Two huts built shortly after the Second World War will soon be removed from Luqa airport to Ta' Qali to form part of the Aviation Museum.
The two huts, measuring 30 by 11 by 5.5 metres are made of metal piping covered with corrugated metal sheets and listed as antiquities because of their significant historical importance.
The huts form part of the military-related heritage connected with the British colonial period.
Known technically as "Romney" huts, after the Kentish firm that developed them, these structures are a larger version of the first world war Nissen hut.
During WW II, the contents of the huts were kept a closely guarded secret but food supplies were certainly maintained there, and possibly also ammunition.
The easily built structures were used for multiple purposes, including as offices.
The huts will be removed from Luqa to make way for an air border inspection post that will be manned by staff from the veterinary service. The post will inspect samples of animal feeds and food for human consumption, house and other plants, processed food and live animals that come to Malta by air.
A scientific inspection will be performed to ascertain that the consignment carries no viruses or diseases before being passed on to the customs officers.
Ray Polidano, director general of the Aviation Museum Foundation said the environment management unit at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has made it a condition that construction of the border inspection post will not start unless the huts are fully assembled and the works approved by officials from Mepa.
The expense to dismantle, transfer and reassemble the huts is to be borne by the developers of the new building at Luqa airport.
"The Aviation Museum is grateful for the initiative taken by the Mepa and the EMU not only to safeguard this type of military heritage but by encouraging the use of such structures.
"These two Romney huts are a godsend because the plans for the re-location to Ta' Qali of the hangar at Kirkop that was used by the Works Department have crashed to a halt.
"We are earnestly awaiting a definite decision on the matter by the Ministry of Resources and Infrastructure," Mr Polidano noted.
The hangar was going to be used as an exhibition hall by the museum.
To compound matters, the fund-raising appeal by the museum to buy what is being called an Air Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar has met little response locally.
The museum needs to collect £80,000 to cover the price and transport costs to Malta from the UK but so far only £20,000 have been collected mainly from overseas donations.
Contributions can be made through these bank accounts: HSBC 027036581001; BoV 40011823647 and HSBC GBP 027036581451.
"One of the Romney huts will be used to store the artefacts that are donated regularly to the museum.
"The other hut will house aircraft remains recovered from the sea where they await their turn to be restored, shielding them from the elements and further deterioration," Mr Polidano added.