where are we?

[rog747]

Location please?

Art Deco control towers were built at various Ozzie airfields
Qantas Empire ground steps etc

Photo I think from ex BOAC Connie pilot, Nigel Harrison - who is writing a new book called 'Some Pilot'

Nigel was trained in South Africa and later became a flying instructor on Harvards, first in the RAF and later for the civilian operator Airwork. In the 1950s he joined BOAC as a Second Officer on Constellations, later flying Britannia's and Comets, before gaining his command on the VC10. Upon retirement from BA, he flew for the royal family of Abu Dhabi.

[renfrew]

Apparently that aircraft was leased to QEA 1948-50.

[chevvron]

Heathrow northside before they built the central area?

[renfrew]

No--they would have used BOAC steps at LHR.
Presumably somewhere in Australia such as Darwin or Perth.

[Max Tow]

The photo is on Pinterest tagged as Sydney Aug 1948, so do you think that might be incorrect?

[renfrew]

I found it on another site also so Sydney it is.
An interesting and historic photo.

[DaveReidUK]

G-ALAN Lockheed 749 Constellation

[DaveReidUK]

On second thoughts, and despite the caption, I think it might actually be Adelaide.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by DaveReidUK

On second thoughts, and despite the caption, I think it might actually be Adelaide.

Cancel that - in my defence, the terminals at Parafield, Archerfield and Mascot were all built to the same design.

Definitely Mascot, with thanks to Geoff Goodall:




GEOFF GOODALL'S AVIATION HISTORY SITE

[Max Tow]

I was also a bit doubtful as this looks nothing like what is usually described as the "old tower" at today's SYD and is very similar to Parafield as Dave suggested.Perhaps there was an even older old tower at SYD? Anyway, here's the first of the Qantas 749s arriving at Sydney in Oct 1947.
Sad to read that G-ALAN ended its days on an Alaskan mountain side in 1960. Looks beautiful in the OP's photo.

[Fareastdriver]

There's G ALAN's history: G-ALAN Lockheed 749 Constellation

[walschaert valve]

I'm fairly sure parts of the old tower at Sydney Airport are still there, hard to see among the newer buildings built around it, but once you know it's there it's fairly obvious when taxying past.

[Max Tow]

Originally Posted by walschaert valve

I'm fairly sure parts of the old tower at Sydney Airport are still there, hard to see among the newer buildings built around it, but once you know it's there it's fairly obvious when taxying past.

Please feel free to correct, but I think you may be referring to the existing building known as the "old control tower", by the mouth of the Cooks River, but it is obviously not the one in the photo, hence earlier doubts. It seems that this was version 3, now replaced by the tall new tower to the east. The one is the photo was version 2, which I don't think exists today. As Dave Reid mentioned, it was of an almost identical design to Adelaide/Parafield & Brisbane/Archerfield - presumably a bulk purchase!

Old old tower v.2 (as in OP photo) camouflaged during WW2


Old tower v.3, still there

[On Track]

Max Tow, you've left out the tower that came after your version 2 and before your version 3. It was located between the Ansett terminal (the area now occupied by T2) and north of 07/25.

[Max Tow]

Thanks, On Track, that's interesting. Apparently this was the first tower from 1937 (I'm intrigued as to what the chap on the roof is doing).
Do you have any photos of the one at T2, which was presumably in the 50s after OP's photo?


Sydney Tower v.1

[walschaert valve]

I think it's V2 because the semi circular part of the building is quite distinctive. It's near where Qantaslink Dash 8s depart, from memory.

[walschaert valve]

The old tower is at the bottom right corner of this photo, airside at the end of the road loop.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by walschaert valve

The old tower is at the bottom right corner of this photo, airside at the end of the road loop.

[Max Tow]

Well done all. So I think On Track, wv and Dave Reid all have in mind the same tower as in OP's photo (i.e. v.2 as above)?
Your posts together with these aerial views seem to confirm that it's still very much there. I had no idea, even after countless trips through the airport! I'll pay attention next time I'm passing (covid permitting...)




July 1948 - tower to right of r/way intersection?

[Terry Dactil]

Max Tow, you've left out the tower that came after your version 2 and before your version 3. It was located between the Ansett terminal (the area now occupied by T2) and north of 07/25.

Found some of my old slides taken in the 1960s that may be helpful in locating the towers. Here is 2.5

Looking South from Ansett terminal area



Looking South-West across rwy 07-25 to aircraft departing from rwy 16. The new tower was built on the other side of rwy 16 in this direction.