In today's (29 6 09 ) 'The National' from the UAE, an informative article about the development of Imperial Airways in the UAE, with a link to a Strand Pictures film.
Thanks el sol, that film was fascinating. I have flown into the new airport of Sharjah many times and believe the old one is now part of a street in town. A good friend, who is ex BA (and now retired) introduced me to his father three years ago and he was an F/O on the HP 42. He even flew with O P Jones, one of the more famous Imperial Airways captains. Sadly he died shortly after my visit. One story I found interesting, was that one Nav-Aid consisted of a trench dug out in the sand pointing in the right direction. It had to be cleared of sand on a regular basis. What amazing advances we have made and what a shame the passengers have gone the other way!
What a wonderful video. We used to stay in the Fort from time to time in the 1960s when IAL (International Aeradio) were in residence and I don't think it had changed one iota.
Possibly the best job ever in aviation. Capt of an HP42. No instrument flying, no night flying, slow out to India with the same passengers. No slots, no air traffic to talk of. Land for lunch, silver service afternoon tea.. and did you see the salute from the Station Manager!
I was at Sharjah in '68 and it all looked familiar, although there was less of the fort as I recall. I think the old Sheik's palace was by then the town prison.
Great to see the collars and ties on the crew and the hats of the lady passengers. No High Vis Jackets either The morse code was a tad too fast for me to read Great Film
Wonderful film. I went to some great IAL parties in the fort while on detachment at Sharjah during my time with 152 sqn in 1959/61. Nothing had changed since the film was shot and the Sheik's palace looked the same too. I wonder if the pair of flogging cannons outside the palace are still there
Sadly, you won't want to know the answer to the question of whether the cannons are still there. As is too often the case in that part of the world, they have been replaced by imitations. I've asked what happened to the "originals" and no one seems to know.
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