AHQ Malta
| Air Headquarters Malta | |
|---|---|
| Active | 28 December 1941- 30 June 1968 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Type | Command |
| Part of | RAF Middle East Command (1939) |
| Headquarters | Valletta (1945) |
| Motto(s) | Accidet Nemo Impune |
| Royal Air Force Ensign |  |
Air Headquarters Malta (AHQ Malta or Air H.Q. Malta) was an overseas command of the Royal Air Force (RAF) established on December 28, 1941 by renaming RAF Mediterranean under Air Vice Marshal Hugh Lloyd. Lloyd had previously been named Air Officer Commanding in Malta on 1 June 1941.
RAF Mediterranean had been based in Malta under one designation or another seemingly throughout the interwar period, spending some time known as 'Mediterranean Group.' No. 267 Squadron RAF and No. 268 Squadron RAF, both with seaplanes, were both formed at RAF Kalafrana in August 1918. During 1940 Malta's air defence force had been built up from Faith, Hope, and Charity, the three famous Sea Gladiators of the Hal Far Fighter Flight.
Initially during the early stage of the Siege of Malta (World War II), Malta was not much of an offensive threat early in the North African Campaign. However it was considered an essential Allied stronghold as exemplified by Operation Pedestal and the other, often very costly, efforts to resupply the island.
On April 20, 1942, the USS Wasp delivered 47 Spitfires to Malta and the German Luftwaffe promptly destroyed 30 of them on the same day. Nonetheless, as these and other aircraft reached the island during the summer of 1942, the defensive and offensive capabilities of AHQ Malta rose. On July 1, 1942, AHQ Malta had approximately 200 aircraft, about half of which were Spitfires. Air Vice Marshal Sir Keith Park took over command of AHQ Malta On July 15, 1942.
At this time, the island provided critical operational air bases for the Allies with proximity to Axis shipping lanes and the battlefields of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Pantelleria, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and mainland Italy during World War II. There were three main airfields on Malta known as RAF Hal Far, RAF Luqa, and RAF Ta' Kali with an intermediate landing area known as the Safi Dispersal Strip.
...
Wikipedia