RAF Ta Kali

RAF Station Ta Kali
Malta
Near Ta' Qali
RAF Ta Kali is located in Malta
RAF Ta Kali
RAF Ta Kali
Shown within Malta
Coordinates35°53′42″N 014°25′15″E / 35.89500°N 14.42083°E / 35.89500; 14.42083
TypeDiversion airfield for fighters
Site information
OwnerVarious
ConditionExtensively developed as a cultural site
Site history
Built1939 (1939)
In use1940-1968 (1968)
Battles/warsSiege of Malta WW2
Garrison information
Past
commanders
Group Captain Walter Myers Churchill DSO DFC RAF
Aerial imagery of RAF Ta Kali in 1942, showing extensive bomb crater damage and trackways to aircraft dispersals.
A Hawker Hurricane of 261 Squadron at RAF Ta Kali in 1941.
A Supermarine Spitfire of 249 Squadron at RAF Ta Kali in 1942.
A Gloster Meteor T7 of 613 Squadron at RAF Ta Kali in 1952.

Royal Air Force Ta Kali was a Royal Air Force fighter operations base located on the island of Malta, which started life in 1940 as a diversion airstrip for the main operating bases such as RAF Luqa.[1] Other diversion airstrips similar in function to Ta Kali were located at RAF Hal Far and on Malta's second island of Gozo at Xewkija airfield. The base's name reflects an anglicised corruption of the correct Maltese spelling of Ta' Qali, other phonetic variants of the correct name also appear regularly.

  1. ^ "Ta Qali". www.forgottenairfields.com. Retrieved 25 July 2017.