MALTA AVIATION MUSEUM

Colonel Luca Mariz, Commanding Officer of the Italian Military Mission – MICCD Malta, and the Director General and Board of Directors of the Malta Aviation Museum Foundation, on Friday, 20 February, at the Malta Aviation Museum, hosted guests for the official presentation and inauguration ceremony of the Italian Air Force Texan T6G and MICCD Malta Showcase.

On September 13th, North American Texan T6G arrived at our Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali, from its former site at Forli University, Italy. The aircraft has been gifted to our museum by the Aeronautica Militare Italiana, through the Armed Forces of Malta. It follows the Fiat G91 that was donated to the museum in 1997.

This donation was made possible by Colonel Luca Mariz, Commanding Officer of the Italian Military Mission Malta, Major Michele Lumia, Ex Brigadier (rtd) Martin Xuereb, Colonel Mark Said AFM and Warrant Officer Oliver Bennett AFM.

A showcase honouring the Italian Military Mission was also inaugurated by the Commanding Officer of the MICCD, Luca Mariz.

Following ‘welcome drinks’, it was time to start the proceedings. MAMF Director General Ray Polidano welcomed the guests and introduced the occasion. This address was followed by that of Colonel Luca Mariz, Commanding Officer Italian Military Mission who highlighted the 40 years of the work carried out by the Italian Military Mission at Malta, and the number of lives saved by their personnel and helicopters. He added, to the delight of all attendees, that a further two helicopters are intended to be gifted to the Malta Aviation Museum.

Italian Ambassador Giovanni Umberto De Vito was next to address the guests and he was followed by Home Affairs and National Security Minister Carmelo Abela who thanked the Italian Military Mission for 40 years of dedicated service to our Island.