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-   -   LUTON History and Nostalgia (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/527527-luton-history-nostalgia.html)

SpringHeeledJack 22nd Apr 2016 21:33

Just a curious general question regarding the diversions, did they return to their scheduled destinations, or would they have ferried to LHR (or wherever) and then back on schedule ?


SHJ

vintage ATCO 23rd Apr 2016 12:36

Bit of both, really.

vintage ATCO 23rd Apr 2016 12:45

LTNman

In this pic you can see the 'old run up' bay in the background. They use to test roicket engines there. Must have been noisy! It is also the area where the pics of the Connies being broken up were taken.

The pic is from July 1960 and is the official opening of the hard runway.

Credit: The Luton News

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...%20opening.jpg

LTNman 23rd Apr 2016 14:00

Oh yes I can see it. Luton might have been a bit sparse on movements in the 60's and before but my God what an interesting place it must have been to work or visit there. No McAlpine hangar in the above photo so it must have been built within the next 2 years.

vintage ATCO 23rd Apr 2016 17:42

McAlpine's would be in what became the Luton Flying Club hangar and LFC were in the back of Hangar 9. I believe the McAlpine hangar was dismantled and came from Blackbushe, or that might have been the original McAlpine/LFC hangar. Anyone know?

sycamore 23rd Apr 2016 19:17

vATCO,from what I remember,McA`s hangar was always on the West side,,and LFC used the smaller hangar to the NE of the old tower; also used by `Chrisair`,and possibly other light a/c.(Mrs Chrisair usually wore `sprayed-on` leopard skin trousers.....!).

vintage ATCO 23rd Apr 2016 21:18

No, McAlpine's originally had the hangar to the east of the tower and the Flying Club were 'round the back' in hangar 9. The McAlpine hangar on the west side must have been built late 61 or 62 if the photo is correct.

I now remember Mrs Chrisair in the spray on leopard skins trousers and was clearly significant in my formative years!!

sycamore 24th Apr 2016 11:04

vATCO,some things are more memorable than others....!!

treadigraph 24th Apr 2016 11:53

So where are the pics of Mrs Chrisair! :p

sycamore 24th Apr 2016 15:57

Too much camera `shake`...

OUAQUKGF Ops 25th Apr 2016 09:38

A quick trawl and no luck in finding a photograph of Claire Roberts pilot of G-ADDI. It seems that she also flew part-time for Dan Air on their Airspeed Ambassadors.

I must be but one of the thousands of lucky passengers who took to the air with Mrs Roberts in her beautiful aeroplane.

no butz 25th Apr 2016 16:06

Chrisair
 
No luck either in finding a photo of G-ADDI with suitably attired aircrew. But I did find their first aircraft - G-AIYS Leopard Moth used for the 1961 season. It was sold late in 1961 and the photo is dated March 1962 so may not have been in the ownership of Chrisair if the date is correct.


http://i68.tinypic.com/2j2swaw.jpg

Simtech 25th Apr 2016 16:12

G-AIYS still extant, based at Henlow.

LTNman 25th Apr 2016 16:38

G-ADDI is also still flying in the USA as seen in this great on board video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=vSnVcxU-fTE



ZeBedie 25th Apr 2016 21:12


Monarch only had two 767-300s on order. They were diverted to startup EVA Air when Monarch decided to go with the Airbus A300-600R instead.
My recollection is that the 767's were ordered well after the A300's.

Raymond Dome 26th Apr 2016 10:51

This is an excellent thread!
Luton Anorak's picture of 31st December 1978 brought back memories. We operated LTN NAP LTN in Monarch 1-11 G-BCXR that evening. Delayed by the snow, we busted a gut in a vain attempt to get back before midnight. Had Radio 2 tuned on one of the ADF's to hear Big Ben chiming midnight as the passengers disembarked. Happy Days!

Offchocks 26th Apr 2016 22:02

Raymond Dome I also remember that winter. Having just joined Monarch on the 1-11 we couldn't do our base training in the UK due to the snow, so off to sunny Perpignan. What a fantastic time we had down there, the base training was fun and a great intro to the airline!;)

cj241101 28th Apr 2016 21:41

Here's a random picture I've just been reminded of listening to the Liverpool football match tonight. G-AMFV brought Liverpool supporters to the FA Cup final on 8/5/71 along with Cambrian Airways Viscounts G-AOYG and G-AOYP. The Donaldson 707 was G-AYVG which had been on a check with Britannia.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1461861304

Level bust 29th Apr 2016 09:17

That is a rare picture of Kestral's Dak, they didn't last long, although I think they did fly a Viscount for a short while.

I did fly in the Dak on a pleasure flight out of East Mids, on the day BMA received their first Boeing 707. I went up the front to just as the captain was stoking his pipe before throwing the match out the window!

cj241101 29th Apr 2016 15:41

Kestrel
 

Originally Posted by Level bust (Post 9360263)
That is a rare picture of Kestral's Dak, they didn't last long, although I think they did fly a Viscount for a short while.

Yes, they started ops in Nov 1970 and ceased in Nov 1972. The Dak was ex Gibair (and briefly C47 Aviation and Fairflight during summer 1970) and was in a more attractive scheme (IMHO, of course) than their sole Viscount G-AVJB which was red and white with the "Kestrel" a smaller logo in black on a white tail. After Kestrel folded, the Dak briefly flew for the Belfield Trading Co., still with the Kestrel colours and logo (Photos: Douglas C-47A Skytrain (DC-3) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net), before getting scrapped at Lympne (Ashford) in August 1973.


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