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Essendon Airport 1967
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9eb90fdef3.jpg
Prince Philip Essendon 1967 https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a216c56a6a.jpg Essendon Airport 1967 https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d22a4e8cbd.jpg 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 |
The photos were scanned from slides so apologise for the poor quality
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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. |
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Airforce 1 carrying LBJ Essendon 1967 https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e41cc91fff.jpg C141 Starlifter carrying the presidential limo https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5d9ed01331.jpg B707 carrying LBJ press https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....daab220abc.jpg B707 carrying all the hangers-on https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....bdced049d2.jpg USN Attache transport https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....873e172a5e.jpg 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. |
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 -:) |
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?
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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?
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Originally Posted by Allan L
(Post 10725110)
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?
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https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2cadebbdce.jpg
A very nice looking 310 https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....32479113ff.jpg A very brave man, at least it is tethered https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1d77dcb81e.jpg 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 |
Originally Posted by Propstop
(Post 10724778)
The photos were scanned from slides so apologise for the poor quality
Don't knock slides, particularly if they are Kodachrome. That's as good as it gets. Please keep them coming. |
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? 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. |
Originally Posted by machtuk
(Post 10724871)
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 -:) 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 :( |
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.
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Originally Posted by machtuk
(Post 10725814)
Tulla didn't officially own till 1970, LBJ arrived at EN in 1966, doubt Tulla was operational in 1966 for any operation?
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. |
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. |
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.
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Originally Posted by Allan L
(Post 10725923)
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. 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 |
Spectacular pictures and anecdotes. Thanks for sharing.
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Originally Posted by machtuk
(Post 10726228)
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 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. |
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DCA F27 used for airways calibration amongst other things https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3eaa2f9c71.jpg HS 125 A few days after this photo was taken it got a belly rub from a runway https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7686dc9b2c.jpg 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! |
Fantastic stuff, I spent my early aviation years hanging around EN in the mid eighties.
VH-CAO, I recall that sporting a black and silver paint job many years after this pic was taken. And regarding ML in the early days, my dad landed a 727 there before it was officially open when they arrived back from PH and EN was fogged in. Love the pics and appreciate the time taken to upload them, thanks |
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Around 60 Yrs ago during a public day at EN, cute kid -) https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f55ed45eb.jpeg Late 70's, that's my 420 G Jag in the background! |
Fantastic, keep the pics coming. This old fart is loving remembering the good old days.
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From my wandering around EN early 1979:
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Ah VH TLJ, my fav was the 35 Lears, nice to fly, a gentlemans aeroplane -)
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Machtuck, I really enjoyed flying the Aerocommanders, even if their body would flex on rotation and the seat would run backwards on its rails!
Barely avoided an accident one day in Inverell, lucky the pax behind me gave me a shove to get back in reach of the controls. |
Originally Posted by Ascend Charlie
(Post 10727566)
Machtuck, I really enjoyed flying the Aerocommanders, even if their body would flex on rotation and the seat would run backwards on its rails!
Barely avoided an accident one day in Inverell, lucky the pax behind me gave me a shove to get back in reach of the controls. funny I used to overhaul the Lyc IO540 E1B5's on the AC500's in the 70's (the one in the photo I overhauled both engines, poor pilots...lolol) and years latter I ended up flying them -) |
machtuk, thanks for sharing the photo of the Mk31 Bristol "Frightener" which was either ADL or TBB. I spend thousands of hours working on those two aircraft albeit at Archerfield in the 60's.
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I was working in Essendon Tower then. I can see the rear end of my bronze Chrysler Centura in the car park. :O
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A brave concept by Avis. One of the pilots was a family friend Was AVIS ahead of the times? Was this the first UberAir? :) |
The Bristol freighter is VH-ADL nicknamed 'Adolf' by the crews at the time(Ex Pakistan Airforce). In the background is the Survey Catalina VH-EXG. One of the Air Express Captains John Edwards flew both at various times. VH-TBB was one of the first Air Express freighters to reach fatigue life, by memory based on landings. It ended up on the fire dump at Tullamarine.
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I recall talking to the drivers of the PBY in the Kate 70's that looked like a flying clothes line! 😂 The drivers said that if they landed on the water it would sink!👍
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My family emigrated to Australia from the UK in September 1968, flying into Essendon from New Zealand.
Our flight arrived three hours late and customs and immigration had departed for the night, so a plane load of passengers simply disembarked and vanished into the Melbourne night without any record of our arrival, something which was to cause me considerable hassles in the early 1990s when I had to prove Australian residency to enrol at university! |
Ahhh... EXG. I did my endorsement with Wes Guy at Execs along with Stan Tayler. Did survey work in all states and there are lots of stories to tell of that time! Remember we were working out of Broken Hill when Gough got the sack in Nov 75. One had to keep your arms in and the windows shut during start as if the wind was right it was possible to get a cup full of oil in your lap from the lower cylinder. It had been modified for water bombing and the 1830's were replaced with Wright 2600's (2603 to be exact!) One arm out the same window could reach the prop tip, not that anyone tried...! Yes, it had many holes and would have sunk, but it was 'land only'. Will dig up some pics. Great thread
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PBY5 Super Canso VH-EXG, based at Essendon operated by Executive Air Services.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2b68d473ab.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8fff8a7a30.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....67bd8ef599.jpg Departing Mt Isa |
Re 'EXG'...... Capt John Edwards was 'based at Kal for a period of a coupla months or so, early 80's, doing his surveys.
On one engine start one fine morning, there was a resounding 'THWAK' from the No 1 Engine just after 'start'. Thankfully, John called on the radio with a 'simple request'......The prop wash had removed his cap when he opened the side window and leaned out to clean the windscreen,,,,,, Thankfully there was no 'tissue' inside it.....and YEP...He did ask that we pick up his cap as it was his favorite...! More like his 'favorite' favorite after that..... Hope you're reading this John. ALL the BEST! |
Worked on this aircraft briefly in Essendon before spending a lot of time on the C212 and Shorts Skyvan. Bill Mitchell was the engineer.
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