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Malta & HMS FALCON re-visited
in 2000 (By Bill
Daysh)
Inevitably, since HMS FALCON closed down there have been
many changes at Hal Far & Kalafrana.
If you have not been back in the last ten years you would now find very little trace of your time there. The old Hal Far airfield has been redeveloped and is
now an ever-expanding industrial estate. The main runway is used as a drag-car &
go-kart track, and the old FALCON Hal Far station buildings have been put to
other uses. The tower, for example is now the training centre and
headquarters of the Maltese Fire Service. Although the name Kalafrana has been
kept, HMS FALCON Kalafrana in its entirety has
disappeared. In its place is a massive container terminal known as Freeport -
the largest in the Mediterranean - and to make way for this impressive
structure, the South Slip was literally filled in and the old Kala
camp was bulldozed flat in the process. It is extremely difficult to find your
bearings there, even when standing on the site of what was FALCON.
Grand Harbour now seems strangely quiet and virtually devoid of all naval vessels.
A few photos we took in Malta in 2000, while on a trip down memory lane there,
give some idea of the changes. |
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A reminder of the view from Barracca Gardens in 1965. The lift structure is on the right. The Baracca lift (not!) in 2000. (No more lift tstructure.) Year 2000. The view across Grand Harbour toward Fort St Angelo. Year 2000. The view across Grand Harbour toward Ricasoli. (Ships? What ships!) One of Hal Far's admin blocks in 2000 - or was it the Sick Bay, the Captains house orthe Guardroom? Other Hal Far buildings in 2000. Hal Far airfiled in 2000. The old dispersal and Ronnie's Bar gates are off the view to the right. Hal Far airfield 2000. The main runway, viewed Westward from the intersection. Birzebuggia square & bus terminal, 2000. Birzebuggia's new sea front & beach area. 2000. The new Freeport termional. a view toward Kalafran across Pretty Bay from Birzebuggia, 2000. The Freeport terminal viewed from the old Kalafran camp. Delimara Point in the distance. 2000. 2000. The view from the site of the old Kalafrana camp, across the 'South Slip' toward the old Guardhouse. Birzebuggia in the distance. 2000. A view of the Kalafrana end of the Hal Far road & the Freeport terminal. Marsaxlokk Bay in the distance. A WW2 view of an RAF Sunderland on the Kalafrana South Slip.
(Photographed at the MaltaAircraft Museum). WW2 aerial view of Hal Far airfiled.
(Photographed at the Malta Aircraft Museum) WW2 wartime map of Kalafrana (01).
(Photographed at the Malta Aircraft Museum) WW" wartime map of Kalafrana (02).
(Photographed at the Malta Aircraft Museum). A 2001 map of Kalafrana showing Freeport covering the old S. Slip area. Oramge blocks on the airfield at Hal Far indicate new buildings. 2000. View of Freeport (Kalafrana) from Delimara Point.
A reminder of the view from Barracca Gardens in 1965. The lift structure is on the right.
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