Neil's Nostalgia

 previous  Home

PrestwickRenfrewAbbotsinchLeucharsScone • Turnhouse • London Air PortVery early PrestwickReminiscences of PrestwickRCAF/CAF and CFB TrentonLockheed SP-2 Neptune

Monthan MemoriesKen Marshall ImagesGordon Reid Images

• Turnhouse Visitors •

© Neil Aird

• Other photographers as credited. Some very interesting visitors from the 1950's supplied by Gordon Pearson © - thanks Gordon • Slowly adding images •

Not too many visits here with a camera. One particular day I remember well was 13 January 1962 when there was an International Rugby match being played at Murrayfield between Scotland and France. I took the train and was happy to see these two newish Sud Aviation SE.210 Caravelle III from Air France, F-BHRQ (46) and F-BHRU (58), but more interesting were the three "older" airframes, alas parked on the far side. F-BELY Boeing B.307 Stratoliner of Airnautic, F-BGTX Douglas DC-6A (43819) of UAT Union Aeromaritime de Transport, and F-BDRJ Douglas C-54-15-DC Skymaster (10379) of TAI - Air Inter Transports Aeriens Intercontinenteaux. F-BGTX went on to become TU-ABM on 19 April 1962 and ended her days as ETP-10019 of the Mexican Air Force. F-BDRJ was ex KLM PH-TAD, and was eventually broken up at the end of her career in Tahiti during April 1971

Photo: F-BELY © Air Pictorial

F-BHRQ Sud Aviation SE.210 Caravelle III (46) "Limousin". It took eight and nine years before I managed to fly on four of these fine aircraft, they were F-BJTS (27) "AF683" from Zurich to Paris-Orly; HB-ICU (123) "SR574" from Zurich to Stuttgart ; I-DABP (192) "AL424" from Naples to Rome, and SE-DAA (4) "SK531" from Glasgow to Copenhagen.
I asked if I could see "inside", and was granted a grand tour of F-BHRU Sud Aviation SE.210 Caravelle III (58) "Poitou" Air France. This airframe was broken up at Orly in December 1980. The Carvelle was a very beautiful looking aircraft, and the soft triangle/delta shaped windows served as inspiration for many of my jewellery creations in later years!
Tom Baille's view of F-BHRU. Graceful from all angles.
TS423 Douglas Dakota III (19347) RAF operated by Ferranti Flying Unit. A very distinctive nose, and a familar sight in Scottish skies for many years. Ex 42-100884 to, G-DAKS, and N147DC.
Plane spotting sometimes was a pretty miserable occupation, like the Marshaller, I endured a soaking to capture the arrival of OO-TMA Piper PA-23 Apache. Visiting XR801 (89) an ETPS Vickers V.744 Viscount was parked over at the Ferranti Hangars. The Empire Test Pilots School was based at Farnborough, Hampshire, England.
EI-AHG Douglas C-47B-25-DK Dakota (32761) Aer Lingus "St. Ronan".XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXPhoto: Gordon Pearson © 1950's
• More to come •