Unfortunately, mainland Europe has almost forgotten that the Maltese Islands were the scene of bitter air battles during World War II. Malta was then a crown colony of the United Kingdom and was considered strategically particularly important for the theaters of war Africa and Italy. Of course, this had fatal consequences for the population.

The Royal Air Force covered the island of Malta with bases and the United States took over the island of Gozo and set up an air force base there, which for reasons that have not yet been clarified was only in operation for six weeks. The Axis powers wanted to take away the strategic advantage of Malta from the Allies and heavily bombed the islands. Serious casualties occurred on both sides, with an enormous number of civilians also perishing. In the now independent Malta there is no longer a single foreign military base, but its legacy is still visible today.

The Malta Aviation Museum is located on the site of the former RAF base Ta Qali. Not much is reminiscent of an airfield, because the exhibition is right next to a basketball hall and a football stadium. The Aviation Museum is as small as the state itself, but lovers of historical aircraft can marvel at some of the exhibits here. These are mainly aircraft that were used in the air battles around Malta and that have been painstakingly restored. In the area of ​​technical components in particular, you can even find the last remaining pieces in some cases.

Slideshow: Photographic tour of the Malta Aviation Museum Ta Qali

Anyone expecting a branch of the London RAF Museum will be a little disappointed. The Malta Aviation Museum is small but nice. You should also know that the exhibition is a private initiative and that almost all of the restorations are carried out by volunteers. Some or their parents have a very direct relationship: They or their parents served on one of the numerous RAF bases. This is exactly what makes the exhibition unique, because in addition to the static displays there are an enormous number of exhibits and other contemporary witnesses who document everything very precisely. A particularly large number of photos and even furnishings from the holdings of the Royal Air Force can be seen.

The museum is divided into three halls and has a very strong community flair. It can happen that an elderly gentleman who is restoring an aircraft that has not yet been exhibited comes to visitors and tells his memories of this machine and there is one or the other exciting story. One or two fighter planes were salvaged from the sea and, over many years, turned into a gem for the museum. One or the other unique piece is of course also included.

The entrance fee for adults is seven euros. The proceeds will be invested in maintaining the museum, the exhibits and other restorations. For particularly complex projects, donations can be made without compulsion. If you want, you can put money in the donation boxes or not. By the way, specialist literature on rare machines is available on site at very affordable prices. Partly this was written by the association members themselves with the help of contemporary witnesses, because during the Second World War there was little emphasis on historical documentation. There was no time for that.

The Aviation Museum Malta has its own parking spaces, which by the way are located directly in front of the hangar. Furthermore, public bus lines 56, 186 and 202 stop in the immediate vicinity. The stop is called “Stadium”. There are free toilets as well as a small cafe, which is currently only operated with drinks and snacks machines due to the corona pandemic. This is one of the reasons why masks are required in the hangars. 

Tip: The entrance fee can be paid in cash and with debit / credit cards. Since the Malta Aviation Museum accepts bank cards in the classic way using a magnetic stripe reader, the “Stripe” has to work. Payment by NFC or chip is not possible.