Restore Faith

With reference to the mass of correspondence appearing with regard to the restoration and relocation of the Gloster Gladiator Faith, the Old Motors Club of Malta would like to voice its support of the Aviation Museum's efforts to add another milestone to an already remarkable list.

The Old Motors club can draw many parallels with the arguments for and against restoration. Without wishing to enter into the technical merits of the case, this is a problem often faced by fellow enthusiasts in our club. Most of our members tend to support the view that a vehicle with reasonably good paintwork and in generally acceptable overall condition is best left unrestored so as not to destroy the patina of passing years. On the other hand, many local vintage and classic cars have benefited from nut and bolt restorations for the simple reason that they were too badly damaged to be of any historical, recreational or indeed commercial value in their "as found" state. Restoration may also involve the reversal of previous well-intentioned repairs that were botched to keep an ageing vehicle on the road and that were far removed from the manufacturer's original designs.

This latter view seems very much what most aviation experts and enthusiasts are subscribing to, in that the remains of Faith have already been modified with incorrect repairs and details such that its originality has been tarnished. Given that we are blessed with the means to properly restore a vital piece of Maltese history and that we are lucky enough to have acquired a pair of wings to further boost the project, the Old Motors Club unreservedly supports the relocation of Faith to the Aviation Museum before further damage is caused and the entrusting of its proper renovation to willing enthusiasts.

It would indeed be a pity if petty bureaucracy and squabbles got in the way of such an important project.