The eastern end of the runway was raise by 1.3m when the runway was resurfaced in the late 80s. The Runway End Safety Areas were installed before this following the overrun of the DC7 in 1974.

1966
 

50 years later this terminal is still in use but is mainly hidden by additions.
http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...psdb5ad676.jpg

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...ps12910097.jpg

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...ps35ad6457.jpg

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0e9e6532.jpg

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3168b70a.jpg



All photos by Dennis Spittel

That young lad looks like 'trouble'!

The 3rd picture is from the spectators area to the south of the terminal, which at a guess is where the next 2 photos were taken from. Note the proper restaurant in the terminal, with napkins folded into cones. And no, that's not me with the bike (didn't visit until the summer of 1967).

I can remember that restaurant but I can't remember anyone actually using it. Years later it became a Little Chef so I used to pop up there from home for Sunday breakfast.

Are you management by any chance ?

He looks to me like a future pilot. Maybe that's what you meant. :)

He is trouble...he is occupying airport space that could usefully be filled by a non-aeronautical revenue earning facility, thereby forcing the airport to depend on its aeronautical revenue to improve its balance sheet, and consequently deterring potential customers through high aviation-related charges. Kick him out, and get in a some car parking, or retail, or a business park, increasing non-aeronautical revenue, and allowing lower charges for the airline operators. Aviation has grown up.....

I am lost on this one. So what was the airline, the full reg, what happened to the DC3 and what year was this photo taken at Luton? Start the clock!

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...pse3b62378.jpg

Derby Aviation G-AKJH.

6 minutes to answer two of the four questions, ( I added another one in an edit) I am so impressed.

I think Derby Aviation became BMA.

Registered to Derby Aviation 20/4/61, think they traded as Derby Airways before becoming British Midland. Would have been based at Derby-Burnaston. Photo taken outside hangar 8 I would guess (looks like hangar 9 to the left).

Full history:-

42-93271 USAAF 01/05/44
KG572 RAF 12/05/44
G-AKJH Maharajah of Baroda
01/04/48 Skyways Ltd 18/05/50
BEA - British European Airways 21/09/50
Derby Aviation Ltd 17/04/61
Nigeria Airways
Derby Aviation Ltd
British Midland Airways 01/10/64
Gregory Air Services 12/04/65
EI-ARR Emerald Airways 15/06/67
G-AKJH Gregory Air Services 05/12/67
VQ-ZJB Swazi Air 12/08/68
3D-AAH Swazi Air00.04.71
A2-ZHR Air Botswana (Protea Airways) 00.07.73
ZS-KAT Protea Airways 04/05/77
R3700 Rhodesian Air Force 08/01/78
3700 Zimbabwe Air Force 18/04/80 WFU at Manyame AB 02.86 to 02.98

You've overlooked the fleet name painted on the nose .......dale

Monsal Dale

This aircraft often appeared at Luton when with Gregory A/S c.1969

I saw it once on the ground at Denham in the days of Gregory Air Services.

Wow I had no idea that you could once sit and watch planes from right next to the terminal. When did the Britannia/easyJet hanger get built?

Here is a pic from Oct 1967 where you can see the public enclosure next to the terminal building which opened in May 1966. The young lad in the pic above could easily have been me (but isn't :) )

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ctober1967.jpg

Hangar 89 was built in 1969 by Tarmac Construction at a cost of £600,000. It is still owned by Luton Borough Council (or whatever they are called this week) and was leased to Britannia and later easyJet.

Great pic. Wow how things have changed!

The outline marked in red shows the original terminal that is still in use today. Since then I can count 8 extensions to the terminal including the one opposite.

This shot shows the area just after easyjet took over the hangar next door. Now the bus station is being filled in for a further terminal extension making 9 in total excluding piers and walkways.
http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/...ps64851697.jpg

What surprises me is that there is one small aircraft on the ramp, but the car park is nearly full.

Were the rates low enough that passengers could afford to leave their cars there in "long term parking"?