First Airbus A300 into Heathrow

[MAC 40612]

I am trying to confirm the date of the first Airbus A300 operated a demonstration flight into London Heathrow. The aircraft in question was the prototype F-OCAZ c/n 1. There seems to be very little information [on the net] about this apart from two images I have found, which look as if they were taken on the same day but one quotes the date as November 1973 and the other as January 1974? I would have thought there would have been more information around about the first flight into London of a new type of aircraft?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/26268110@N02/26053916164/in/album-72157650759595460/





https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1155191

[treadigraph]

Just checked one source of Heathrow movements, nothing noted in either month but it is very much a less than complete log!

[reminiscent drift]I was introduced to "spotting" by a school friend's brother in August 1974 - armed with a pair of binoculars and notepads we sat in their garden and I distinctly remember immediately seeing an Air France A300 inbound Heathrow - never heard of the type at that point! Steep learning curve though I was more conversant with light aircraft types than he was. Also recall being mystified by a Trident with a blue belly - Tridents had red wings! - and later seeing BA's first TriStar winging out towards Biggin and Dover, probably route proving. I see G-BBAE was delivered in October '74. [/]

[SpringHeeledJack]

I was just about to enter the thread with "I woz there!", but then realised that the OP was referring to the prototype rather than Air France's first revenue service. As an avid frequenter of LHR back then I can't quite recall any buzz about the all new A300 visiting on any spotter's pages, such as LAAS or similar, let alone gossip (analogue internet) atop The Queen's Building. Yet it did, and twice according to this thread. The photo above looks like it was taken from the western side of the Terminal 2 carpark as was. Perhaps this was to be as close as possible to the Air France gates at the western end of T2 ?

[MARK9263]

This has been a bit of fun to reserach.! The publication LAASI has the first visit to LHR as 18th October 1973.

Cracking photo as well.

[MAC 40612]

I was just about to enter the thread with "I woz there!", but then realised that the OP was referring to the prototype rather than Air France's first revenue service. As an avid frequenter of LHR back then I can't quite recall any buzz about the all new A300 visiting on any spotter's pages, such as LAAS or similar, let alone gossip (analogue internet) atop The Queen's Building. Yet it did, and twice according to this thread. The photo above looks like it was taken from the western side of the Terminal 2 carpark as was. Perhaps this was to be as close as possible to the Air France gates at the western end of T2 ?
I suspect it only visited on the one occasion, as the two images one quoting 'November 1973' and one 'January 1974' both have identical ground equipment parked around it and the aircraft in the background appear to be the same as well. At least one of the images [Flickr] is being posted from a collection of someone now deceased. I checked in Air Britain/LAAS/WLAG and a couple on online sources and nothing for the whole period November 1973-February 1974.
This prototype only had a relatively short flying career from first flight on 28/10/1972 to being retired from flying by 27/08/1974 [hence it didn't even go to Farnborough in 1974] and then languished at TLS until 1978 when it was scrapped with some parts going to a museum in Munich. This makes me think the images in the previous post were the only ever visit to Heathrow, which is why I find it strange there doesn't appear to be any record of the fact that I can find?