This article is sourced from Mr. Brian Cauchi of Malta who struck a friendship with the late Wing Commander P.B. 'Laddie' Lucas who sadly passed away early last year, in 1998. Brian & Mr. Lucas were in regular contact and often exchanged letters with each other concerning the Wing Commanders war years. During the war, he commanded the famous top scoring 249Sqdn. based in Malta.  He was here at the height of the battle during the worst time, i.e. the summer of 1942 when Malta was being incessantly pounded day and night by the Italians and the Luftwaffe.

He was a very helpful person and used to provide Brian with a lot of information.  After Malta, he took over a mosquito squadron and that is when he encountered the 262. It is a very short paragraph of the letter but nevertheless it is a genuine first hand experience.  He mentioned this incident because at the time, Brian was building  Me262 models and  had told him about them.  Of particular interest is his reference to the 262's speed which he describes as excessive when he was himself flying the mosquito, the fastest piston engined aircraft of its time.