I was SNavO 75-78. I well remember watching the Air Malta 707 (Pakistan Airways with a Pakistani crew), doing CT on the new runway 31. It managed a heavy landing on the nose gear which detached on rotate, depositing the gear amongst the Victors neatly lined up outside the Nimrod hangar.
203 kindly let me keep my hand in & occasionally even conveyed me to Akrotiri.
My Maltese staff in flight planning were heart broken with the closure of Luqa. I can honestly say that I enjoyed my 3 years there but have had no desire to return.