Among the many interesting airframes displayed by the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana outside their CATAM base at El Dorado is this rare Junkers W34. Although large numbers were built from 1926 as a development of the W33, only three survive world-wide, the other two in Sweden and Canada; 12 were once operated by the FAC, serving in the Colombia-Peru War of 1932-33

First to Southern in 6.68; scrapped at Ardmore, OK in 4.04 in Northwest colours

One of my earliest aviation memories is seeing this beauty arrive at Southend for maintenance in the late 'Sixties

This Viscount started life with Capital Airlines as N7440 in 9.56 and was wfu from 1.69. Aeropesca bought her in 6.74 and painted her in this eyecatching Aloha-style livery. Overstressed in flight on 31.3.91 and wfu at Medellin. Survives in a park there as a flight simulator!

This was one pleasing result of a stopover in Panama on my first trip to Colombia. A smart-looking machine which started off with Eastern as N5506 in 11.58 and was bought by COPA in 10.71. Seen here in their second Electra livery, she went into storage at Mojave in 7.86 and was later broken up there

Spare fuselage for your Heron, sir? The RMAF one was delivered to them in 6.63 as FM-1054 and bought by Prinair in 9.81, being allocated N588PR but only used for spares. The other five in Prinair's multi-colour liveries had at least seen service with them but not surprisingly all were scrapped

First scanned by request from the son of an Aerocondor and ARCA pilot that used to fly this DC-8. Taken under an angry sky on my way down to Colombia for the first time, this DC-8 is painted in quasi-Alitalia colours to match others in the fleet, but was actually ex-Braniff and in their red livery on acquisition in 2.80. First del to National as N875C in 4.62, becoming N812BN in 9.73. Wfu at MIA in 9.88. Had reg PR-SKY reserved but b/u by 2001

Not long for this world, these ex-United 720s were all scrapped early next year. Next to VP-HCP from right to left: VP-HCN, VP-HCQ, VP-HCO & VP-HCM

Previously N1002T with Flying Tiger and G-AZML with TMAC, bought in 10.80 by AEI (which changed name to Aeron International in 10.85) and continued to be seen regularly at Stansted. To Blue Bell Aviation (became Tradewinds) and stored at Greensboro, NC from early 1990s. Sold to a Zaire company in 1996 then to Trans Lloyd Cargo but remained in store till scrapped in 9.99

Rarely photographed in these colours, this Twin Otter was previously C-GNTD and N222BS and went to Arkia as 4X-AHZ in 4.89. Returned to the US in 5.97 as N533SW and operated for a period in the Virgin Islands on floats. Since 6.11 C-FAKB with Kenn Borek Air

Cudal was the base for Hazelton, which operated scheduled services from there. Hazelton is gone and the airport is now largely used for non-aviation purposes.