Restoration Projects

The Workshop

The workshop is undoubtedly the vibrant heart of this museum. The story that ultimately gave birth to this museum began in a humble single-car garage within the Polidano household in the nearby village of Attard. Back in the early ’90s, there was neither a dedicated aviation museum in Malta nor an aircraft restoration movement. It all started with a stroke of luck—a chance discovery of a pair of Spitfire undercarriage covers ignited the spark of an idea.

Subsequently, when the remains of Spitfire IX EN199 were uncovered in a scrapyard in Fgura, a small group of enthusiasts united to embark on a static restoration project. As the project expanded, the Spitfire was relocated from Attard to its current home in Ta’ Qali. Initially, the workshop was housed in a nearby hut and equipped with the most basic hand tools. The most advanced piece of equipment at the time was a sandblasting cabinet. The successful completion of the Spitfire restoration was nothing short of miraculous. Over time, the workshop evolved into a small museum. It eventually found its current location, where the Hawker Hurricane restoration took place.

As with all volunteer groups, faces changed, and so did the philosophy. Instead of merely building static aircraft, the commitment shifted towards restoring airworthy aircraft. In this workshop, a Tiger Moth, Piper L-4, and a Cessna L-19 have returned to the skies, along with a few other light aircraft. Tooling improved significantly, and is constantly being added to the inventory. The workshop now possesses most of what’s needed to transform a wreck into a certified flying machine. The team’s engineering expertise also grew, and the workshop is currently under the management of a full-time aircraft engineer, working alongside a dedicated volunteer force to carry out aircraft restoration. During your visit, you’re likely to have the opportunity to witness our restorers in action, working on the latest project.