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Elmdon Airport Birmingham International Airport

That is certainly a Lancaster, I flew many times on that particular a/c during my days on 82 (PR) Squadron as a w/op 1949 to 51, that brings back pleasant memories ! My Avatar shows me sitting on a Lanc's inboard engine, might be that particular a/c. Thanks Stitcher. Eric
 
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On Sunday 10th July 1977 I had to go on business to Russia and with the Cold War on I was not too pleased. At Birmingham Airport I got on a British Midland Short 360 for a nice slow flight to London Heathrow.
Short 360 at Birmingham
Short360.jpg
At LHR I boarded an Aeroflot Ilyushin 62 and flew to Moscow.
Ilyushin 62.
Aeroflot_Ilyushin_Il-62_-_CCCP-86471.jpg
After a week in Russia I boarded a BEA Trident Jet flying from Moscow to London. At London our British Midland flight back to Birmingham was cancelled for technical reasons but we managed to get a BEA flight and to our surprise the aircraft was the same one which we had flown in from Moscow. Tridents were not usually flown from LHR to BHX and being a very fast aircraft the runway to runway time was less than 20 minutes but we managed to get a gin and tonic in before we landed at 10:30 pm Friday 15th July. Very early next morning I drove to Woolacombe in North Devon ...
A BEA Trident by the Elmdon Terminal Building.
BEA Trident.JPG
I had put a photo of my itinerary and ticket for the trip in post#238
 
oldmohawk, I too flew on a Short 360 to Heathrow on my way to Bordeaux for a painting holiday and on returning to Bham we sustained a puncture on landing, the pilot would not taxi it in because of possible u/c damage so we had to wait for an airport coach to collect us. Am I correct in thinking that a/c was called a 'shoebox' ? Eric
 
Hi Eric, some people did call it a shoebox and others called it a shed. It was not pressurised so usually cruised at about 8000ft flying down to London giving a good view of the countryside unless you sat in seats in line with the propellors because those seats had no windows.
oldmohawk
 
Only two complete Wellingtons in existence in the world.
The RAF Museums example undergoing a complete refurbishment at Cosford, and the one bought up from Loch Ness in the 70s now at Brooklands Air Museum Weybridge Surrey.
 
cookie273uk said:
oldmohawk, I too flew on a Short 360 to Heathrow on my way to Bordeaux for a painting holiday and on returning to Bham we sustained a puncture on landing, the pilot would not taxi it in because of possible u/c damage so we had to wait for an airport coach to collect us. Am I correct in thinking that a/c was called a 'shoebox' ? Eric
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I few a few time in a Shorts 360 from Birmingham to Belfast Harbour Airport (now George Best Airport) with Jersey Aviation (now flybe). I used to call it the flying portacabin. I believe the cargo version was called a SkyVan. In the early days, Belfast Harbour was just a wooden shed at the end of the Shorts Bros runway.
 
The airport around 1939 (edit). The image is probably older than the postcard as its captioned as "Birmingham Airport". Viv.

image.jpeg
 
Did wonder about that Badpenny. It was labelled 1967 but I thought the planes in the foreground looked older and the airport looks very undeveloped. Although maybe it was like that in the 60s. No idea. Maybe someone can advise. Viv.
 
That photo looks probably around 1939, just before the official opening. When the war was declared the buildings were camouflaged . It was repainted back to all white sometime after the end of the war.
The aircraft in the foreground look like RAF Miles Magisters, together with a civilian Tiger Moth.
The airfield was further developed in the 1950s and 60s.
The photo is definatly not from that period.
 
You have a fine set of photos of Elmdon Stitcher. Any idea of dates (roughly) ? Thanks for posting. Viv.
 
Hello Vivienne, I am sorry to say that I have no Idea about dates because I have always made the mistake of just putting things on one side with every intention of acting in an organise manner a little but I never get round to the details.
 
Not to worry Stitcher. They're great photos. Sure someone could put dates to them as and when. Enjoying seeing these. The last one is yet another interesting one. Presume the plane must have been for the lady stepping out of the car. Maybe 1940s ? Viv.
 
I think that is all I have on Elmdon, but I still have a few folders to go through.
 
In the 1970s I regularly went on business trips to the continent and often flew on British Airways BAC 1-11 aircraft (one of my favourites) and might have even flown on this one shown parked by the old terminal. We boarded using the retractable stairs under the tail and after take-off and climb we settled down to be served with a nice meal and a small bottle of champers as we flew out over the east coast. At the end of the meal they offered minature bottles of liqueur ... such was air travel in those times ...:)
BAC 111 Bham__iOS.jpg
 
Two pics which interest me.
The first shows a T11 Vampire jet in the foreground. I used to service them during my time in the RAF at Topcliffe and remember replacing the oxygen cylinders was a very difficult job because they were situated deep in the fuselage, the designers had not thought about maintenance. The aircraft immediately behind is a Navy Gannet.
VAMPIRE T11Apr1960.jpg
The second pic shows a Miles/Handley Page Marathon (Derby Aviation) which had 4 piston engines. They were not successful as airliners and most finished up with the RAF as navigational trainers. I serviced and had test flights in these aircraft (mentioned in the National Service thread) and one thing I remember is hanging my parachute on a rack ready to grab if anything went wrong ...:)
Marathon Viscount.jpg
 
Co Op at Elmdon..jpg
I do not have a date for this picture of a Co-Op lorry leaving the airport after loading meat from an aircraft.
 
Post 317 from Stitcher. 1st photo was probably taken only 2 to 3 years ago. Aircraft to the right is an Antonov 12 Russian built freighter. So 2014 or 2015.
2nd photo a little more recent. Note the demolition of what was the old International departure and arrival building, still there on 1st photo,this was demolished in the last couple of years so probably 2015 or 2016.
3rd and 4th photo around the same time period 2015 or 2016.
Post 320 from Stitcher , I would say pre war 1939. Note Hangers 2 and 3 not yet built.
The aircraft is a Percival Q6, The private executive aircraft of that time. Not many built.
OldMohawk Post 325. 1st photo was taken at the airport open day on 2nd April 1960. Blackburn Beverly aircraft to the extreme right. The day was to celebrate the return of the airport back to Birmingham City council control.
2nd photo Miles Marathon, non now in existence. Derby Aviation later to become British Midland was the largest civilian operator of the type.
Last photo looking at the early Aer Lingus scheme probably 1949 or early 1950s. See the later scheme in post 316 from Stitcher.
Hope this info is of some interest.
Great photos, particularly the early ones. Keep them coming Stitcher and OldMohawk.
 
Elmdon Boy said:
2nd photo Miles Marathon, non now in existence. Derby Aviation later to become British Midland was the largest civilian operator of the type.
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I had an interesting experience with a propeller of a Marathon aircraft mentioned in the National Service thread
oldMohawk said:
Thinking of 'near misses' I had during National Service, I can remember one I had when I was standing on the top of a step ladder leaning over a four bladed propeller checking a sensor on one of the four engines. I had opened all the ignition circuit breakers but didn't allow for an idiot sitting in the cockpit who saw a big red starter button and for some reason pressed it. Suddenly I was lifted off the step ladder as the prop started to turn and found myself sitting on top of the engine.
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