My goodness what a blast from the past!
Made me reach for my JJC logbook (A0769) to find that I flew on this aircraft on two separate occasions en route to/from Lagos for school holidays. Not sure that I would want to go to Lagos for any kind of holiday now tho'!
The last occasion I flew on it was on the 28th August 1958 from Lagos to London via Kano and Barcelona. On the first sector, having blagged my way onto the flight deck, Captain Geoff Slocombe sat me in the F/O's seat for a fair bit of the cruise and turfed the R/O out of his seat for me to watch the landing into Kano.
It was a defining moment, for a 12 year old, and wherever he is I hope he realises that he was instrumental in my having aspired to, and spent, a working life flying airliners. I am sure he would be tickled that I have flown both piston and jet 4 engined Boeings during my time in aviation.
It is such a shame that we can't use the jump seat facility to open the eyes of youngsters these days - it certainly worked for me.
Fond memories of a style of travel we shall never see again.
FW
PS: I ordered a model of 'Canopus' from a gentleman selling quality models at the July Flying Legends Air Display at Duxford this year. It is on hold pending finding decent colour pictures of the last colour scheme she wore for BOAC.
Can anyone assist? It was when the fin and rudder went to a navy blue.