Malta Story

[Baldrick62]

For anyone who's seen the classic Pathe movie 'Malta Story' with (Sir) Alec Guinness, a trip to the Lascaris War Rooms in Valletta is well worth the cost of admission. I was fortunate enough to have a few days in Malta before Xmas.

The island of Malta, showing two sets of radar detection ranges from different Points of Origin, and the acoustic detection fan similar to that used in SE England.


The 'hot seat' where the decisions on the island's air defence posure were made, looking and acting much like the 'fishbowl' in a modern CAOC.


Tote boards for showing aircraft status, which were updated from a room behind the boards.


The raid and intercept plotting board


The Filter Room, where the magic of the Dowding system was played out.


Good German telegraphy equipment (Siemens) to make it all happen.


Tours are guided, and take about an hour all up.
BofB

[CappyTom]

Sweet photos and intel. Thanks

[Baldrick62]

Also in Valletta is the National War Museum and a couple of miles out of the city is the (fairly modest in size and content) Aviation Museum.

'Faith', one of the legendary Sea Gladiators used early in the seige, which was literally rescued from a scrap heap.




Hurricane IIs provided the backbone of the defence until the Spitfire Vb started to arrive from Mar '42, flown off British and American carriers.




A later Spitfire IX




A very forlorn looking Swordfish. The reconnaissance for the Taranto raid was flown from Malta, and Swordfish were stationed on the island for a period.

[CappyTom]

Nice photos of the plane.

Tom

[flyingryno]

great photos

[Nightbomber]

Thanks for sharing, Baldrick. Interesting pics.

[Baldrick62]

Having read quite a bit about the fratricide that was caused during the initial airborne phase of Op HUSKY (Invasion of Sicily), I hadn't realised that it was coordinated (obviously not too well!) from Malta. During the Allied Invasion of Sicily, on 11 July 1943 144 C-47 transport planes passed over Allied lines shortly after a German air raid, and were mistakenly fired upon by U.S ground and naval forces. 23 planes were shot down and 37 damaged, resulting in 318 casualties including about 100 paratroopers killed.

The wall map for HUSKY, similar in size to the one at HMS DRYAD for NEPTUNE/OVERLORD
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The Commander's Conference Room, overlooking the mapboard



Oh to lay that out flat and push some miniatures around it!

[csadn]

Oh to lay that out flat and push some miniatures around it!:D

Bah -- get some drafting tape, make loops, and stick the minis to the wall. :)

[Baldrick62]

Bah -- get some drafting tape, make loops, and stick the minis to the wall.

Duelling ladders?

[csadn]

Duelling ladders?

What is this -- a Jackie Chan movie? :)

[grumpybear]

I watched a show on history channel on the air defence of Malta. So it's nice to see the places where it was planed. Thanks

[Marechallannes]

Saw this pictures in your album before. Very interesting!

Liked it.

[Doug]

Very intresting as I plan do do the Battle of Malta as a campagin these photes bring some reality into planning.

[Baldrick62]

Doug,
If it's still knocking around, Lex McAulay's 'Against All Odds' which I read when it first came out yonks ago, has a good rundown on Australian involvement in the siege. At the time it was a bit of a departure from his Vietnam books, but I believe he's covered more WWII subjects since.
BofB

[Attila57]

Thx for sharing pics and explanations, Baldrick! Really interesting

Attilio