Pre-war home movies: gliding site and Croydon ca. 1934
Tiger Club putting on a show
Well there is no doubt that the good old Tiger Club could certainly put on a 'vintage show' on this hallowed ground. I remember that we were quite close to the new estate, and that rather precluded turns in that direction. BTC down in weeds again having flown up from Cornwall to take part, and was the oldest original machine there. The Sea Tiger came up from a lake near Lydd, and Turb PNZ (Philips early ride) was still around. Great considering most of the aircraft had no radio, or nav kit, with most of the pilots having PPls , and the Mew Gull had just been reborn.
It would have been even better had the Terminal building served lunch. Happy Days. The local paper (Croydon Advertiser ) produced a large coloured print for the event which i carefully rolled up and flew it back home in the 'golf club' compartment, giving my wonderful Kenley a 'visit' on the way. Stand by for an image Treads. PC
It would have been even better had the Terminal building served lunch. Happy Days. The local paper (Croydon Advertiser ) produced a large coloured print for the event which i carefully rolled up and flew it back home in the 'golf club' compartment, giving my wonderful Kenley a 'visit' on the way. Stand by for an image Treads. PC
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Wish I'd been there... I seem to recall the late CamelPilot, formerly Squire of this parish, told me he was flying the Islander.
The later show was great too, though the weather wasn't all that nice as I recall. No vids came up for that one, nor one for the Beverly assault.
The later show was great too, though the weather wasn't all that nice as I recall. No vids came up for that one, nor one for the Beverly assault.
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Croydon Airport Archive Film
I just discovered this film on YouTube; a classic of Croydon in the 1930s. Thought I should share it for anyone who might not have discovered it. I love the met and ATC technology!
Avoid imitations
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What a shame they chose to develop Heathrow instead.
I couldn't help noticing early on in the video that the left side of the nose of "Heracles" looked like someone had kicked seven bells out of it!
I couldn't help noticing early on in the video that the left side of the nose of "Heracles" looked like someone had kicked seven bells out of it!
To Cape Town in an HP42. Imagine. I promise never again to bemoan a choppy ride, deep in the night somewhere over equatorial Africa, whilst I am sat high, snug and safe in a modern wide body jet.
Quite so, but I'd say it was better than using the Union Castle Line's finest for ten days of ploughing through the Atlantic.
It was not so much the choppy ride, but the double 8hour-sectors in a fully loaded 4-prop crossing the Atlantic from Lisbon-Salt Island-Paramaribo that one remembers. But as a 10 year old TAP, I enjoyed every minute of it. 
Looking at he different types of aircraft being flown by the various airlines featured in the film it strikes me just how "antiquated" the HP42 appears when set against the shiny DC2 of KLM, and the even the Junkers of Lufthansa. At that time in airliner development the UK looked to be way behind the curve when it comes to aircraft design compared with manufacturers in the USA and elsewhere in Europe.
Have to say it never struck me that Sal Island, of SAA refuelling fame from Jo'burg to Europe etc, was actually Portuguese for Salt.
Who would have called it that ? KLM, it appears, in their 1958 schedule for a Super Connie, originally from Amsterdam, through to Paramaribo, Caracas and Curacao (but not served on the return).
kl585-09.jpg (1616×1115) (timetableimages.com)
Who would have called it that ? KLM, it appears, in their 1958 schedule for a Super Connie, originally from Amsterdam, through to Paramaribo, Caracas and Curacao (but not served on the return).
kl585-09.jpg (1616×1115) (timetableimages.com)
Right, WHBM, KL 771 on the Saturday did that. In the middle of the night, we (my sister and I, 9 and 10 years old) wandered around a deserted airport, and no Coca Cola in sight!
Wow. That brought back some memories; particulary the ident beacon at the end. The mast was on the SE corner of the Rollason hangar and in the late 1960s when I worked there, I would regularly climb to the top and survey the airfield whilst eating my lunch. All without the aid of fall-arrest gear, hard hat, goggles, gloves and safety boots. Goodness knows how I survived. Happy days.