Essendon Airport 1967

[Propstop]

Prince Philip Essendon 1967

Essendon Airport 1967

IL18 Transported the Russian Ballet 1967

I took a series of photos when I was an apprentice at TAA. This thread will contain several of them over time

[Propstop]

The photos were scanned from slides so apologise for the poor quality

[Turnleft080]

Good one Propstop. Love old photos. I note your departure off RWY26 in a L188 a few old DC-3s in the back ground where all the car dealers are now.
I also note the overhaul shops where LaManas shopping centre is located. During 1975 I use to go with my dad to the airport and watch aeroplanes.He did
his RPPL in a C150 VH-DTC at a company called Speedair which I can see the same building in Vaughan St where the security car company sits. As a 6yo
I can still hear the Ansett-ANA,TAA B727 100s DC-9-32s and F-27s with their squeaky darts. Fence lines use to be waist high and the car park was full
of Holden HQs. Thanks for the post.

[Propstop]

Airforce 1 carrying LBJ Essendon 1967

C141 Starlifter carrying the presidential limo

B707 carrying LBJ press

B707 carrying all the hangers-on

USN Attache transport

Another of the aircraft when LBJ visited DC6B

There was a whole lot of exotic aircraft(for me at the time) visiting Essendon when LBJ flew in. Security was minimal and we were able to look over all aircraft except Airforce 1.

[machtuk]

I believe when Johnston's 707 landed on 26 it cracked the Rwy?
in the 60's us kids used to cross the paddocks to the Nth and leave our bikes with the car parking guy at his little station. Then we would wander round the GA planes to the Nth of the Northen finger unaccompanied! Sometimes the safety officer would stop us to say look but don't touch! The observation deck was like going to heaven for small boys starry eyed, ah the good old days -

[kaz3g]

I was not quite 8 yo when the Queen came on her first visit and MELBOURNE was aglow in lights. My dad and I did a night flight around the city in a DC3 (with a couple of dozen others). I seem to recall the runways were concrete then?

[Allan L]

I may be wrong here, BUT I recall an old (departed) friend from the Essendon Airport Fire Service of the time, saying that they were training at Tulla and were on site there whilst some of LBJ's entourage of aircraft needed to go there for refueling? reloading and take-off? Or have I got the occasion wrong?

[machtuk]

Originally Posted by Allan L

I may be wrong here, BUT I recall an old (departed) friend from the Essendon Airport Fire Service of the time, saying that they were training at Tulla and were on site there whilst some of LBJ's entourage of aircraft needed to go there for refueling? reloading and take-off? Or have I got the occasion wrong?

Tulla didn't officially own till 1970, LBJ arrived at EN in 1966, doubt Tulla was operational in 1966 for any operation?

[Propstop]

A very nice looking 310

A very brave man, at least it is tethered

A brave concept by Avis. One of the pilots was a family friend

I used to enjoy wandering around the GA area as, to me, there was some very interesting aircraft

[Fris B. Fairing]

Originally Posted by Propstop

The photos were scanned from slides so apologise for the poor quality

Propstop
Don't knock slides, particularly if they are Kodachrome. That's as good as it gets.
Please keep them coming.

[chimbu warrior]

I may be wrong here, BUT I recall an old (departed) friend from the Essendon Airport Fire Service of the time, saying that they were training at Tulla and were on site there whilst some of LBJ's entourage of aircraft needed to go there for refueling? reloading and take-off? Or have I got the occasion wrong?

LBJ visited again for Harold Holt's funeral and his B707 landed at Tullamarine.Construction at Tullamarine was obviously still in progress.

I only discovered this when I stayed at the Mantra hotel at Tullamarine, where they have a series of old photos on the wall near the elevators.

[John Eacott]

Originally Posted by machtuk

I believe when Johnston's 707 landed on 26 it cracked the Rwy?
in the 60's us kids used to cross the paddocks to the Nth and leave our bikes with the car parking guy at his little station. Then we would wander round the GA planes to the Nth of the Northen finger unaccompanied! Sometimes the safety officer would stop us to say look but don't touch! The observation deck was like going to heaven for small boys starry eyed, ah the good old days -

When the car park was opened and no fees involved, I scored a bunch of the steel posts that corralled the cars into the exit lane and used them for a three tier retaining wall. That was about 1984, and the retaining wall is still standing

The terminal building was always busy; Skybird Aviation, GeeBees, night club at weekends, viewing area always open, little or no issues getting out onto the apron which was always full of GA. You could open up with a pump action shottie these days and be unlikely to hit anything with wings

[Propstop]

The slides are a mixture of Kodachrome and Ektachrome but unfortunately, like me, have deteriorated with age. I will continue to post some more later on.

