Aviation Nostalgia Thread

[LBA4EVER]

Sorry about the quality of the pics but I've basicly had to take pics of photos I took 23 years ago!

 

[White Heather]

Today's photo is Air Europe Boeing 757 200 G-BKRM, backtracking runway 32 prior to departure.View attachment 14481

 

[Aviador]

Happy days! I loved the liveries of the past. Air Europe's was one of my favourite.

 

[Len Fish]

Got to say that many of these old liveries do look the part, showing the aircraft to best effect unlike some of the cartoon like ones you see today.

 

[White Heather]

Today's photo shows another great livery. Dan Air Boeing 737 200 G-BLDE, looking superb whilst lined up awaiting a runway 14 departure. In addition to operating frequent weekend flights to and from Jersey, Dan Air also had a based HS748 for a number of years, which operated scheduled services to Glasgow, and they also operated many charter flights on behalf of Intasun Holidays, to various locations in Spain. Much missed and incredible to think that British Airways bought this airline for £1.

 

[Aviador]

Have to say, I was gutted when Dan Air ceased trading. I put a huge dent in LBAs Saturday and Sunday traffic.

 

[DH106]

Yeah - me too

 

[Dave 1959]

Going back a bit further don't forget the 'Link City' service Dan Air operated,(often with one of the few female pilots that were around then,Yvonne Sintes,at the helm) between Bristol,Cardiff,LBA and Glasgow.
And talking of Bristol anybody remember(or even better have a photograph of) Severn Airways that did a short lived service from LBA to Bristol Lulgate in the mid 1970's with DH Dove aircraft in a rather nice dark red and white colour scheme?.

 

[oldendays]

I've certainly heard of Severn Airways but I don't remember seeing any of their aircraft.

The Link City flights were almost always operated by G-ARAY, the second 748 prototype. Apparently, no other Dan Air base would keep this aircraft as it had unique wiring and other nuances. So, it stayed at LBA complete with its own manuals and schematics.

 

[jason1-11]

I've certainly heard of Severn Airways but I don't remember seeing any of their aircraft.

The Link City flights were almost always operated by G-ARAY, the second 748 prototype. Apparently, no other Dan Air base would keep this aircraft as it had unique wiring and other nuances. So, it stayed at LBA complete with its own manuals and schematics.

I recall Metropolitan operating the "City Link" flights on behalf of Dan-Air in the mid eighties using Sheds. After that the flights were ditched they were replaced by Capital. Right / wrong?

 

[oldendays]

Metropolitan took on the Link City stuff from Dan Air during 1984, using a 330 G-BGNA. More 330s arrived during 1985, including some ex-Genair aircraft. The company ceased trading later in '85 then Brown Air stepped in with a leased 330 (came from Jersey European) and then their own Gulfstream G1. Brown became Capital and the rest is history.

 

[BarnsleyHolidays]

Metropolitan took on the Link City stuff from Dan Air during 1984, using a 330 G-BGNA. More 330s arrived during 1985, including some ex-Genair aircraft. The company ceased trading later in '85 then Brown Air stepped in with a leased 330 (came from Jersey European) and then their own Gulfstream G1. Brown became Capital and the rest is history.

I have had to dig deep in my South Yorkshire cellar to find a couple of photos of G-BGNA at LBA. The first is with Dan Air colours parked on Stand 6 and looks to be c1984 as work is progressing in the background to create Stands 7 to 9. The second is pictured on Stand 1 and is wearing a different scheme when eventually Metropolitan operated the routes in their own right. Just for good measure, a third is of a different Shorts 330 in G-METO on Stand 5 wearing British Caledonian colours.

BHView attachment 14511View attachment 14512View attachment 14513

BH

 

[White Heather]

Todays photos - a common sight at LBA from April 1980 when British Midland took over most of the ex British Airways operations from LBA, was Viscount 800 series G-BAPF - seen here on a cold winter morning arriving from Heathrow. This aircraft started life with Luthansa in 1958 and operated until it was decommissioned at Southend in 1990.

