Qali be an acceptable compromise similar to that at Duxford in the UK?