Handley Page Hermes IV
In the 1950's I worked at Lockheed Air Service at New York's then KIDL (now KJFK). We handled a lot of "nonskeds", etc plus scheduled foreign and domestic carriers. Rarest bird I ever worked was a Hermes IV. Came in with a replacement merchant ship crew for a ship in NY harbor.
Rode on the taxi over from old IAB terminal to Hangar 7 and noted that air brakes require some engine revs to maintain pressure. Got to uncowl one engine and replace some spark plugs which to my American eyes were strangely located in the top of the cylinder heads. I know that was due to the Bristol Hercules sleeve valve design. Also the aft of the cabin was empty of seats as I was told the Hermes was a rework of the H.P. Hastings which was a tail dragger. This apparently made the Hermes rather tail heavy, hence plenty of room for the biggest and most luxurious lavatories in the aft end but no seats in the cabin for at least last ten feet. Flight engineer's panel had a lot of very large diameter gauges.
Does anyone know who the operator of the aircraft was? I lost my notebook where I logged the odd ones we worked. Airwork seems to be in my head as the airline. Even better, anyone know the registration of the aircraft? To my knowledge it was the only Hermes ever to come to New York.