AVM Park opening RAF Safi Malta in Spitfire 1943

Royal Air Force Safi was a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

maintenance base located on the island of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

, which started life in 1941 as a diversion airstrip for the main operating bases such as nearby

RAF Luqa Royal Air Force Luqa was a Royal Air Force station located on the island of Malta, now developed into the Malta International Airport. It hosted aircraft of Air Headquarters Malta (AHQ Malta) during the Second World War. Particularly during ...

. Other diversion airstrips similar in function to Safi were located at

RAF Krendi Royal Air Force Krendi, also known as RAF Qrendi, was a Royal Air Force base located on the island of Malta, near the town of Qrendi. The station was officially inaugurated in 1941 as a diversion airstrip for the main operating bases such a ...

and on Malta's second island of

Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After t ...

History

Second World War

RAF Safi was constructed at a time when Malta was under intense aerial bombardment and Malta's Air Command needed to have alternative diversion airstrips on Malta, as the RAF's main operating bases were being bombed. Construction started in 1941 and the strips were ready for use in 1942. The base was officially inaugurated by AOC Malta Sir Keith Park in May 1943, but had been completed by 1942; it would remain operational throughout the War in the Mediterranean.

Post war

After the war, Saifi was reduced in function, becoming a maintenance base. In April 1957 the then Maltese Prime Minister Mr Dom Mintoff requested that the UK Government consider turning over RAF Saifi to his government. By 1961 the RAF maintenance facility at Safi was mostly civilian staffed and discussions in London were taking place about it being run down. The RAF left in 1979 following a British government decision not to renew the lease on RAF Luqa.

Current use

Whilst Safi's runway has long gone the hangar and dispersal area have been extensively redeveloped and two large hangars constructed which are associated with the international airport at Luqa, which has absorbed the site. There is also a neighbouring aviation

business park A business park or office park is a designated area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. These types of developments are often located in suburban areas where land and building costs are more affordable, and are typicall ...

development.

References

External links