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Welcome to the beautiful Mediterranean Islands of MALTA with breathtaking coastlines and clear calm waters. Here you can explore the colour, vision and life of the undersea world and let your senses absorb memories that will last a lifetime.

Scuba Diving in Malta is considered the best diving in the Mediterranean. The Maltese islands are blessed with warm temperatures, even in winter, clear, unpolluted seas, with visibility underwater in excess of thirty metres. Hundreds of kilometres of coastline, many of which are still unexplored, make the Maltese archipelago a favourite with adventurous divers.

BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER

 

The Bristol Beaufighter was built in Filton & Westonsuper-Mare England.  The Mk1 was first taken into service in July 1940.  This aircraft was a twin engine 2-3 seater long range fighter, strike and torpedo aircraft. It had a wing span of 18 metres and almost 13 metres in length. Armament: 4x20mm Hispano cannons in the fuselage nose, 6 0.303" machine guns in the wings and one machine gun in the dorsal position.  One 18" Torpedo externally under the fuselage also 8 rocket projectiles could be carried as an alternative to the wing guns.  Using a gyro angling device and a radio altimeter the Beaufighter could make precision attacks to wave top height with her torpedoes or rockets, add to this her long range and ability to undertake combat during darkness made her a formidable fighter aircraft. (Scuba Diving the Malta - Gozo - Comino by Peter Lemon)

 

"On 17th March 1943 at 11.25 hours nine Beaufighters of No 272 squadron took off to escort nine Beauforts of No 39 Squadron on a shipping strike of Point Stelo. At 11.38 hours Beau fighter ‘N,’ with Sgt Donald Frazee at the controls and Sgt  Sandery as observer, began to vibrate violently and lost speed rapidly. There was no option but to ditch the aircraft and this was accomplished at 100mph in a slight swell about 1000 yards off Dragonara Point, Sliema. As all this took place close to shore, persons watching informed Fighter Control but Maltese dghajsas reached the crew some five minutes before rescue launch HSL 166 arrived on the spot. The air crew was transferred to the launch.  (This extract was taken from the book ‘Call Out’, page 227 a wartime diary of air/sea rescue operations at Malta written by Frederick R. Galea).

 

The Bristol Beaufighter was found at the mouth of St. Julian's Bay.  Wreck lies upside down at a depth of 38 metres on a sandy bottom.

This dive is done by boat and as the divers descend the wreck will come into view.  What remains of the Beaufighter is the main fuselage, the wings and undercarriage.  This is an excellent dive for the photographer.  Extra care has to be taken in planning this dive due to its depth and good buoyancy is a must in order to maintain good visibility.

 

 

 

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