IN-FLIGHT Over the Years by Paul Tomlin

A selection of photographs taken IN-FLIGHT over the years by Paul Tomlin

V11 Army Air Corps Saunders-Roe Skeeter arriving at Manchester-Barton : June 29, 1964 edendale.co.uk photo by © Paul Tomlin

Those were the days when RAF squadrons wore eye-catching colours. Lightning XM184 wears 111 Squadron’s yellow / black markings at Alconbury : May 23, 1964. photo by © Paul Tomlin

The Cranfield College of Aeronautics was involved in the Napier Icing Research programme, using Avro Lincoln G-APRJ / G-36-3. pictured at Cranfield : May 26, 1963. U.S. Army de Havilland DHC-3 Otter refuels at Burtonwood : May 20, 1967 photo by © Paul Tomlin photo by © Paul Tomlin

TV personality Hughie Green used this Cessna 336 G-ASLL to commute to his ‘Double Your Money’ weekly programme recorded in West Didsbury, Manchester. He would also use the aircraft to fly along the Berlin corridors, where he was bounced by a MiG on one occasion. Pictured at London-Heathrow on October 27, 1963. de Havilland DH.63 Hummingbird, G-EBHX. noted at Hatfield : June 26, 1965. photo by © Paul Tomlin photo by © Paul Tomlin

No.27 Maintenance Unit at RAF Shawbury has a long history of storing, maintaining, and scrapping RAF aircraft. This picture shows a Jet Provost, Avro Anson and Handley Page Hastings at Shawbury, March 8, 1968. photo by © Paul Tomlin

Withdrawn from service, Royal Air Force Blackburn Beverleys were flown to Shawbury for scrapping. XM105 wearing 30 Squadron Middle East markings is pictured at Shawbury on March 8, 1968.

Elsewhere on the airfield the scrapping of Handley Page Hastings and Avro Shackletons was in progress. Former Royal Navy Fairey Gannet XA397 arrives at Manchester Airport April 1959. Believed used in the Indonesian Navy contract. photo by © Paul Tomlin photo by © Paul Tomlin

Short Scion G-AEZF pictured at Southend, April 12, 1964. The good news is this aircraft is on a slow rebuild by the Medway Aircraft Preservation Society. photo by © Paul Tomlin

Burnaston airfield near Derby was a grass aerodrome, and home base to Derby Airways (later British Midland). Pictured are two of the airline’s Handley Page Marathons, (G-AMGW), which operated scheduled services around the country including Manchester Airport. photo by © Paul Tomlin : July 22, 1962 photo by © Paul Tomlin

Delivered to Railway Air Services in March 1935, DH.84 Dragon, G-ADDI, had a long and varied career over the years. Pictured at Blackpool on June 18. 1961, ready for its next pleasure flight around the Tower.

Air Navigation & Trading Company (ANT) acquired ‘DDI in March 1951. The aircraft remained with ANT until its sale in April 1963 to Aero Enterprises / Chrisair. In November 1970 it was sold to Mike Kimbrel at Oakville, WA, USA, becoming N34DH. photo by © Paul Tomlin

de Havilland DH-89A Dragon Rapide G-AJKW at Blackpool : August 10, 1962.

Originally delivered to the RAF in 1941, the aircraft was acquired by the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation based at Blackpool in March 1947. G-AJKW was later purchased by Walter Westoby (Westair) in June 1957. Blackpool’s Air Navigation & Trading Company (ANT) bought the aircraft in May 1963. Three years later it was sold to the Skydivers Flying Club (22 SAS Regiment) at Hereford. Following a landing accident at Halfpenny Green on May 7,1967, it was withdrawn from use and parted out. photo by © Paul Tomlin : Barton June 20, 1962

Built in 1947, Auster Autocrat G-AJRC was acquired by the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and operated from their base at Samlesbury airfield from May 1949, until transferred to Skyways in February 1955.

It was acquired by Westair in June 1956, operating from their Blackpool base until sold to the Lancashire Aero Club in April 1959, later moving on to the Hampshire School of Flying in December 1962, following the introduction of the new Piper PA-22 Colts at LAC. photo by © Paul Tomlin

With many new light aeroplane designs coming into Europe from America, the surviving British manufacturers tried to compete by tarting up their flagging elderly designs. Built in 1960 Auster D6/180 G-ARCS was one such example, photographed at Barton : August 19, 1961. Visiting Army Air Corps Auster AOP.9 XP279 pictured at Barton June 23, 1962. photo by © Paul Tomlin photo by © Paul Tomlin : Barton : June 29, 1964

Saunders-Roe Skeeter XM561 brings LAC club president Tom Dugdale, back to Barton, following a trip around the block.

Opened in 1960, the M63 High Level Bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) is in the background - renumbered M60 in 1999. Originally built as a two-lane motorway, construction had started in 1957.

