East African Airways meets West African Airways in Maiduguri. This was certainly not a regular destination for EAA. Ex 43-48345, KJ822 and G-AKDT, the Dakota only served EAA from June 1950 until late 1952. Later registrations F-BGOU, ET-ACZ, F-OCRR, 6V-ACZ and CR-GBL. The Bristol Freighter is VR-NAD. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Like VR-NAA, this aircraft had a brief history with Central African Airways of Rhodesia before going to West African Airways Corporation in 1949. A 1000 m airstrip opened at Maiduguri in 1950. The photographer was on a trip to Khartoum. See photo 635076 for a clear view of the tailfin. WAAC offered cheap passenger flights with its Freighter fleet. VR-NAD crashed on a flight between Enugu and Calabar on 5 February 1955 due to structural failure of the left wing. All 13 on board lost their lives. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Delivered to Central African Airways of Rhodesia in October 1948 as VP-YHZ. To West African Airways Corporation in 1949 as VR-NAA, supposedly named Niger. Arrived at Southend on 31 March 1957 to become G-AIFO of Channel Airways, who adopted WAAC's green and gold livery without the elephant logo. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Possibly photographed at Kano. Aircraft sold to Lancashire Aircraft Corporation in 1951. Withdrawn at Stansted in 1960. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Another rare photograph of a BOAC Hermes in Lagos. In the background is a Bristol Freighter of West African Airways Corporation. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Ex 42-23546, FD862. To BOAC as G-AGHP in August 1943. Reported ferried to Tripoli, Libya on 11 October 1943. Listed as based at Bristol - Whitchurch at the end of 1945. The logo with the word Speedbird is thought to be postwar. Dakotas carried out the UK - Lagos route, via Lisbon and Bathurst, until July 1947. G-AGHP was seriously damaged at Croydon in August 1947, which thwarted a transfer to Hong Kong Airways - VR-HDO not taken up. To BEA in December 1948. Converted to Leopard class freighter in 1953. Crashed in France in 1958 carrying a Formula 1 car engine for the Vanwall team to Nice for the Monaco Grand Prix. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

The Hermes 4 entered BOAC service in 1950 and proving flights on the West Africa route to Kano, Lagos and Accra began in June. The type was already replaced two years later by the Canadair C-4 Argonaut, although it made a brief comeback with BOAC in 1954 after the grounding of the DH Comet. We made a different crop of the same original photo for the West African Airways Corporation Dove, VR-NIB. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Sir Hubert crashed on landing at Port Harcourt on 26 September 1958. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

We made another crop of the same original photo for the BOAC Hermes 4, G-ALDE, which dates the picture between 1950 and probably 1952, or 1954 at the latest. Dove VR-NIB was delivered in early 1948. To Channel Airways as G-APAG in 1957. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Maintenance in a hangar at Ikeja. VR-NIX to VR-NBA at an unknown date. To 5N-AAA after Nigerian independence in 1960. Aircraft still carries the Union Jack here as well as the De Havilland logo. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

The registration can just be read off. Certificate of airworthiness for VR-NIT issued on 31 March 1948. To Morton Air Services as G-ANVC in September 1954. Photo taken at Calabar. Note: Wikipedia say that DNCA did not open until 1983. It is close to the city's Old Town, however, so the old airport is assumed to be the same place. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Certificate of airworthiness for VR-NOB issued on 9 November 1948. To G-AROG in 1961. Withdrawn from use at Biggin Hill in 1964. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Registration confirmed by another picture. West African Airways Corporation (WAAC) was originally run by the governments of Nigeria, Gambia, the Gold Coast (Ghana) and Sierra Leone, but was continued by Nigeria alone from 1958, becoming Nigeria Airways. VR-NET to G-AOZW in 1957. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Replaced by Ikeja in 1942, Apapa airport in Lagos is almost forgotten. This photo was certainly taken there, presumably in early 1938, when a similar shot of Dione was published with the following caption: 'The Air Mail at Apapa, Lagos. A weekly air mail and passenger service is now in regular operation between Lagos and London. The service is by Kano and Khartoum.' G-ADFF is to DH.86B standard with auxiliary tailfins, which were fitted in April-May 1937. Damaged here at Lagos on 21 March 1939. Transferred to BOAC and to Egypt in 1940. Impressed as AX760 in 1941. Damaged at Lydda in November 1941 and written off in 1942. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Delia was sent Africa in late March 1936. In October 1937 it started a new route between Lagos and Accra on the Gold Coast, operated by Elders Colonial Airways from Freetown. Photo believed taken at Lagos - Apapa. Delia was transferred to the Far East in June 1938. Returned to Africa by BOAC, Delia crashed at Minna, Nigeria on 17 June 1941. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

This Express was flown out to Khartoum in early 1936 to survey a new air route from Sudan to Nigeria. The source says the photo was taken at Apapa in Lagos and we think this is correct, though flights initially terminated at Kano pending improvement of Apapa. Daedalus was transferred to the Far East in late 1937. It catched fire and burnt at Bangkok in December 1938. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

K3163 visited Nigeria together with K3611. The trees on the far left are strikingly similar to those in photo 634066, confirming this is Apapa airport in Lagos, then being reclaimed from a swamp. The serial is painted as KR3163, which seems to indicate that this is a rebuilt Victoria. This airframe also appears in photo 633832, in which it looks much the same. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

'In May [1937]', a Royal Air Force flight visited Nigeria, consisting of 2 Valentia and 5 Vincent type aircraft.' The seven planes are seen flying in formation in other photos by Mr Duckworth. The airport at Kano had opened in 1936 and Apapa aerodrome was being reclaimed from a swamp. The second Valentia is K3163 / N. Photo by: Edward Duckworth / Northwestern University Libraries, Illinois

Crashed at Kaduna on November 14, 1950. Photo from: Abilene Christian University / University of Southern California

Forced landed in the Sahara in Mauritania after becoming lost and low on fuel. Copilot died of exhaustion but the other 17 on board were rescued. Photo from: Abilene Christian University / University of South California