The Malta Airshow Thread

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Hello all,

Although I'm a bit late to the party, I've decided to start this thread to keep you updated about the annual Malta Airshow, which has been confirmed for 2021 after an absence of three years. I hope to use this thread for future airshows as well, rather than having a new thread for every year. This year is also important because it marks the 25th anniversary of the show. It will be held on the 25th and 26th of September.

This year's events will be held in two locations:

The Static Display from 09:00 - 14:00 at the apron near the Lufthansa Technic hangars
The Flypast: 15:00 - 18:15 in Qawra

This is an event I've been thoroughly looking forward to since March 2020, and I hope to share some of the enthusiasm. More updates will be posted in the upcoming days, mostly catching up on past ones.

Some news:

Malta International Airshow returns after three-year absence

The Malta International Airshow will be held between the 25th and the 26th September.

newsbook.com.mt

Malta’s International Air Show To Make Return After Three Year Hiatus

On the 25th and 26th of September, you can enjoy Malta’s International Air Show, which will make its long-awaited appearance after 3 years!

bay.com.mt

Event - Visit Malta

Don't miss the Malta International Airshow 2021 this September 25-26!

www.visitmalta.com

Follow them on:

Instagram:

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

Facebook:

Malta International Airshow | Luqa

Malta International Airshow, Luqa, Malta. 29,294 likes · 8 talking about this · 442 were here. Official Facebook account of #maltairshow www.maltairshow.com

www.facebook.com

That's all for now,

Wyvern

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Follow their website for more information:

HOME | Malta Airshow

www.maltairshow.com

Updates will proceed shortly.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Here are a few participants:

First Photo:

This year's planned edition of the Malta International Airshow will see Swiss precision at its very best. The Malta airshow team has received official confirmation of participation by the Swiss PC-7 TEAM at the Malta International Airshow 2021.

The team flies a formation of 9 Swiss-made PC-7 advanced trainer turboprop aircraft and has always been a favourite with the Maltese public whenever the team visited Malta in previous editions.

The Malta International Airshow Team warmly welcomes the Swiss Air Force PC-7 Team to Malta's skies this September.

Second Photo:

Watch the sting! Swiss Air Force F/A-18 Hornet for Malta.

The Swiss Air Force has informed the Malta International Airshow Team of its planned participation at Malta's premier aerial event by way of an F-18 Hornet.

The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engined multi-role, supersonic aircraft and is flown by many countries around the world. It is also a ship-borne jet and is operated by the US Navy and US Marines.

The Malta Airshow Team welcomes the Swiss Hornet Display Team to Malta's skies this September.

Third Photo:

Denmark, and precisely the Royal Danish Air Force, has informed the Malta International Airshow Team of its intention to join us for this year's event with a CL-604 Challenger. Denmark now joins Switzerland in the growing list of participating countries at this year's Malta's premier aviation event.

The Challenger is like a true Swiss Army knife.
ISR, SAR, VIP transport, pollution control and a lot of time in Greenland for whatever may be needed, as huge Greenland is actually part of tiny Denmark. The RDAF also flies FRONTEX missions in the Mediterranean and has flown pirate hunting in the Indian Ocean for Operation Ocean Shield.

Fourth Photo:

@maltairshow

The Tunisian Air Force has informed the Malta airshow team of its intention to participate at the Malta event for the very first time. An OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter will make its appearance this September. This will also mark the first time a Kiowa Warrior visits Malta.

The Tunisian Air Force has 24 OH-58Ds with the first batch of 6 having been delivered in 2017.

The Malta International Airshow Team is highly appreciative of the Tunisian Air Force's participation.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/maltairshow/?hl=en

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Continuing

Fifth Photo:

The Belgian Air Force confirmed with us this week that it will be sending one of the last remaining operational C-130H. This will also be the last static display of this popular heavy work horse of military transport.

The Belgian Air Force had ordered 12 C-130's in 1970 and CH-01 was delivered in 1972. The whole Hercules force of the Belgian Air Force has undergone a mid-life update to enable it to continue until 2021.

The Malta Aviation Society is honoured to be hosting the Belgian Air Force and specifically the crew of the last operational Hercules in the air arm.

Sixth Photo:

The Silver Chicken is a CAP21DS aircraft flown by none other than Luca Salvadori who is one of Italy's best display pilots and also an instructor.

The Silver Chicken performs a dynamic display with a nimble aircraft that brings out both the capabilities of the airplane itself but also performs to its fullest when flown by display pilots like Luca.

A long-standing appreciation by the Malta International Airshow Team is proud to have the Silver Chicken back in Malta's skies for the Malta International Airshow 2021.

Seventh Photo:

-

An L-59T Super Albatros jet trainer of the Tunisian Air Force will join the OH-58D already confirmed for participation at this year's event by the same country's air arm. The Tunisian Air Force took delivery of 12 L-59Ts beginning in 1995.

The participation of the Tunisian Air Force at the Malta International Airshow adds to the growing list of participants at this year's September event.

Eight Photo:

!

A historical occasion at the Malta International Airshow is planned to occur at this year's event. The German Air Force is sending the last operational C-160D Transall to Malta's show and this will be the last-ever public event for this aircraft in German AF service after a career stretching over 50 years.

The Malta Int'l Airshow Team is thrilled to be part of such history and thanks the German Air Force and the German Embassy for sharing a momentous occasion with us.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/maltairshow/?hl=en

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Finally, some (relatively) up to date news I can post!

The Red Arrows are going to grace Malta's skies once again, after an absence of seven years (I was lucky to have caught them, back in 2014).

