Club Run " Club Run " was an informal name for aircraft supply operations to the besieged island of Malta during the Second World War . Malta was the object of determined Axis attempts in 1941 - 1942 to either force the British military authorities to surrender or to destroy its effectiveness as a military base . The island ' s significance was as a forward base from which Axis supplies to their north African armies could be attacked . It is a measure of Malta ' s importance that Britain reassigned fighter aircraft from home defence . " Club Runs " were covered by Force H , based at Gibraltar ( called " The Club " ) , consisting of the battlecruiser , aircraft carrier , light cruiser and the " F " - class destroyer s of the 8th Flotilla . Its Mediterranean operations were called " Club Runs " . It was deemed to be an exclusive club of the most efficient warships in the Royal Navy . A mythical " regimental tie " was designed for members of " The Club " , consisting of a Mediterranean grey field , scattered with raspberries . Malta ' s air defences were essential and aircraft reinforcements and replacements were a constant need . Fighter s ( Hawker Hurricane s and Supermarine Spitfire s ) and torpedo bomber s ( Fairey Swordfish and Albacore s ) were required , but they lacked the range to fly direct from the British base at Gibraltar . The solution was for aircraft carriers to move within range and then " fly - off " fighters to land at a Maltese airfield . At the outbreak of war , the opinion of the Chiefs of Staff was that Malta was indefensible and this view was supported by a later review that stated : " there is nothing practicable that we can do to increase the powers of resistance of Malta " . Winston Churchill disagreed . In July 1940 , he insisted that Hurricanes be flown in " at the earliest moment " . This led to the first " Club Run " , Operation " Hurry " , using the old carrier . The Axis air forces developed measures to counter the " Club Runs " — attacking the aircraft while in transit and catching them on the ground before they could be armed and refuelled . Forty of the Spitfires delivered by the American carrier ( Operation " Calendar " ) were destroyed on the ground but in the following operation ( " Bowery " ) the " Luftwaffe " were outwitted and British fighters were airborne and ready for their opponents . In their turn , the carriers became prime targets and required more heavily protected and complex operations to ensure success . Despite this , the British carrier HMS " Ark Royal " was sunk , and the American carrier USS " Wasp " was loaned for " Club Runs " in April and May 1942 . Aircraft losses over Malta were such that the replenishment " Club Runs " became a constant conveyor belt of aircraft ferried to Gibraltar where they were transferred to carriers for flying off while more were ferried from Britain . Additional capacity was created by transporting aircraft in crates and assembling them at Gibraltar or on board carriers . In this way , one ferry run from Britain would deliver enough aircraft for two flying - off operations . From early 1942 , Spitfires were necessary to counter the more modern German fighters that outclassed the robust but outdated Hurricanes . On several occasions , however , there were faults with the external fuel tanks that were needed to give the required range . As a result , two " Club Runs " were aborted and had to be repeated after modifications at Gibraltar , " Calendar " delivered inadequately prepared aircraft that fell prey to bombing on Malta and " Bowery " ′ s 64 Spitfires required adaptations to the external fuel tanks while on board USS " Wasp " . The failure to rectify a fault over several deliveries for a critical purpose in hazardous circumstances is unexplained but was described as " embarrassing " . From October , 1942 , modified Spitfire Mk VCs with additional internal and external fuel tanks and most armament removed were capable of flying the from Gibraltar to Malta . The modifications were reversed in Malta . This removed the need for " Club Runs " .