rae thurleigh
I also lived in Bedford during the 1960s, 70s and 1980s and well remember Monarch Britannias and B720s pounding the circuit doing training as well as BOAC aircraft (cannot remember if they were B707s and B747s probably both) - am now an old git. As a member of Air-Britain Luton branch we managed to have a tour round in the 1980s and a fascinating day we all had. I could not believe the amount of aircraft they had there ranging from Tornados to a Vickers Viscount. Also went to an Arthur Piercy lecture in Bedford - he used to work at Thurleigh - very interesting it was too - he was also trying to sell some of his books as well - good old Arthur now sadly missed.