Most of my early flying was in the DC3,4,6,Viscount,Vanguard's and one Britannia and an Ambassador, though the later I slept the whole trip as a new born. We then moved to South America in late 60,s, and the Jets came into my life with my long personnel association with 707,s with the odd DC8 / VC10 on the haul too and from school in UK. Holiday trips in summer in Europe before heading back south to winter involved Comets, 1-11, 727, 737, DC9, Trident. There then came a little break with BAOR / Uni where I seemed to drive everywhere, then came the world of work. It developed after a few years into the long haul type, with long associations, like so many with 747,DC10, L1011 / Tristar up to the current time with A380/350/340/330/320, Boeing 777/ 787/737. There were smaller propeller driven stuff like Bombardier's/ Shorts etc as well as the Ute of Africa the Cessna Caravan in Africa but the big stuff.
With regards to the Lockheed Constellation, we did see them in Santiago into the 1970,s on cargo, as I am sure I never flew in one. They were very striking looking in comparison with other props of the time, and esthetically pleasing to the eye, however after watching them start up, especially as these were very long in their lives by then, you did used to wonder if they were coal fired with the amount of flames and smoke produced.
I was reminded of this on a recent trip back there when we had taxied out for take off, and indeed started to roll down the runway slowly, when the pilot announced that we were going to taxi further and wait from smoke from a local wild fire to dissipate. Back in early 70,s I had another BCAL pilot apologies for the late taxi, but he had to wait for the smoke to clear from a number of old props cranking up !! Virtually the same location adjacent to the Santiago air force base 55 years apart !!
Cheer
Mr Mac
Last edited by Mr Mac; 5th February 2026 at 15:58.