I did a couple of short dets to Luqa in 1978 with 35 Sqn (a Lone Ranger in January and a Solar Flare in July) and both were great fun! Apart, that is, from the wretched MRR borexes we had to fly...
We never witnessed anything except friendliness from the Maltese - except for the time when our Nav Plotter had his wallet lifted whilst we were on a cultural visit to 'The gut', that is...
But signs of Mintoff's hostility were around - including such pettiness as the coats of arms have been hacked off the red post boxes with an angle grinder.
Many happy nights in the City Gem in Sliema, of course!