ZSD????
CDD?????

Stansted and Castle Donington.

If I remember correctly, they were the original 1960s IATA codes.

Garden Party Query.
 

Percivals held a garden party for their staff in July 1945. There were some amusing histrionics organised with some wrecked a/c sections being painted-up black with white crosses as 'German', and the 'German' pilot being rescued from the burning wreckage/bonfire.

A long-shot, but does anyone happen to know where on the Luton site this event took place? All I know is that there was a mention in a local rag with a really naff photo.
I'm looking for any photos of this event too.

GQII.

After a comment here about me being a bush spotter I think I am going to re-enforce those views with the following post.:eek:

As you know, but for the benefit of others, post 76 on page 4 of this thread contains the photo in question. Looking at my collection of photos and aerial views I would hazard a guess that the photo was taken to the side of Percivals complex by Eaton Green Road as hedgerows were in short supply around the airport even in 1946. In fact the second and third photo in post 24 on page 2 were taken just after the war and shows a nice hedgerow by Percivals. I can't find any other hedgerows that could have been used as a backdrop in the photo in post 76 as everywhere else just had scrub land on the airport border and no hedgerows.

The photo shown here is Eaton Green Road taken in the early 70's with the airport boundary to the right and Wigmore Hall Farm in the distance. This was taken just past what was once Percivals and is the remains of that hedgerow seen in the photos in post 24.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psace78379.jpg

aahhhh yes, I remember that road being the way to that nice little pub at Tea Green.

Luton Airport Summer 1963
 

Is that a Jet Provost I can see in the middle distance by the curve of the centre line?

Definitely.

Looks like a Twin Pin behind it, and a Connie in the background.

Love the old photos! What are those Varsity-like aircraft on the right ? Why would an RAF trainer be there considering the over-supply of bases back then ? Whose Connie might that have been and…..:8 would I be correct to say that the taxiway to the runway would be to the left of the Connie ?


SHJ

SHJ, those are Vickers Vikings of Autair, as in this image: http://www.airpixbycaz.co.uk/cazsite...lp/balp18.html

........

Euravia.........predecessor to Britannia Airways.

PM

It was probably built there!

The centre line as seen in the photo bends to the left then out of shot to the right and then left again to what was then the end of the runway.

Thanks for all the answers chaps!

You live and learn….my knowledge of LTN doesn't go much further back than the late 60's, so that there was a factory producing military aircraft came as a surprise. On checking they (Percival) left in early 1960's, so the above photo must have captured one of the last examples.


SHJ

The Vickers Viking was never in production at Luton. Autair bought in those examples.

I think the reference to being built there was about the JP. :O

Think you are right:O

I assume this Cliff Minney Luton photo is a prototype Jet Provost?

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps9f101cfc.jpg

It's certainly a T.1, but not (I suspect) the prototype XD674.

Built at Weybridge.........

PM

@staircase. The pub at Tea Green would be the White Horse. Used to be my local!