Is this the “seafire” that was tentatively on the provisional participation list??

Nope! It’s no Seafire! It’s an RAF Spitfire in an RAF scheme flown from a US Navy aircraft carrier (in this case the USS Wasp).

Glenn

I am sorry to say that I shall miss the arrival, is there any chance of the ‘pair’ flying through Valetta Harbour when the a/c depart for Blightey?…..please???

I can ask!

Taken from the MoM website

For the duration of the project BM597 will depict a Spitfire V wearing the codes U-2 that was to join 603 Squadron. When the aircraft were put aboard the USS Wasp they were wearing standard camouflage schemes but on the deck of an aircraft carrier sailing through the Mediterranean these camouflage patterns offered no protection. The solution was to paint the top surfaces of the aircraft blue. Paint was taken from the stores and applied to the aircraft. There is no definitive colour match because paint was mixed and watered down to ensure there was enough to go around.

The paint was applied using rollers using water washable paint.

Now comes the sales pitch! Remember you can own a blue BM597 along with the MoM Hurricane. The Corgi versions are available from the Merlins Over Malta shop

Glenn

Mum and Dad are down there painting the wing now. The Hurricane will be staying at the museum as only one wing is finished and it is easier to keep it at the museum for the opening of the new hangar on the 28th of September.

Glenn

Just wondering if anyone (perhaps Glenn Denney?) could confirm whether the HAC Spitfire ‘BM597’ is to be repainted for her trip to Malta next month. With their Hurricane now representing a Malta scheme and also the news of the release of the ‘Merlins over Malta’ Corgi collector set (see here: http://www.merlinsovermalta.com/shop/corgi/ ) it would seem like a possibility.
The corgi ‘blue’ Operation Calender scheme looks great indeed and it would be nice to see BM597 in a different guise even for one season.
Also, i heard there were possible plans to fit a slipper tank to her in order to give her the range needed for the proposed stops on route, if so how is this progressing?

Yes to the temporary blue U2 repaint! At the moment I do not know when Dad is going to do this. I can say it will be soon because in 5 weeks time today we hope to have the two aircraft positioned at the foot of Italy ready to fly their final leg into Grand Harbour.

The slipper tank idea was deemed unfeasible and there are enough airfields along the way to stop at.

We will be at Rougham this weekend so if you are there come along and pay us a visit. As I said in the CAF Air Sho’ 2005 raffle thread, we are still fundraising so come along and support us!

Glenn

Thanks Mike, DB,

Does anyone you know where the HAC Hurricane went yesterday evening as it never returned.

Septic.

Dad took it into North Weald for todays event

Glenn

A project update…

With just nine weeks to go things with Merlins Over Malta are progressing well. It is hard to believe that we have been working for almost two years on this now!

We have the majority of our funding in place but we are still in fundraising mode. Linda and Vic are going out to Malta next week to tie up any loose ends that we have there. On their return we hope to be in a position to release more information about the upcoming events. I have place the various dates at the bottom of this post.

As you maybe aware Corgi have come onboard as official partners. They have commissioned a special “Merlins Over Malta” set in their Aviation Archive range. 1945 sets will be produced and Merlins over Malta have 600 of them that we are putting together as a collectors set. We have been working in conjunction with Corgi and The Diecast Aviation Web Site & Forum to turn these 600 sets into exclusive collectors sets.

The sets will include:

These sets cost £99.99 (+ P&P) each and at the moment they are available through The Diecast Aviation Web Site & Forum. Check out their site for more details.

These collectors sets have significantly boosted out fundraising effort and we are very grateful to Corgi and the Diecast Aviation Forum for their help.

The launch of the models at Legends has finally put an end to the guess work pf the Spitfire’s Malta scheme. The aircraft will represent a Spitfire that flew off the USS Wasp as part of Operation Calendar in April 1942.

We have the “Win a place on the Ian Allan CAF Air Sho‘ 2005 Tour!” raffle.

The draw takes place at the end of August so get your tickets now! If you want to sell any on our behalf please let us know and we will send you some books.

We also have the following available to raise funds for the project

Gerald Coulson’s Merlins Over Malta

Robert Taylor’s Malta – George Cross

Robert Taylor’s Gallant Ohio

Merlins Over Malta Patches

Limited Edition Hawker Nimrod Presentation Sets

Spitfire Vb Photograph and Fabric Presentation Set

Fortress Malta: An Island Under Siege, 1940-1943

Malta Story DVD signed by Muriel Pavlow

Luftwaffe Ace Pencil Prints

These items are all available from the Merlins Over Malta Shop

The projected dates at the moment are:

The afternoon of Thursday 22nd of September – Arrival through Grand Harbour

Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th – Malta International Air Show

The evening of Sunday 25th – Flypast at the War Memorial in Floriana

Wednesday 28th – The opening of the Air Battle of Malta hangar at the Aviation Museum

Thursday 29th – The flight home begins

We would like to thank everyone that has supported us so far. The end is insight but we are not there yet! Please keep the support going! We would not have got this far with out your help!

We look forward to seeing as many of you in Malta as we can.

I’ll post another update soon but keep an eye on the website!

Glenn