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Elmdon Airport

The R101 was based at Cardington in a huge hanger, it was were I completed my RAF basic training in 1948, we were told if you ran round the hanger 4 times you had run a mile. Eric
 
OK, I always assumed they were from Elmdon. Must have been fairly local though, Coventry maybe? They were pretty regular, not daily, but maybe 2 or 3 a week in the summer. Enough that they weren't a novelty, more 'here comes another airship'!

They weren't advertising blimps, though I can remember the Goodyear one well.
 
Looking on the Plane Finder App there seems to be just three arrivals at Elmdon today. In the 3D app you can follow the aircraft over earth view as it lands. Here are the screen shots of the early arrival from Dublin.
 

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Looking on the Plane Finder App there seems to be just three arrivals at Elmdon today. In the 3D app you can follow the aircraft over earth view as it lands. Here are the screen shots of the early arrival from Dublin.
i see that FedEx p properly del my junk
 
Hi.was based near and worked at the airport. people come back off there holidays and their car battery was flat.i had to jump-start the car.
i did not mind,plenty of duty free..back then.:grinning:
 
We are under one of the main flight paths to the USofA and have heard very few planes and seen very few contrails over the past week or so, in fact the most noticeable sound recently was a prop engine plane droning merrily away, but we could not see it. I use flightradar 24 to check out what is near and it has been very quiet.
Bo
 
There is a large installation (VOR) - looks like it belongs in Star Wars - on Berry Head. Most fights pass overhead - give or take a few miles. Quiet and again lack of contrails.
 
There is an Airship thread with a few photos but I don't think Elmdon is mentioned .... :)


The R101 Airship files over Birmingham in late 1929. When built it was the largest flying aircraft at 223m in length. It crashed on 5 October 1930 in France during its maiden overseas voyage, killing 48 of the 54 people on board.

R101 over Birmingham.jpg
 
The R101 Airship files over Birmingham in late 1929. When built it was the largest flying aircraft at 223m in length. It crashed on 5 October 1930 in France during its maiden overseas voyage, killing 48 of the 54 people on board.

View attachment 143635
They just fascinate me Something majestic about them.

I remember seeing a documentary about the R101 when I was a kid. The Hindenburg too. Hasn't put me off wanting to go in one though!
 
They just fascinate me Something majestic about them.
I remember seeing a documentary about the R101 when I was a kid. The Hindenburg too. Hasn't put me off wanting to go in one though!

I would too, now that Helium is more readily available!
 
I completed my RAF basic training at Cardington where the R101 was based, it's hanger is enormous both in area and height, we used to run round it and 4 laps was a mile. Re above post #652, I do not think that's Birmingham airport, the building is more symmetrical than that, could be wrong of course. Eric
 
Thanks Neville for correcting my error, probably the photo angle made it look wrong. Incidentally the B707 was the first a/c my late Wife flew on when we went to Malta in the late 70's. Eric
 
I completed my RAF basic training at Cardington where the R101 was based, it's hanger is enormous both in area and height, we used to run round it and 4 laps was a mile. Re above post #652, I do not think that's Birmingham airport, the building is more symmetrical than that, could be wrong of course. Eric
When I joined the RAF in 1954, Cardington was an induction station both for those who, like me, were going to sign on as regulars and National Servicemen. The most notable person there for his National Service, at the time I was there, was Colin Cowdray (cricketer). He was, apparently :confused:, unfit for RAF service!!
My billet was opposite one of the massive hangers: what an impressive structures!
1593603346409.png

This image (or something similar) will evoke mamories for many. All ready for the weekly inspection after the famous airmen's "Bull Night". ;)
1593603438600.png
My billet was immediatly opposite the massive hangars. Awesome as they say. I learned a few things that week end, one was never to play cards for money, I saw some men loose lots.
 
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If i remember rightly, the TAP service to Faro was from around the mid 1970's.

The Portugese national airline provided a couple of 707's for summer IT operations.

The transfer from the Elmdon side to the new side took place overnight, there wasn't any
phased changeover. Everything was moved overnight before the re-commencement
of services the following morning, quite an acheivment.
 
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