DATE |
AIRCRAFT |
SQDN |
SERIAL |
NOTES |
20.05.22 |
Felixstowe |
|
N4092 |
Hal-Far based. Flown by Air Commodore Charles Ramsay Samson, CMG, DSO, AFC and Sqdn Ldr Harry F A Gordon, MBE. Aircraft was returning to Malta from Gibraltar via Algeria and Tunisia. Engine trouble forced the aircraft to ditch close to Algeria. Attempts to tow the aircraft to Malta failed when rough seas swamped the aircraft and sank it. Two months later, RAF authorities received two rusty engine and radio parts from the French forces in Algeria, which had washed ashore, and were believed to be from the Felixstowe. |
25.05.22 |
Felixstowe F.2A "Neptune" |
|
N4098 |
According to research, the aircraft was a one of those built at the Drydocks and the serial was not N4092. This is confirmed in “A British Flying Boat in the Mediterranean” - FLIGHT 25 May 1922 pp 302, which refers to the aircraft as having been "Neptune". |
19.02.23 |
Felixstowe F2a |
267 |
N4092 |
Aircraft departed from Malta on an anti submarine training sortie. Developed mechanical problems 10 miles from Capo Passero, Sicily, and landed in rather rough seas. Five-man crew uninjured, and rescued by the SS St. Dunstan. Landed in Sicily, but returned to Malta on board same ship, landing here on 6 March. Aircraft later sank. |
30.05.24 |
dirigible |
|
1 |
Permission for an Italian dirigible, serial number 1, to fly over Malta was refused permission by the British Secretary of State, as the island was a “defended port”. The Italian authorities were also advised not to carry photographic equipment, in line with the 1923 Malta Ordinance No. 4, entitled “An Ordinance to prohibit photography by aircraft”. |
24.06.24 |
Blackburn |
|
|
Crashed off Malta. HMS Eagle-based |
__.__.24 |
F. Dart |
|
|
Went over the side of HMS Eagle, either during take-off or landing. |
__.__.24 |
F. Dart |
|
|
Went over the side of HMS Eagle, either during take-off or landing. |
29.01.25 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
N9666 |
Overturned at Hal Far; written off. Pilot F/O R Lewes was killed. |
02.04.25 |
Fairey IIID |
441 Fit, Hermes |
N9770 |
Crash landed at Calafrana. |
30.04.25 |
Fairey 1110 |
440 Fit, Hermes |
N9780/46 |
Stalled and crashed near Mellieha church; aircraft burnt out and written off. Pilot F/O C Oenison RAF was killed. Lt. HT Rust RN, Tel CLO Oliver, RN, both died of injuries on 06.06.25. |
30.04.25 |
Fairey 111D |
440 Fit, Eagle |
N9782/41 |
Crashed in Armier Bay. |
28.06.25 |
Flycatcher |
403 Fit, Hermes |
N9674 |
Engine choked and dived into sea off Tigne. Pilot, Lt (F/O RAF) IOR Grant RN of 441 Fit was rescued unhurt. |
30.06.25 |
Fairey IIID |
441 Fit, Hermes |
N9754 |
Arresting gear caused aircraft to fall over side of Hermes into sea at Calafrana; written off. Pilot Lt (F/O RAF) S Richardson RN was picked up unhurt. |
24.08.25 |
Blackburn I |
422 Fit, Hermes |
N9685/25 |
Hit a wall while taxying downwind at Hal Far; written off. |
28.10.25 |
Blackburn ? |
|
|
Aircraft was carrying Naval C-in-C from HMS Eagle to Hal-Far following an inspection under sea going conditions. Pilot suffered engine problems, and attempted to return to the land on Eagle. Crashed in sea, occupants suffering various minor injuries. Aircraft sank, the prevailing weather making salvage work impossible. |
10.02.26 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
N9892/5 |
Entered into a spin at Hal Far; written off. Pilot Lt. HR Hancox RN was killed. |
30.03.26 |
Fairey IIID |
441 Fit, Hermes |
N9758 |
Crashed over side of ship while landing on Hermes off Calafrana; written off. Pilot, Lt TLG Bryan, RN, was killed. |
__.03.26 |
Fairey IIID |
440 Flt, Eagle |
S1019/40 |
Aircraft broke in half following accident on HMS Eagle. |
20.04.26 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
N9612/3 |
