Airbanda - I too grew up around LBA in the late 70's/early 80's and remember with fondness the Air Anglia F-27s and the (seasonal?) BIA Heralds to the IOM.
One moment of drama I can recall is a fairly close 'near miss' between an A.A. F-27 and a Cessna150 in the circuit. I watched the F-27 departing on R33 from the open viewing area to the right of the terminal. Takeoff was normal until airborne but after the gear was raised the pilot flying seemed to keep the nose very low and not gain any height at all - crossing the Harrogate road perhaps 50ft or so above the approach lighting. It was only then that I noticed the C150 flying across it's path perhaps a couple of hundred feet above at most - after having apparently turned RIGHT from a R28 departure. Presumably this was a student pilot c*ck-p in the C150, having turned right instead of the more usual left hand circuit from R28.