The 2nd photo is courtesy of Ken Fielding and shows BKS Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZR at Liverpool. In the 60s BKS operated from LBA as our based airline, initially using DC3s before re-equipping with HS748 and then Viscount 700 and 800 aircraft, but the Ambassador was also a fairly frequent visitor, particularly carrying cargo, including race horses. This particular aircraft dated from 1951 and it was damaged beyond repair in July 1969 when its nosewheel collapsed on landing at Gatwick.
The previous year, another BKS Ambassador faired worse still when it crashed at Heathrow on landing, killing 6 of 8 on board and 8 race horses. It cartwheeled off the runway into the part built new terminal 1, slicing the tail fin of Trident 1C G-ARPI, and cutting the entire rear end off Trident 1C G-ARPT. A Viscount was also damaged (G-APKF). G-ARPT was written off. Trident PI was repaired and went into service only to crash in Staines in June 1972, killing 118. Viscount G-APKF was also repaired and also later crashed in Cambodia.



View attachment 14516
View attachment 14518

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thank you for these and other pictures you have posted of yesteryear, WH. Very enjoyable memories of aviation as it once was.

A BEA Airspeed Ambassador was the aircraft involved in the 1958 Manchester United Munich air disaster.

 

[Finger66]

Ah that's why it was nearly always that frame. Answers a years old question for me. Thanks oldendays

 

[DH106]

British Midland's Viscounts were actually of the definitive 810 series - considerably beefed up & with more power than the 'standard' 800 series that BA operated before the change over in 1980. You can tell the difference cos the 810 has a smaller forward door with 2 windows ahead of the props on the left hand side instead of a larger door and only one window.

 

[BarnsleyHolidays]

[QUOTE="White Heather, post: 174919, member]
The previous year, another BKS Ambassador faired worse still when it crashed at Heathrow on landing, killing 6 of 8 on board and 8 race horses. It cartwheeled off the runway into the part built new terminal 1, slicing the tail fin of Trident 1C G-ARPI, and cutting the entire rear end off Trident 1C G-ARPT. A Viscount was also damaged (G-APKF). G-ARPT was written off. Trident PI was repaired and went into service only to crash in Staines in June 1972, killing 118.




[/QUOTE]

The BKS Airspeed AS57 Ambassador involved in the fatal Heathrow crash was G-AMAD and had visited LBA a week earlier transporting race horses. It carried additional fuselage titles 'Bloodstock & Cargo Division'.

BH

 

[White Heather]

British Midland's Viscounts were actually of the definitive 810 series - considerably beefed up & with more power than the 'standard' 800 series that BA operated before the change over in 1980. You can tell the difference cos the 810 has a smaller forward door with 2 windows ahead of the props on the left hand side instead of a larger door and only one window.

Yes, the one in the photo is a Viscount 814.

 

[oldendays]

The bulk of BMA's 70s and 80s Viscount fleet was the 813 variant, purchased as a fleet of seven from South African Airways in 1972. Sir Bishop bought the lot for a knockdown price, plus spares and a simulator. They were, apparently, some of the best-maintained and 'lovely-to-fly' Viscounts around.

Another notable BMA machine was G-BFZL, acquired (I think) in 1979. This was a one-off 836 variant, with nuances such as awkward-to-reach cockpit switches and no rear baggage hold door. Otherwise, she was largely the same as other late-production 810s such as G-BGLC, operated by ABC/Dan-Air. BFZL was low hours when BMA bought her, probably down to her military and corporate provenance.

 

[White Heather]

Time for a wide body - Wardair operated weekly (Monday) summer flights from LBA to Toronto from 1986 until they ceased operations when merged with Canadian Airlines in 1989, although they first appeared at LBA on 4 November 1984 with a one off Boeing 747 200 flight (which operated direct both ways) to celebrate the opening of the extended runway 14/32. Of course British Airways also brought in their 747 200 G-AWND on the same day. Although all flights on the Toronto route operated by Wardair were Boeing 747 200 and operated outbound via Birmingham, just once, they used this McDonnell Douglas DC10 30, which again operated direct both ways. It is seen on landing, passing over the tunnel with a rather suitable advertising banner attached to the railings.

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