Crashed near Hal Far. Pilot Lt (F/O RAF) JY Mills RN. |
30.04.26 |
Fairey IIID |
440 FIt, Eagle |
N9790/45 |
Crashed in the sea off Malta; wreckage hoisted in. |
16.07.26 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
N9895/2 |
Engine failure and force landed at Hal Far, w/o. Pilot Lt (F/O RAF) HW Metcalfe was slightly injured. |
21.10.26 |
A. Bison II |
423 Fit, Hermes |
N9969 |
Crashed in the sea off Valletta after developing engine trouble during exercises of 3rd Cruiser Sqdn. Pilot, Lt (F/O RAF) HN Lay RN from RAF Base Calafrana, and six others, Lt JES Anderson RN (HMS Coventry), Lt HL Carslake RN (HMS Eagle), Tel RW Gibbs (HMS Egmont) and three other officers were all killed. |
08.11.26 |
A. Bison II |
423 Fit, Hermes |
|
Crashed off St Paul's Bay. Occupants rescued by HMS Dragon. Machine towed to Calafrana. |
12.01.27 |
Fairey IIID |
481 Flt |
|
|
18.01.27 |
A. Bison II |
423 Fit, Hermes |
N9972 |
Engine failure after takeoff from Hal Far and crashed at Ghar Hasan. Pilot, F/L CR Brewerton DSC RAF and three others, Lt GO Owen-Jones, Lt E Chafe RN, Tel GW Burton were killed. The RAF Kalafrana Operations Records Book (ORB) gives the reason as “encountered severe air bump, starboard wing hitting the ground at the top of the cliff.” |
01.02.27 |
F. Flycatcher |
402 Flt Eagle |
S1069/2 |
Collided with Fairey IIID N9576 of 481 Fit at 1 ,200ft off Benghisa Point at entrance to Marsaxlokk Bay, probably sun in pilot's eyes, during mock attacks; written off. Pilot Lt (F/O RAF) JY Mills was killed. The crew of the Fairy IIID suffered injuries. This incident was previously dated 2nd February. |
01.02.27 |
Fairey IIID |
481 Fit, Calafrana |
N9576 |
Hit by Flycatcher S1069/2, 402 Fit Eagle at 1 ,200ft off Benghisa Point at entrance to Marsaxlokk Bay during mock attacks; written off. Pilot F/O AHJ Howlett RAF was unhurt; Wg Cdr GGH Cooke, F/Sgt AEL Worster RAF both slightly injured. |
05.04.27 |
Fairey IIID |
481 Flt, Calafrana |
N9762 |
Crashed in Malta; written off. Pilot F/O GO Middleton RAF and passengers PlO AG Pickering RAF, AC Stevens RAF were unhurt. |
09.06.27 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
N9887 |
Crashed in sea at Marsaxlokk during low bombing exercise from Hal Far; written off. Pilot LlC (F/O RAF) HMS Forbes was killed. |
04.11.27 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
S1066/1 |
Crashed at Hal Far. Pilot Lt JO Ainger RN. |
09.11.27 |
Flycatcher |
402 Fit, Eagle |
S1068/3 |
Force landed in a field after losing propeller; written off. Pilot Lt CL Keighly-Peach RN. |
19.06.28 |
Avro Bison II |
|
S1165 |
Aircraft suffered in flight engine failure, and crashed in field. Three-man crew suffered slight injuries. Aircraft was described as being severely damaged. |
25.06.28 |
Blackburn Dart |
463 Flight |
S1119 |
Aircraft took off from HMS Courageous, but collided with a structure on land. Dart crashed in sea, killing the pilot. His body was recovered and buried at the naval cemetery at Kalkara.
The website http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Accf1930.htm states the following. ”Hit funnel on take-off and crashed in the sea off HMS Courageous off Malta.”
|
03.07.28 |
Fairy 111F |
|
No. 54 |
Aircraft ditched in sea off Dellimara. Crew rescued. |
21.02.29 |
Blackburn Dart |
|
9691 |
Aircraft forced landed in rough seas due to torpedo slipping forward in flight, and fouling the propeller. No injuries, pilot saved by destroyer. |
01.05.29 |
B. Dart |
|
No.61 |
Ditched off Malta. |
25.05.29 |
Fairey IIID |
202 |
S1108/40 |
Crashed into Marsaxlokk Bay during air pageant. Crew suffered slight injuries. |
22.08.29 |
Fairey IIID |
N9490 |
|
Aircraft took off from HMS Courageous, but was destroyed in the landing on board the same ship. No fatalities. |
25.11.29 |
Flycather |
|
No.2 |
Aircraft crashed in sea, pilot rescued. |