If there is one good reason why the Gloster Sea Gladiator N5520, popularly known as Faith, should not remain at the War Museum in St Elmo and under the tutelage of Heritage Malta's present team is the letter by Pierre Cassar from Heritage Malta (Preserved Gloster Sea Gladiator To Have Pride Of Place At National War Museum, December 6). The "two (of) Heritage Malta's conservators" display an alarming and complete lack of even the most elementary aeronautical terms, let alone aviation engineering knowledge. His own idea of "preservation" is so remote from international trends in the preservation, restoration and display of historical aircraft that one begs to ask if Mr Cassar, or any of his team, has ever been to an aviation museum - any aviation museum - in the world!
N5520 Faith is in the worst possible state of preservation, with rotting wooden structures, rusting airframe piping, and canvas covering past its "best-by" date. The latter has been on the airframe since 1974 when Irish linen was used. Ceconite 102, Medapolin or similar fabrics last 10 to 15 years at the most, after which they suffer fatigue and fungus attacks. This could be one of the reasons why the moveable horizontal tail surfaces are warped out of shape. Rust and corrosion are evident everywhere, but especially significant is the rusting armoured head plate behind the pilot's seat (see photo) which is the most precious item in the whole airframe. That plate is a local modification, manufactured and fitted by Admiralty Dockyard fitters, unique to Malta's first batch of operational Sea Gladiators. Even if it were to be cleaned now and repainted, pitting of the surfaces will never be eliminated... what a shame!
I take personal umbrage in Mr Cassar quoting from my book Victory in the Air, as if my writing proves anything of what he claims. His selective quote leaves out completely the so-called 1974 attempt at restoration by the RAF further down the same page. Enormous damage was done to the airframe during that intervention. Metal panels were manufactured for the front fuselage and screwed onto the airframe by drilling into its structure, instead of using Fairey quick release fastners. A rudder and engine cowling were added which bear no resemblance to the original and the tailwheel comes from a post-war Chipmunk.
Enough damage has been done in the past, and the present sorry state of the aircraft cries out for it to be handled by expert hands, which in Malta can only be found at the Aviation Museum. Why can't we be like all other countries in the world, where aircraft in such conditions are lovingly restored either to static or even to flying condition?
Living proof is the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Hurricane, The Last of The Many, the last example of the type to be built and still flying.
It is regularly stripped down and anything that does not pass rigorous inspection is restored or changed. Its fabric has been changed several times and so have numerous metal panels due to fatigue.
By now it must have very little of the original Hurricane in it, but like all other historical aircraft in the world it is the spirit that it evokes that makes it unique, not the amount of rust and rot that it carries.
A wingless, rotting aircraft is like a wheel-less car stored in some barn by a careless owner. Can anyone imagine such a vehicle taking pride of place in a museum? Heritage Malta's Mr Cassar seems to think so.