20120810 - MALTA

Malta is about to release 88 different stamps at once.  I am not joking.

Release Date: August 10, 2012
Postal Authority: Malta Post
Title: 70th Anniversary Operation Pedestal
Format: Serie of 88 different stamps divided in 11 sheets
Sheets of: 8 different stamps + 2 complements without value
Stamp Dimensions (mm): 44 x 31
Perforation: 13,9 x 14
Paper: with Maltese Cross watermark
Currency: Euro - EUR
Face Value: € 0,26  
Service: with one of these stamps you can send a local letter in the range of 50gr/100gr. (€ 0,26)
Design: Cedric Galea Pirotta
Printing Process: Offset
Printed by: Printex Ltd
Quantity: 80000 sets

Stamps with Lighthouses: 7 of 88

Lighthouses: The stamps shows ships in the vecinity of Valletta Harbour and  the 2 Lights from the breakwaters of that Harbour. 
I used an historic postcard from Klaus Hulse´s site,  and an old stamp to identify the Lighthouses, because today they look different than in 1942 (Date of "Operation Pedestal").

WEST BREAKWATER - St.ELMO

2 stamps

Image of Reference
Malta Stamp from 1922
Catalogued by Milan Asadurov
as a LH Stamp showing St.Elmo
Breakwater.

Stamp 32 of 88 -  H.M.S. Jaunty

Stamp 55 of 88 - H.M.S. Salvonia

EAST BREAKWATER - RICASOLI

5 stamps

Image of Reference
Historic Postcard from Klaus Hulse site.
East Breakwater - Ricasoli

Stamp 43 of 88 - M.V. Melbourne Star

Stamp 50 of 88 - M.V. Port Chalmers

Stamp 52 of 88 - M.V. Rochester Castle

Stamp 82 of 88 - ML134

Stamp 84 of 88 - ML168

Observations:

-My interpretation was based in some cases on the shape and others in the position of the lighthouse. I am open to observations and suggestions. And of course, in these type of stamps, the free interpretation of the artist is always present.

Links:
-Milan Asadurov list of lights on stamps:
http://stalker.dir.bg/stamps/stamps.html

-Klaus Hulse web site:
http://www.leuchtturm-welt.net/index_gb.html