LHR nostalgia
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
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I'll have a guess at 1958?
I wonder where that Tu104 shot was taken.
Looking at what I think is a significant hill on the left, it's not at Heathrow. There also aren't that many hills in western Russia, which is pretty pancake-flat, so not a publicity shot from Aeroflot. Any ideas ?
Looking at what I think is a significant hill on the left, it's not at Heathrow. There also aren't that many hills in western Russia, which is pretty pancake-flat, so not a publicity shot from Aeroflot. Any ideas ?
Is the distance board alongside the runway any clue?
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If that Viscount is taking off, I pity the poor marshaller just in front of it. I assume it's London Airport (pre-LHR days). I still have the records of what I spotted there.
Laurence
Laurence
He also said the stewardesses were ugly as sin with thighs as thick as tree trunks He was given Aeroflot vodka glasses as a gift, that I still have.
However, in deep Soviet times only a certain set would be even considered for any travel to the west. You had to be married and established, with children, all back in the Soviet Union, hence not in your first strands of youth. No chance of travelling together. The children would be looked after whilst away by their grandparents, they had to be around as well. A complete, established family expecting you home. The same applied to all the men as well. Overnight even for flight crews was not in hotels, but in dormitory accommodation at the Soviet embassy, where all the clocks were kept, and the meals served, in Moscow time.
Aeroflot still have vodka and (Russian from Dagestan) cognac glasses, and caviar, in C, even on LHR-Moscow. It's a notably class act.
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...57/su57-02.jpg
Looking at that flight attendant uniform, I'm sure your mother would have wanted to know just HOW he discovered about the thighs
He also said the stewardesses were ugly as sin, with thighs as thick as tree trunks.
Yes, rather quaint wood fittings, but superbly warm. Then a rather stern senior flight attendant, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Rosa Klebb, asked whether we'd like coffee. "Yes, please, that would be really nice", we answered - whereupon she turned into everyone's favourite prep school matron, chuckled happily and went to sort it out. A minute or so later a bevy of absolutely gorgeous young ladies appeared with coffee and Russian chocolates, serving us with girlish giggles.
It was a very interesting day; when the catering turned up from Heathrow, it included 2 huge polythene bags with greenery inside. "Perhaps they really do eat cabbage sandwiches", I thought. But it turned out to be 5kg of parsley - someone had got the decimal place wrong as they'd only ordered 500g for garnish!
All were very friendly, although the rather obvious aircraft security chap sitting in the corner in his track suit looked like he wouldn't stand any nonsense. When the USAF navigator (required by the Americans for flying to Washington, their next leg) turned up, there were some appreciative sounds from the flight deck as she was a very attractive young lady who fitted her uniform very nicely indeed. "Surely you have female aircrew in the USSR?", I asked my 'Aeroflot' host. "Da - we do. But not like her!", he smiled.
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Originally Posted by chevvron
I thought the 'Lapwing' club was the BAA Heathrow flying club; operated out of Denham with Beagle Terrier G-ARUI?
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And Amstrdam. As a little boy, my father and I went looking at aircraft at Schiphol Airport, and it was 1956, november or thereabouts. The Tu 104 was sitting on the platform, and when starting its engines, a burning fluid dripped out of the tailpipe. Oh, so spectacular. see picture.
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I used to clean G-ARUI as a kid in the late sixties for the occasional ride in the back. Quick was the CFI then. I think Lapwing were the Civil Service Flying Club which I guess would have encompassed BAA. They had no other aircraft then apart from occasional loan of Muskateer G-ASFB ( much more comfortable in the back)
I used to clean G-ARUI as a kid in the late sixties for the occasional ride in the back. Quick was the CFI then. I think Lapwing were the Civil Service Flying Club which I guess would have encompassed BAA. They had no other aircraft then apart from occasional loan of Muskateer G-ASFB ( much more comfortable in the back)
And Frank Quick did my PPL check-ride in XJH in 1974.
Then I converted on to the Chipmunk owned by one of the club members and learned to fly all over again, properly!
Then I converted on to the Chipmunk owned by one of the club members and learned to fly all over again, properly!
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Does anyone remember the PanAm Mx hangar next to the Hunting hangar on the south side of LHR ? There was a cafe (Kaff) also painted blue for the workers amongst others and you could just wander in there and partake of the offerings as a paying customer. I can remember going up to a B707 sticking out of the hangar in Biman colours, no reg and kicked the tyres (as you do). It didn't end well for my toes only protected by a thin layer of plastic leather trainers. When you consider the security nowadays, it was nearly nonexistent back then!
by Eelmoor Farnborough, on Flickr
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1972/73 Frank was the Operations Manager at STN and as part of his duties he flew the lighting checks at STN and LGW. I accompanied him a couple of times, I believe he had his own Cessna 150. We would fly to LGW and collect a twin, wish I could remember type. Usually he had the twin for a couple of days. Once again how times have changed as lighting checks took place during the evening! Do not know why he did not do do LHR or whom the Scots BAA airports were checked by.