Same year, airline, type, routing and probably even flight number as Georgeablelovehowindia in post 133 above...only mine was aboard George Able Love How Nan
:
BOAC Canadair C-4 Argonaut (G-ALHN
Argosy), flight BA253, London-Tripoli-Kano-Accra, on 23 October 1953. Although I was only three, I remember a fair bit about the journey (after all, it was probably the most momentous experience I'd yet had!). The single event that stands out was visiting the cockpit and watching the crew at work. It must have been on the Kano-Accra leg, because it happened in bright daylight and most of the journey between London and Kano took place during the night. That crew, particularly the Captain and the navigator, whom I recall showing me his maps, are responsible for the passion for aviation that has held me in thrall ever since. I wish I knew their names. I would love to thank them. If only they knew what they'd started...
Incidentally, I have my mother to thank for all the precise information. I always knew the aircraft's identity because she talked about it sometimes (she once said, "you'd know the name of a ship you travelled on, so why not planes too?"). However, when she died, she entrusted her diaries to me, and there it all was...every air journey she'd ever made, with flight numbers, registrations, times, stops, etc!
I also once travelled on G-ALHK
Atalanta, famous for being the Argonaut that brought the new Queen back to the UK on her accession, and I remember my Mum pointing out the commemorative plaque by the entrance door, making me read it out (I was 5).
rj