Joseph W. Ellul, Marscascala
Aviation Museum exhibits
Permit me to correct a few errors in the write-up about the Aviation Museum in Showtime (August 1).
First of all, the photograph illustrated on the left facing the page and below is that of a Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX and not of a "beautfiully-restored Hawker Hurricane" as the caption states.
The Hurricane is in the final stages of excellent restoration, having been retrieved from the sea off Filfla where it had lain submerged for nearly 60 years. The beautifully-restored Fairey Swordifsh is not as yet beautifully restored; its fuselage and wings and other appendages are crated inside the museum premises awaiting restoration by the capable hands of Ray Polidano and his son David.
Also I am not yet aware of a two-storey multipurpose building extant in the area. What the write-up omitted is the fact that the fuselage of Gloster Sea Gladiator N5520, the supposedly actual Faith - that with two other Sea Gladiators defended Malta against the might of the Regia Aeronautica in the early days of the war - is still languishing inside the War Museum at St Elmo minus wings with incorrectly shaped rudder and haphazardly fitted panels.
This exhibit should be fully restored (the Aviation Museum having available both wings and other essential items) to be exhibited alongisde the Hurricane and Spitfire at Ta' Qali, thus illustrating Malta's main defenders during World War II.
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Edward Zammit
Sep 13th 2008, 02:37
@ Bob Nock
It would be an excellent idea, but since the war museum is in a decadent state itself the restoration would probably be for nothing as the plane would be left to deteriorate and be messed with once again.
@ Ivan Galea
I'm not sure if the war museum is in the hands of Heritage Malta, or the Superintendence for cultural heritage but, in both cases they tend to feel the obligation towards conservation with such great strickness (wich sometimes it's a sigh of relief) that sometimes they would rather see an exhibit deteriorate more (sometimes to an unreparable state) than letting it go to people who are professional, dedicated, and technically up-to-date. It's quite a shame really but what can a privately owned museum do against a hard head under a hard hat wich is protected under a bunker of bureaucracy ?
Rory O'Neill
Sep 12th 2008, 21:30
As a regular visitor to tthe Malta Aviation Museum, can I beg that some heads are "banged together" and that N5520"Faith" is delivered to Ray Polidano and his team for professional restoration and display,rather than leaving it on display in Valetta held together with sticky tape! Come on, leave Aircraft Restoration to the experts! I have visited many aircraft museums and Malta is up in the top ten along with the Imperial War Museum at Duxford from where I have just returned from celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the RAF.
Keep your good work going Ray & David, and I shall return in 3 weeks to catch up on your progress.
Rory O'Neill
Gosport,England.
Bob Nock
Sep 12th 2008, 17:09
All credit to the dedicated volunteers who are restoring the aircraft at the Aviation Museum at Ta' Qali.
However, is it not possible for these same volunteers to offer their valuable sevices to restore the historic 'Faith' and still allow it to be displayed at the national War Museum.
Bob Nock
Peter Prictoe
Sep 12th 2008, 17:06
Having served at Ta'Qal with 73 Squadron RAF (though we had Spitfire XXIIs, being the only regular squadron of the RAF flying that mark) I add my tribute to the Polidano family for the noble work they have done over the years. They should have the Gladiator to which they would do justice.
L Galea
Sep 12th 2008, 15:15
Government = Bureaucracy Unlimited
Ivan Galea
Sep 12th 2008, 12:34
This 'Faith' saga all boils down to hard headedness and the usual beaurocratic madness that our island is plagued with.
The aviation musuem is run by a group of dedicated volunteers who sacrifice their own free time to restore and most importantly maintain a number of exhibits in a pristine condition. I cannot understand the logic having someone refusing to hand over to these persons an aircraft which with their input can be put on show in a much much better condition than as the sorry state it has been left to decay.