The XPS F-27 was PH-FKT, the Trislander was G-BDOS. At one point there was also PN68 from Brussels. We also had Air Continental flashing around in B90s, and MacAlpine flying PA42s, this may have been papers going to Scotland for printing. The first half on a night duty was always busy, the second half dragged a bit.

Forgot the Merchantman. Also, in the early 1980s, there was a company flying two FH227s doing freight operations, the name of which escapes me.

Might it have been Skyways (Lydd based?)

Lb. I certainly remember those nights! The most dificult part was getting time on the R/T to read out the Wobun clearances. One in the tower and one on Approach. I do remember a short lived DC3 joining in the fun, Air Luton or Luton Airlines or similar? It had an engine failure shortly after departure and returned unable to maintain altitude on to 08! I was on radar. The airline didn't seem to last long after that. Whether it was the fact they'd upset the Royal Mail or purely the cost of repairs I know not.

Didn't Air Luton's office burn down in suspicious circumstances?

The Merchantman went sick one night. Bristol Freighter subbed for it and rumbled slowly into the sky. Shortly after, the phone went. Eldery-sounding gentleman:

"I live in Luton and wish to make a complaint about that noisy aircraft that just flew low over my house. What on earth was it?"
"It was a Bristol Freighter"
"Ah, really? How nice, didn't know there were any left. I withdraw my complaint".

Top stuff! We used to regularly try to get interesting transits to do a fly by. One day the BBMF lancaster was passing by and accepted our invitation. Meanwhile, a Monarch 720 was back-tracked ready for departure....The Lancaster came into sight running down 26 descending...And descending! With a mighty roar of four Merlins the Lancaster passed VERY close above the 720 then turned on course at the upwind end...

'Luton Tower Monarch 720" (Here comes the complaint and official report).

'Monarch 720 pass your message'. (With trepidation).

'That was fantastic and it's my old squadron! '

Sighs of relief all round.

*Someone who saw it may wish to tell the story of the RNHF Sea Fury and a certain ex-Satco.

There was also the low level Vulcan up 36 grass. How we never got any noise complaints about that one I will never know! The Orion 737 did sound a bit confused when I told him to continue approach as there was a Vulcan to cross left to right in front!

Sorry for the drift but wasn't there a guy at Elstree called Spencer Flack who used to fly a Sea Fury out of there. I wonder whatever happened to him?

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...2.jpg~original
G-BDOS 11/5/82
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...r.jpg~original
PH-FKT 6/6/83

Spencer crashed the Sea Fury short of the runway at Waddington after an engine failure en-route Humberside/Elstree in 1981. He was lucky to survive and later sold his Spitfire and Hunter. Later on he acquired a Mustang that was a regular on the UK circuit in the hands of Rod Dean and others for a few years.

Sadly he died in a historic motor racing accident a dozen years ago or so.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...a.jpg~original
Air Luton fleet 17/10/85
Operated Post Office mail contracts Jan 1985-April 1986 along with G-ANAF
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...i.jpg~original
G-ANAF 9/5/85

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...u.jpg~original
20/7/84

That's interesting. Atlantic air transport. Was that before/during/after Instone? One of our ATCAs went to work for them at Stansted. (AS). Top chap who, I've no doubt would have made an excellent ATCO but for a form of colour blindness.

I really didn't recall G-ANAF but do recall the other DC3. That was the one that had the engine failure. I'm intrigued by the 'office burning' as it does vaguely ring a bell.

Edit: Actually I see there was also G-AMPG as well! I only thought they had one DC3. (Probably due to post traumatic stress).

Instone ceased Bristol Freighter ops on 11/11/83 and G-BISU was operated by Air Atlantique until October 1987. It was sold in Canada as C-FDFC on 20/12/88, and was written off in a landing accident at Enstone on 18/7/96. The other Instone Freighter was G-AMLK which they sold to New Zealand on 4/4/84.
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...i.jpg~original
G-AMLK 15/9/83

The DC-3 in the 1st photo is actually G-AMPO. It does look like "PG but that's just my dodgy photography....

Skyways flew newspapers Luton-Amsterdam 6 nights a week between May 1979 and 16/10/80 when they ceased operations.
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...8.jpg~original
G-ASKYA 6/5/79

Great pictures I remember around 86 seeing the Bristol 170 lifting of behind a sfair herc great sight when this passed the spectators area on a sunny Saturday late afternoon

Interesting story, well I think it is. A well-known aviation society (Luton branch) ran a competition with the prize being a flight up to Scotland on an Air Luton DC-3 carrying newspapers, although you had to get back down south under your own steam so to speak. When the time came and the winner arrived at Luton ready for his flight he was met by a rather elderly gentleman (the captain) standing there in his carpet slippers (I kid you not) with a rather younger first officer awaiting instructions. Apparently the flight was very enjoyable and he returned safely the following day by train!

Is that Skyways the same Skyways that operated out of Lympne with 748's? Seem to remember Dan-Air had their fingers in that pie towards the end but I could be wrong.

Yes in a convoluted sort of way. Skyways Coach Air were the Lympne based operator whose 3 DC-3 freighters were flown by their subsidiary Air Freight from 1970 until Skyways Coach Air reformed as Skyways International in Feb 1971. Skyways International then were bought by Dan Air in April 1972. Air Freight were not part of the Skyways International deal and continued operating independently, becoming Skyways Cargo in May 1975.