Two 431 pilots, were laid low with ‘Malta Dog’, a stomach complaint similar to dysentery. Tich had no choice but to use Warburton. His take-off was so bad it tore a wheel off the aircraft (AR712), forcing an immediate emergency landing. Tich then took the unusual step of asking observer Sergeant Frank Bastard and WOp/AG Sergeant Paddy Moren if they were willing to continue flying with Warburton. They thought he was full of guts and said yes. After some high-speed taxiing practice, Warburton was airborne within three days, as a pilot, with Frank and Paddy. He went on to fly 20 missions in October. On 30 October, he shot down an Italian seaplane. Publicly, Tich was critical, as Warburton had risked a precious recce aircraft but, privately, he was rather pleased. To encourage the staff assembling Marylands at RAF Burtonwood, Tich sent them a message: ‘Your friend Mr Martin doing very nicely out here. Did some boxing yesterday and won by a knock-out.’ Two days later, during combat with another seaplane and three Italian fighters, a bullet hit Warburton's instrument panel before penetrating his harness and striking him in the chest. One engine caught fire. But the seaplane was destroyed, and one fighter shot down. Warburton extracted the bullet on his way back to Luqa and had it mounted on a wristband. A man who became known as 'Warby' began to emerge.