Originally Posted by
pax britanica
I can remember seeing CSA Britannias at LHR, one stuck in my mind as it was a rare 05R arrival and at the time ( 1 was probably 14 ) I remember thinking how odd to see a western aircraft from the Eastern Bloc. CSA normally used IL18s or TU104s to LHR.
Mind you back then the Eastern Bloc was a good source of unusual types although moderated by the fact that no airline had that many of any one type, I think even Aeroflot who had lots of IL18s and TU104s only used sub fleets to the west , which makes sense , radios and imperial altimeters etc. TABSO-Bulgaria I think only operated weekly in the summer , Malev 1l18s had different prop bosses so you knew which one it was before it actually passed you, once again some colours ere common others rare. I dont recall TAROM operating to LHR back then-mid/late 60s. so it was basically Aeroflot, CSA and LOT who also flew IL18s . I dont
I flew on a CSA 1l 62 which was actually very nice internally with a very smart non eastern style paint scheme. Cabin service was very good with free Czech beer offered to all just after take off , If you know anyhting about Czech Republic or as it was, Czechoslovakia you will know beer is their lifesblood and is drunk like water . Wife flew on an IL 18 and Antonov F27 look alike in Bulgaria and was not impressed as boith very noisy and vibrated a lot, Both internal flights so no catering.
CSA Brtiannia OK-MBB was a regular at LHR in 1970/71 serving the Prague route, which had previously been operated by the Tu104, BKS/Northeast operated Britannia G-ANBK on the LHR/NCL at about the same time as CSA were using theirs. By that point Britannias had otherwise become quite unusual at Heathrow. The Il18's at LHR then were mainly LOT/Warsaw I think.
FF