XM561 is now preserved at the AeroVenture Museum, Doncaster. photo by © Paul Tomlin

Vulcan B1A XH475 landing back at RAF Waddington during the base’s annual Battle of Britain day : September 18, 1965.

Delivered to the RAF in February 1958. XH475 was Struck off Charge on November 6, 1967 and transferred to a ground training maintenance role (7996M). It was sold as scrap April 2, 1976. photo by © Paul Tomlin

The prototype Handley Page Hastings TE580 seen in September 1962. with the CAA Fire Training Unit at Stansted.

The Hastings prototype (TE580) first flew on the May 7, 1946. The first production aircraft (designated Hastings C1) entered service in October 1948. In service the aircraft was operated by a crew of five and could accommodate either 30 paratroopers, 32 stretchers and 28 sitting casualties or 50 fully equipped troops. A total of 147 aircraft were built for the Royal Air Force and four for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, making a combined total of 151. photo by © Paul Tomlin : Wymeswold : June 15, 1962

Bit of an odd ball in more ways than one. Miles (HPR) Marathon was sold to Air Navigation & Trading Co. Ltd. at Blackpool and registered to them as G-AMHV on September 18, 1958. Prior to this it had served with West African Airways (Lagos, Nigeria).

In March 1961 ANT sold the aircraft to a Canadian company, H.L. Dobb / North-Air Helicopters Ltd. The aircraft was flown to Field Aircraft Services engineering base at Wymeswold, Leicestershire, to be prepared for its delivery flight as CF-NUH. For reasons unknown, the aircraft was never delivered to Canada, and was eventually scrapped at Wymeswold. photo by © Paul Tomlin

Aces High provided aircraft for the weekly television series ‘Airline’, which featured the exploits of Ruskin Air Services. DC-3 G-DAKS is seen masquerading as ‘G-AGHY’ in the hangar at Blackpool : February 10, 1981. photo by © Paul Tomlin - November 19, 1979

Handley Page Herald G-BAZJ was the first British Island Airways aircraft to be painted in the blue colours of Air UK. Pictured at 3,000 feet abeam the Lake District, on air test from the airline’s engineering base at Blackpool. (Top) Capitol Airways Lockheed 1049E Super Constellation N9718C parked at London Heathrow : September 5, 1962. (Below) North American B-25J Mitchell, N58TA owned by Television Associates, noted at London Gatwick : May 18, 1965

Tim Kilroe also owned Aer Arann, a BN2 Islander operator based on the Arann Islands on Ireland’s west coast. It was decided to launch a scheduled service linking Dublin to Derry, which would be flown initially by a PA31 Chieftain. For the grand launch of the service the Irish prime minister was flown on the specially titled Kingair. Both aircraft are seen ready to position over to Dublin from Air Kilroe’s base at Manchester Airport. photo by © Paul Tomlin

Britannia B737 G-BECH May 18, 1980 MAN-Tangiers-MAN Following the collapse of Laker Airways early in 1982, Sureway Holidays parent company Pennine Holdings brought forward plans to start their own airline.

Air Manchester operations began in June 1982, under the British Air Ferries (BAF) AOC.

G-SURE pushes back off stand for a flight to Palma, June 6, 1982. photo by © Paul Tomlin Cockpit view from Dan Air Comet G-APME landing at Corfu May, 1976 : Mouse Island at right of picture.

Blackpool Airport in the early 1960s was a hive of activity with frequent daily flights to the Isle of Man, Belfast and Dublin. Silver City DC-3, G-AMPZ, ’City of Dublin’ is pictured parked on the main apron between flights : August 10,1962 photo by © Paul Tomlin

The early 1960s saw the Vickers Viscount in wide spread use, not only with national carriers, but up-and-coming start-ups and package tour operators. Cunard Eagle Viscount G-AOCB was photographed at London Heathrow : October 19, 1963. The aircraft later served with Invicta, and British Midland Airways. photo by © Paul Tomlin

Dan Air Avro York freighter arrives on stand at Manchester, February 27, 1960. The aircraft was on the scheduled evening BEA cargo flight from Glasgow to London-Heathrow. Lightning 4-ship departure at Gütersloh (WG) - afterburners kicking in on the front pair.

(Top) British Aerospace - Marconi Avionics XW626 Comet 4 AEW : Woodford June 20, 1979. (Below) XW665 Nimrod R1 : Woodford : November 10, 1971. photos by © Paul Tomlin Manchester : August 22, 1985

British Airtours Boeing 737-200 G-BGJL, carrying 131 passengers and 6 crew, suffered a port engine explosion on its take-off roll. Abandoning the take-off, the aircraft made a right turn to clear the runway at Link ‘D’. The prevailing wind blew flames onto the port side fuselage, necessitating a stop and evacuation. 55 persons onboard lost their lives, including 2 cabin crew.