[Allan L]

Originally Posted by machtuk

Tulla didn't officially own till 1970, LBJ arrived at EN in 1966, doubt Tulla was operational in 1966 for any operation?

Yep LBJ in 1966 and then late Dec 67 for Harold Holt funeral.

The E-W runway had been completed early '67 and was being used for training from about April onwards.

In fact QANTAS had made application (January '67) to use the E-W runway for commercial flights as of the 1st April '67, but this was rejected as DCA felt it would slow the completion of the N-S runway and construction of terminal buildings etc. They applied again (May '67) requesting to commence international flights at Tulla in April of '68, but again were rejected as it would hinder the completion of the terminals etc.

Edit to add: Not sure when the N-S runway was completed, but in Feb '67 the timetable was for completion of it and over 9 miles of taxiway by the end of that year.

[aroa]

Top thread. Great pix. Love all that earlier, freer days stuff.
I'll have to dig out some... have one of the Dart powered Handley Page 'Herald' visiting for possible sales.

[growahead]

Re Nice 310.

The C310 was WRG. It went missing between Broken Hill and Mildura in 1973. There was an extensive search that lasted about 7 days, and found under a tree. I think the opinion was that it got caught in a CB. Very unhappy ending.

[machtuk]

Originally Posted by Allan L

Yep LBJ in 1966 and then late Dec 67 for Harold Holt funeral.

The E-W runway had been completed early '67 and was being used for training from about April onwards.

In fact QANTAS had made application (January '67) to use the E-W runway for commercial flights as of the 1st April '67, but this was rejected as DCA felt it would slow the completion of the N-S runway and construction of terminal buildings etc. They applied again (May '67) requesting to commence international flights at Tulla in April of '68, but again were rejected as it would hinder the completion of the terminals etc.

Edit to add: Not sure when the N-S runway was completed, but in Feb '67 the timetable was for completion of it and over 9 miles of taxiway by the end of that year.

Thanks for the info Alan -
as a side note I started with Mobil Oil at the JUHI depot in 1980 ten years after Tulla opened, the whole fuel system was behind the eight ball from day one as when the drome was drawn up the hydrants & gates where designed around the B707/ DC8's of the day, the 'Jumbo jets' where not originally catered for! At the international gates every second gate was decommissioned after a while, the hydrants where repositioned, much overtime was gained, oh the rorts where plentiful...lolol

[Okihara]

Spectacular pictures and anecdotes. Thanks for sharing.

[DeRated]

Originally Posted by machtuk

Thanks for the info Alan -
as a side note I started with Mobil Oil at the JUHI depot in 1980 ten years after Tulla opened, the whole fuel system was behind the eight ball from day one as when the drome was drawn up the hydrants & gates where designed around the B707/ DC8's of the day, the 'Jumbo jets' where not originally catered for! At the international gates every second gate was decommissioned after a while, the hydrants where repositioned, much overtime was gained, oh the rorts where plentiful...lolol

I worked for Mobiloil during 1970 at Essendon and drove an avgas tanker from Essendon to Tulla to begin operations there. That was around January 1971.

As you said re the JUHI fiasco - we were testing one of the first mobile hydrants trucks - designed in a hurry for the increased flow rates - couldn't get it to work. QANTAS were training with 707s, BOAC VC10s had started schedules along with some other internationals.

[Propstop]

DCA F27 used for airways calibration amongst other things

HS 125 A few days after this photo was taken it got a belly rub from a runway

Carvair, the piston engined jumbo

I am in lockdown at home and, as a captive audience, being made to catch up on things I have been 'too busy to do'. Have managed to sneak away and post some more items. These are very fond memories of a nicer period in aviation.
I feel for each and every one of you who have been stood down, or simply made redundant with nowhere to go. If it will help please PM me, aviation is just one big family and I am a good listener. Stay safe!