Farnborough 50'-59' scans

[itsafokker]

Some lovely pics here. I have to disagree though with jaguarfan - in most cases those piccies could almost have been taken yesterday during a walkround of a good museum - Duxford or the like. It's the one of the Javelin with the Gloster Aircraft panel van that looks obviously 50's

Would you think I’m being bitchy if I disagree with you!

It looks soooo 1950s, two Buccaneers, armed Sea Vixen, men in plastic macs, Gnats, Hunters, an air of informality, White Vulcan and no crowds. There’s even a flat cap in the second batch. Wonderful stuff!

The only thing that looks modern in some is the cloudy airshow weather!

David

[GrahamS]

Those are absolutely terrific photos.

Love the white Victor and Vulcan and the Buccaneer (are they prototypes?)

Good stuff

Thanks for sharing.

Graham

[carlstavros]

Thanks for sharing, I would have loved to be around during that era, so many different types compared to what is around now.

[Skii]

Wonderful photos, thankyou for posting

[John B (Sc)]

Wonderful photos.

Yes, Ian is right. That is Admiral Mountbatten in picture 26. Presumably as First Sea Lord, a post which he held till late '59. He then became Chief of the Defence Staff. (No longer Imperial Defence Staff by then!)

In picture 27, the chap in the centre is Lord Hailsham. He was First Lord of the Admiralty in 1957, later Lord President of the Council (by '59). Essentially number 2 to MacMillan for all practical purposes.

I think those shots have to be 1960-ish.

The Buccaneers are development batch machines. Probably 1960, since the name Buccaneer was given in August 1960. That is most likely XL488 your Grandad is in front of, given the colour scheme. I guess he was there because of the DH Gyron Junior engines powering her. XL488 was used for Gyron Junior development work by DH. Could be XL489.

The Whirlwind is I think the first Gnome turbine conversion. The Vulcan is a Mk1, later variant since it has the kinked wing.

Single seat Lightning is a late Development batch machine, preliminary to the F MK1 production run. No name shown, strange. It first flew in 1959. The Lightning was christened at Farnborough 1959.

I think the two seater may be the second machine, XL629. The first , XL628, only appeared at Farnborough '59 before going in to the Irish Sea after a supersonic roll caused the fin to depart. It had a black spine, lightning flash and the name on the nose. That means the shot was taken at Farnborough 1960 or later.

The famous Hunter two seater G-APUX was at Farnborough in both '59 and '60.

I see a BEA Dart Herald in the background. They used three, ex- South American demo machines on the Scottish Highlands and Islands services. So they spent much time at our local airfield, Dyce..

Thanks a great deal Chris. Very evocative shots. I saw one or two of these machines a few years later in the Sixties at Farnborough as a youngster. And yes, shows in those days were that casual. You could walk right up to the machines especially on the Trade days, talk to designers and test pilots, even senior people from buyer nations sometimes. Had I only known, I should have had an autograph album !

John B

Edited May 6, 2010 by John B (Sc)

[Paul]

Thanks for sharing, it makes you wish you were there. (even if you were there probably!)