The last Comets

Welcome,

Make sure your wearing your thermals, and bring a flask of hot tea. Its January 1981 the temperature is just above freezing and there are heavy snow showers forecast, but this is an opportunity not to be missed, we all had our last flight on a Dan Air Comet last month courtesy of Ian Allan travel, and now is our last chance to photograph the remains of the Dan Air fleet before the scrap merchant wields the cutting wheel over them. The heater is running full blast in the Vauxhall Chevette so lets head off to Lasham before the snow gets worse.

Set against a snow filled sky G-BDIX

G-BDIV

G-BDIW which operated the last enthusiasts flights

The fate awaiting the remainder, an unidentified cockpit

Dan Air's Boeing 707 G-AXTG being dismantled for spare parts

An unusual Boeing 737 in for maintenance wearing a taped on registration F-GCGR in the colours of Linhas Aereas De Angola

Another Boeing 707 being made into spare parts Scimitar's G-BFZF

At this point we unfortunately make a hurried exit as nephew Reggie having assured us he was  on good terms with the hangar foreman and we could  photograph the aircraft inside, gets us thrown out of the Dan Air Maintenance area. So we warm up the Chevette and say farewell to  Lasham fast disappearing  into the gathering dusk and blowing snow.

All photographs are available to order as 6" x 4" prints @ 50p each plus £1-50 p&p. email orders quoting the rps number to retrospotting@gmail.com  at the moment I can only accept payment in by cheque in GBP drawn on a UK bank. Prints posted to UK addresses only.

A Trip to Luton

       Welcome to the new blog,  grab your Zenith B,  jump into the back of the mini van  and join us  as we wind our way down memory lane for a day's classic spotting at Luton.

                         Seen early one morning a rare  one off visitor, Finmaps Pacaero Learstar ( conversion of a       Lockheed Lodestar)  OH-MAP

      Another rare sight  outside Britannia's hangar, Bahamasair Boeing 737 C6-BEI arriving for maintenance.

A long time resident of the Luton Graveyard the former A.M.A.Z Britannia G-BEPX cut down to save space as an engine testbed. Also very useful for putting the wind up nervous passengers when parked outside the terminal. One day when passing the graveyard there was a large piece of security fence missing, apparently PX having had its breaking sytem disconnected when it was modified, had been parked briefly without chocks,  inevitably gravity decided the slope on the graveyard was sufficient for some fun and away it ran by itself  through the security fence  stopping inches from the McAlpine hangar when the nosewheel sank into the grass.

Dropping in to refuel on a rainy day another unusual visitor KLMs S61 PH-NZK

An old favourite taxying past, Monarch's Britannia G-ANCF. It is said that the Britannia was the first aircraft where the pilot wasn't connected to the controls and the engines weren't connected to the propellers, the controls being operated by spring tabs with artificial feel for the pilots, and the props powered by a free turbine in the exhaust.

Todays last unusual visitor to the executive apron is Skyvan 9M-AXN

As the mini van roars off into the sunset, we wave goodbye to Uncle Roger and Reggie and hope you enjoyed your day at Luton, and look forward to seeing you again in classic aviation land.

All photo's on this blog are available to order as  6" x 4" prints @ 50p each plus £1-50 p&p (postal service only available to UK addresses), please email your requirements to retrospotting@gmail.com  at the moment I can only accept cheques in GBP drawn on a UK bank.