Ta' Lambert Airfield

Military Redundancy. The airfield was a temporary forward operating base built for a single, specific purpose: the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July 1943. Once Allied forces successfully captured and secured airfields in Sicily itself, the Gozo airstrip became strategically unnecessary. It was decommissioned, and the land was returned to its original agricultural use.

The site of the former airfield has been completely reverted to civilian use, and no physical traces of the WWII runway or facilities remain. The area is now predominantly agricultural land, crisscrossed by modern roads, including Triq l-Imġarr. The ICAO code 'MT-0006' is an unofficial identifier used in some non-official aviation databases to mark the historical location and is not recognized by official aviation authorities.

Ta' Lambert Airfield, also known as the Gozo Airstrip, holds significant historical importance despite its brief operational life. It was rapidly constructed in late July and early August 1943 by the British Royal Engineers and US Army Aviation Engineers during World War II. Its primary function was to serve as a forward operating base for Allied fighter aircraft, most notably Royal Air Force (RAF) Supermarine Spitfires and some American P-40 Warhawks. These aircraft provided vital air cover for the amphibious landings and the subsequent ground campaign in Sicily. The airfield's existence demonstrated the strategic importance of the Maltese islands as a staging point for projecting Allied air power into Axis-held Europe.

There are no plans to reopen the original, historic WWII airstrip. However, the general location is central to a long-standing and highly debated proposal to build a new, permanent airstrip or small airport on Gozo. Proponents argue it would boost tourism, improve connectivity, and provide economic benefits. Opponents raise significant concerns about environmental impact, noise pollution, and the loss of agricultural land on the small island. Over the decades, various Maltese governments have commissioned studies and revisited the idea, but as of now, the project remains a controversial proposal without a definitive, approved plan for construction.