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
Drysdale Island Drysdale Island Drysdale Island is a large yet low lying island in the Wessel Islands group in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is 12.4 km long and up to 6.4 km wide. It measures 49.5 km² in area. The only settlement is Yirringa, a small family outstation at the northeastern end. There are numerous small lakes within it which are easily accessed by the tide, some of which are submerged for prolonged periods of time. Much smaller and uninhabited Yargara Island (little more than one square kilometre in area) lies directly north and is separated from it by a