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Elmdon Airport

I lived in Croftdown Road, off Valley Road from 1949 till 1963, then moved up the hill to Rangoon Road. Started spotting at Elmdon in 1953. Unfortunately no logs but lots of emories. First a/c I can remember is DC3 taking off on runway 25? as was. so many intereesting visitors and club planes etc.
 
Memories that is. Now living near Stratford and on Saturday the evocative sound of a Vampire T11 engaged in air to air photography . How I remember that sound from 605 Squadron a/c overhead out of RAF Honiley
 
Don’t know if anybody can help? My father Flight Lieutenant J S Davis (b 1902) was a flying instructor at RAF Sealand 1941-1945. I have his water colour painting of Tiger Moth R-4774 dated 1942. I understood it had been give to him by a trainee at RAF Sealand but have since learnt that R-4774 spent its life at Elmdon with 14EFTS operated by Airwork on behalf of the RAF. Its a long shot but my father was a private pilot before being commissioned into the RAF late 1940/ early 1941, is there anywhere I can find out if my father worked for Airwork before 1941? Thanks.
 
Mike, I think you would be very unlikely to find any records going back to 1941 as the importance of archives was not recognised until more recent times. I remember once being asked by a security organisation about an employee of the company I was working for about someone who had shown on his CV that he had worked for us 25 years ago and I had to say that I could not even confirm that he had worked for us let alone give him a character reference.

However if you look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airwork_Services you will see that Airwork did operate 14EFTS at Castle Bromwich and 44EFTS at Elmdon before merging them at Castle Bromwich. After takeover of the non-American operations by Vosper Thorycroft and later by Babcock International, I can only suggest that you contact them but I would not hold out much chance.
 
No more 747’s from BA..

“Amid grey clouds and rain in west London, British Airways' last two Heathrow-based Boeing 747s have made their final flights, after the airline brought forward their retirement because of the downturn in air travel during the coronavirus pandemic.”
50 years is a long time to be flying and still many of them being used as freighters. I used a BA 747 to ship equipment from India via London to Mexico City. The only plane large enough! Thanks Pedro!
 
A few images from a 1960s airport brochure. Viv.


The main concourse
E92707B0-02A7-4BE6-801E-7216DFF88A2D.jpeg

Customs control
D21C9196-AABA-4BA8-AF42-AF028D4D31A4.jpeg

First floor restaurant, viewing terrace and spacious bar in the International terminal building
B7305101-8B20-4271-9526-226717DDCF97.jpegBDFB972B-AA9C-4E45-B1F8-1FDC179E501A.jpeg1C766436-632B-4BEF-91A7-2B627E8B3555.jpeg

Duty Meteorological Observer taking temperature readings in the instrument enclosure.
F5039EFD-228D-4FDB-81BC-D728CC4021B3.jpeg

Aeriel view.
585380C6-2947-4F61-ACBD-84DE4E5B7528.jpeg


The brochure front cover
9CAA1C7E-B9D5-4C18-BA29-610DF079E3DD.jpeg
 
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A few images from a 1960s airport brochure. Viv.


The main concourse
View attachment 153700

Customs control
View attachment 153701

First floor restaurant, viewing terrace and spacious bar in the International terminal building
View attachment 153702View attachment 153703View attachment 153704

Duty Meteorological Observer taking temperature readings in the instrument enclosure.
View attachment 153705

Aeriel view.
View attachment 153699


The brochure front cover
View attachment 153707
Fantastic it was a fab old building and we had some lovely time plane spotting in the 50's 60's
 
Two lovely 1939 views of the airport. The first air- liner. Viv.98D38FD1-D664-46FF-A2EE-B0426CE9B75F.jpegEF62108E-F221-48AD-85FC-E21793844920.jpeg
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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I vaguely remember being at the opening of the Airport in 1939 as a 9 year old child, my father worked for Bryant's the main contractors for building the airport and all employees and their family's where invited to the opening. Eric
 
Eric. Would have loved to have seen the airport building when it opened, with all its original features and pristine. Viv.
 
Vivienne, MY late Wife and I actually flew from the old/original airport in the late 70's to Tunisia, no airbridges then you had to walk to the aircraft a Boeing 727 I think. I don't know when the new part opened, perhaps some one will enlighten me. Eric
 
Vivienne, MY late Wife and I actually flew from the old/original airport in the late 70's to Tunisia, no airbridges then you had to walk to the aircraft a Boeing 727 I think. I don't know when the new part opened, perhaps some one will enlighten me. Eric
I flew from the old terminal a few times in the 1970s and early 1980s but most of my international flights in those days I made by driving to Heathrow. The new terminal openned in 1984 and since then all my flights have been from Birmingham except for a couple from Gatwick.
 
David, I have always flew from Birmingham because I only live 3 miles away, apart from once from Heathrow and once from East Midlands. Eric
 
Morning everyone

Firstly thanks for the add to this wonderful forum.
Following on from the Austin Aero works thread we thought you may like to watch the attached video about the Elmdon Airport Terminal.
Both Gary and myself have an interest in the 1940s time period, with Gary also being a big band vocalist.
We put this video together to show a little of the history and published it to coincide with the anniversary of the opening.

Travel back in time with Gary and enjoy the terminal in all it's magnificence.

Excellent video,brought back so many memories of my plane spotting days at Elmdon.Much appreciated.
 
oh happy days my mom was a waitress there for many years,the airport christmas parties were great and every now and again the were air shows with blackburn beverley and bristol freighters royal navy helecopters which we went all over,on bank holidays the viewing area were packed a proper day out.
thanks again
 
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