Originally Posted by CAP493
Perhaps the most telling aspect (apart from the obvious historic interest) is what these photographs tell you about Luton Council's attitude towards its Airport: over a 27-year period (1934 to about 1961) the Airport itself appears to have had virtually no development (buildings + control tower excepted) and in the last pic still sported state-of-the-art grass runways i.e. well into the jet age!!!
Very unfair. Package holidays didn't get going until the 60s and although there was some schedule services (Derby Airways to Jersey in the summer mainly) Luton during this period was a manufactuer's airfield (Hunting Percival) so what was there to develop for? The runway was built for the Jet Provosts.
When package holidays did kick off Luton was there at the forefront with Euravia and Autair. The runway was adequate so they just built a wooden terminal building (building 50). A thriving flying club was going at this time and the grass runways ideal.
In the 1960 photo you can just make out the tail of the Bristol Freighter (bottom left) that use to fly new Vauxhall cars to Ireland regularly.