Being rather cautious fellows, the committee decided to play it safe during the winter months and organize events that would be unlikely to be disrupted by the weather, should this prove to be difficult.

So, for the month of January, a drive was organized, but with a difference.  We met at Hornswork Ditch in Floriana at 09.00 where we welcomed some new members to the VW fraternity in Malta.  Although new to the Club scene, all three proved to be ‘old’ VW enthusiasts, but more about these in another article.

After the usual wait for late risers, members present hit the road at about 09.45 and proceeded to Il-Menqa at Marsa where our colleague and committee member, Kevin ‘l-Ingliz’ Widmann was preparing for another Sunday of frenzied work in an unsuccessful attempt to complete his ‘Oval’ restoration before leaving Malta for some time.  The partially rebuilt car was wheeled out from its lair for all present to admire.  Some commented that it was a strange way for the car to take part in its first Club event.  In actual fact, it is the third time that members have had the chance to look at this particular oval.  Its first event was back in 1999 when it took part in a drive to Bugibba under its own power.  It was then taken off the road and restoration got under way.  The second event that the car was exhibited in was last year’s World Beetle Day event in June.  The car was totally dismantled and repairs had progressed substantially.  Kevin hopes to finish off the restoration later on this year so we may get to look at the car in all its glory before this year is out.

Members then got back behind the wheels of their cars and drove uneventfully to the Malta Aviation Museum at Ta’ Qali.  Here members were talked round the exhibition by one of the Malta Aviation Museum Foundation’s members who explained the history behind each exhibit, how the Foundation got hold of them and answered questions from our members.  In short, he provided a very interesting talk, which kept members spell-bound for the duration of the visit.

Beside the eight aircraft on exhibition, members also viewed a Hurricane currently undergoing restoration in the Museum’s workshop, a variety of engines as well as a David Brown (of Aston Martin fame) tractor and a link trainer for pre-war trainees.  Facts of particular interest proved to be engine features that members thought to be ‘modern’ developments.  Features such as four valves per cylinder, engine boosting, fuel injection and twin spark concepts were common in aircraft engines even in the thirties.  Members had time to discuss technical details and even look at partially rebuilt engines dating back to World War 2.  All in all, a very interesting visit and those members who could not attend this event should drop by the Museum.  It’s very interesting and worth the time.

At the end of the tour, members went to the Buskett Forest for a pizza, which rounded up another interesting event.