AHQ Malta and other aircraft reached the island during the summer of 1942, the defensive and offensive capabilities of AHQ Malta rose. On 1 July 1942, AHQ Malta had approximately 200 aircraft, about half of which were Spitfires. Air Vice Marshal Sir Keith Park took over command of AHQ Malta On 15 July 1942. At this time, the island provided critical operational air bases for the Allies with proximity to Axis shipping lanes and the battlefields of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Pantelleria, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and mainland Italy during World War II. There were three main airfields on Malta known as RAF Hal
Malta and architectural and historical monuments, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni, Valletta, and seven megalithic temples which are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. The origin of the name "Malta" is uncertain, and the modern-day variation is derived from the Maltese language. The most common etymology is that the word "Malta" is derived from the Greek word , "meli", "honey". The ancient Greeks called the island ("Melitē") meaning "honey-sweet", possibly for Malta's unique production of honey; an endemic subspecies of bee lives on the island. The Romans called the island "Melita", which can be