LUTON History and Nostalgia
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Four Percival Proctor Vs awaiting delivery to the Arab Airways Association at Luton in 1948. First control tower on the right and the chimney in the distance is the boiler house of the Spittlesea Isolation Hospital. Credit: BAE Systems Heritage Centre, Warton, Percival/Hunting Archive
Here 'tis - Aerofilms photo taken in 1946. The Tigers are G-AHDE and G-AHDF
Last edited by no butz; 6th May 2016 at 10:07. Reason: Photo added
aceatco, retired
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R re the decontamination plant but are you sure that is the hospital? I was told this is the hospital with the building I knew as Spittlesea, the house which became the airport admin, out of shot to the left. In your pic we seem to be looking NW and that to me puts the position of the hospital out of kilter.
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Spittlesea
[QUOTE=vintage ATCO;9367907]R re the decontamination plant but are you sure that is the hospital? I was told this is the hospital with the building I knew as Spittlesea, the house which became the airport admin, out of shot to the left. In your pic we seem to be looking NW and that to me puts the position of the hospital out of kilter. [QUOTE]
Another good pic - someone was busy that day. The buildings in your last photo are the isolation wards - before they were demolished in 1971 you could find poison bottles and syringes lying about - wouldn't do today!
The Hospital building is out of shot on the left and that is what became Airport Admin. I'm pretty sure that as it was a three story building that is the only one that came above the skyline from the other side of the airfield.
Another good pic - someone was busy that day. The buildings in your last photo are the isolation wards - before they were demolished in 1971 you could find poison bottles and syringes lying about - wouldn't do today!
The Hospital building is out of shot on the left and that is what became Airport Admin. I'm pretty sure that as it was a three story building that is the only one that came above the skyline from the other side of the airfield.
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Yes outside the boundary - looks like a vehicle test track. Located in what is now Vauxhall Way. Just for orientation the Spittlesea hospital buildings are in the centre - flying club just north east of that. The bend they sit on is now passing the Monarch headquarters and the lane winding along the bottom is Dane Street which was cut by the runways and reappears on the south east side.
Out of interest the photo was taken in 1947 by a 82 Sqdn aircraft flying at 16,400ft.
Last edited by no butz; 6th May 2016 at 14:35. Reason: Photo added
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For those interested in life before Luton Airport here is a Hybrid map with today's view laid over the top showing the area around the late 1800's. As can be seen just by the engine run up bay was Falconer's Hall. In those days the road to the fire station just kept on going and crossed the concrete runway before it was built as seen at the bottom.
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For those interested in life before Luton Airport here is a Hybrid map with today's view laid over the top showing the area around the late 1800's. As can be seen just by the engine run up bay was Falconer's Hall. In those days the road to the fire station just kept on going and crossed the concrete runway before it was built as seen at the bottom.
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It was knocked down late 19th early 20th Century. Hosted By Bedford Borough Council: Greathampstead Alias Falconers Hall Manor
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It was knocked down late 19th early 20th Century. Hosted By Bedford Borough Council: Greathampstead Alias Falconers Hall Manor
Many thanks for all your efforts on this thread - fascinating.
aceatco, retired
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I think the Spittlesea building was only two floors but I wasn't far enough up the totem pole to have to go there often.
The dotted lines in your aerial pic, butz, is the grass runway 15/33.
The dotted lines in your aerial pic, butz, is the grass runway 15/33.
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The photo is part of a large montage which also shows the 18/36 and 08/26 landing directions.
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Spittlesea House
The building had three floors, the third floor was in the roof space with dormer type windows. I think I recall admin and accounts being on that third floor when it was the Airport Management building. There are photos on Google image search.
Did they ever operate cargo for BY ? What was the reasoning behind ordering them , they must have been heavier than the standard 204s?
Why buy them? At the time, the government claimed that the BAC-111 would do the same job as the all-pax 737-200 and would impose stiff import duties on the Boeing product. Brtannia argued successfully that there was no QC version of the 111, so 'NA and 'NB were able to avoid the penalty. Yes, they were about a ton heavier in empty weight than the all-pax version.
Also, there were a couple of winters when one of the QC aircraft would be kept in the cargo config for short-notice freight work. My recollection is that not much work came of it.
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I remember seeing both QCs being used to bring in McDonalds products I think from Germany during a dock strike in the early 1980s when there was no amount of unusual registered aircraft at Luton ferrying in freight. Anyone care to elaborate.