Calafrana, more commonly known as Kalafrana, is a town on the southern tip of Malta. Between 1917 and 1946, it was the location of RAF Kalafrana, a marine aircraft base and aircraft maintenance facility. It played an important role in both the First and Second World Wars as the base for RAF anti-submarine and Air-Sea Rescue aircraft on Malta.
In 1946, the base was turned over to the Royal Navy which operated a maintenance facility there until 1979. The base no longer exists as it has been demolished for the construction of the Malta Freeport terminal.
Being a marine aircraft base, it was a natural stopover for Biggles and his squadron during their journey on board the Capricorn (a Short Empire flying boat) from Britain to Alexandria in Biggles in the Orient.
A seaplane at the Kalafrana base either during the First World War or the early interwar years.
Click here for another good aerial view of Calafrana in the 1920s.
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