Red Arrows to once again grace Maltese skies at airshow - The Malta Independent

The world-famous Red Arrows will return to Malta and grace the skies at the Malta International Airshow later this month, the organisers announced on Wednesday. With Avalon, Australia, having to

www.independent.com.mt

The Red Arrows returning to Malta's skies later this month

The RAF aerobatic team was last in Malta in 2014

timesofmalta.com

Red Arrows return to Maltese skies

The RAF’s Red Arrows aerobatic display team will perform at the Malta International Airshow on 25th and 26th September

www.maltatoday.com.mt

The Royal Air Force’ Red Arrows To Return To Malta Next Week

The performance, which will take place on the 25th and 26th of September, was made possible after a planned display by the British team in Australia fell through.

bay.com.mt

Red Arrows returning to Malta end of September

The famed aerobatic team of the Royal Air Force, The Red Arrows, will be returning for the Malta International Air Show on the 25th and 26th of September 2021.

maltadaily.mt

Ninth Photo:

Surely a crowd-pleaser and fan favourite, the Red Arrows are back to grace Maltese skies and entertain spectators! With Avalon, Australia, having to cancel their airshow, a golden opportunity was presented and both Malta and the Red Arrows worked in tandem to have the Royal Air Force aerobatic team in Malta one more time.

Based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, the Red Arrows had flown almost 5,000 displays in 57 countries, by the beginning of 2021 — the team's 57th season. This will be the Reds’ 9th visit to our island, having last performed back in 2014. It is always an honour to host the Red Arrows at our show!

The RAF Aerobatic Team is one of the world's premier aerobatic display teams. Representing the speed, agility and precision of the Royal Air Force, the team is the public face of the service.

Flying distinctive Hawk fast-jets, the team is made up of pilots, engineers and essential support staff with frontline, operational experience.

The Red Arrows will be parking on the Safi Aviation Park (Not open to the public)

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Continuing:

Tenth photo:

The Belgian Air Force will be participating at this year's edition of the Malta Int'l Airshow with an F-16 Fighting Falcon fast jet.

The F-16 is one of the most popular aircraft in the world with over 4600 jets produced so far and it is still in production. Belgium presently flies 51 such jets.
The F-16 is a multi-role combat aircraft capable of speeds up to 2400kms per hour and has been heavily used in various conflicts around the world since its first flight in 1976.

The display pilot for the Belgian Air Force F-16 'Viper' will be senior captain Stephan 'Vader' Darte who is also a weapons instructor and a very good aviation photographer himself.

The Malta International Airshow Team are proud to have the Belgian Air Force F-16 performing in Malta's skies this September 25-26.]

Eleventh Photo:

The Italian Air Force has officially informed the Malta Int'l Airshow Team 2021 of its plans to participate with a PANAVIA Tornado at this year's edition of the event.

The Aeronautica Militare Italiana received its first Tornado in 1982 and the type is presently flown by No 6 Stormo based at Ghedi air base, in Brescia.

With the number of PANAVIA Tornados dwindling as the type gets superseded by newer equipment, the Airshow Team is truly appreciative of welcoming back a Tornado for the static display at Luqa.

Twelfth Photo:

The Aeronautica Militare Italiana is planning to support the Malta Int'l Airshow 2021 by means of an AMX fast-jet advanced trainer. The AMX flown by the Italian Air Force is flown by 51st Stormo from Istrana Air Base, located in Veneto.

This type of aircraft is quite rare and its numbers are dwindling as the Italian Air Force continues to modernize itself with plans to replace the AMX in the near future.

The Airshow Team thanks the Italian Air Force and the great support from the Missione Militare Italiana based in Malta for making participation by the Italian Air Force possible.

Thirteenth Photo:

The Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI) will be participating with more types than any other country at the Malta Int'l Airshow 2021. The Eurofighter Typhoon will grace the static display at Luqa together with the Italian Air Force's AMX and Tornado.

The AMI flies over 90 Typhoons mainly in the air defence role and a squadron of them resides in Trapani which is responsible for the Southern part of Italy's air defence and sits on Quick Reaction Alert 24/7 all through the year.

The Airshow Team is proud and appreciative of the Italian Air Force's support for the Malta International Airshow 2021

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Continuing:
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Photos:

One of the most famous training aeroplanes, the Tiger Moth, remained in service with
the Royal Air Force for over 15 years. First introduced in February 1932, it was still
used as a standard elementary trainer as late as 1947 in Flying Training Command
and until 1951 with the RAF Volunteer Reserve in Southern Rhodesia.

The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947
by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good
low-speed handling properties and short-field performance.

Both aircraft you will see at the Malta International Airshow has been fully restored to
flying condition by the Malta Aviation Museum. The Tiger Moth is finished in standard RAF
wartime training colours with serial DE730 but flies with the Malta civil registration
9H-RAF and the Piper Cub is finished in standard wartime
USAAF colours and markings and flies with the appropriate Malta civil registration
9H-CUB.

Sixteenth Photo:

The Malta International Airshow Team 2021 is highly delighted to confirm the participation of the French Air Force @rafalesolodisplay_officiel . This will be the very first time France will be participating at the show with this relatively new fighter. And the Rafale C is a welcomed addition to our flying display program.

The Rafale C is a single-seat fighter/bomber capable of supersonic speeds and is operated by many other countries who have found the aircraft's multi-role capabilities as the best buy for their particular needs.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

An update, as I seemed to have missed a few things in the past days.

The Italian Eurofighter, as well as the Tunisian aircraft are not going to be at the show, due to operational restraints for the former, and the ongoing COVID situation for the latter.

My mistake for posting them.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Well, it's been a while since I contributed here. Last week was quite hectic and I wasn't able to keep up with the news. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to visit the static display, although it wasn't that special this year, so I didn't miss much. The flying display was awesome; the first time I've seen been to one since 2010.

I will upload photos and continue updating the visitors to this year's show in the upcoming days.