I had never heard of this unlicensed Hampshire airfield until a few weeks before. A delightful place with a 1000m grass runway and aircraft parked in a clearing amongst the trees. A fly-in was taking place and this was taken from Vans RV-6 G-RVST. Many thanks to Jeff Rooney for the flight

The period interior of the initial Ringway terminal's interior just days after the official opening of the airport and facility. There are just two check-in counters. The nearest is for Railway Air Services and Isle of Man Air Services. The farthest is for KLM's DC-2 operation to Schiphol. The glass doors lead to a public restaurant as large as the check-in area. Obtained from Manchester Airport Archive 50 years ago.

Visible in this overall view of Barton are three Tiger Moths of the resident No. 2 Reserve Flying School which formed on 1 October 1948 and was disbanded on 31 March 1953.

Northern Air Lines Avro 504K G-EBVW is at the left of this 1930 image of the main hangar at Barton, with G-EASF at centre. Photo obtained 40 years ago.

Vertical shot of Speke at the war's end. Over 600 aircraft are visible including 340 silver P-51 Mustangs of the USAAF awaiting shipment to the USA. Also identifiable are nine B-24 Liberators. Obtained 40 years ago.

The interior of Ringway's 1938-built Control Tower as it was fitted out in the late 1950's. Obtained from the airport archive 40 years ago.

An aerial view of Barton looking NE just after the War's end. Many wartime prefabricated buildings are evident. An Avro Anson I stands just below the 1933 Control Tower. Obtained over 40 years ago.

Manchester's new control tower shortly after its commissioning in April 1961. The new terminal, now T1, was opened for public use on 3 December 1962.

LAC's Rapide G-AKNV is refuelling at the right. The 1938-built terminal and hangar has 'Manchester Ringway' marked on its roof. '28' on the Control Tower tells pilots of non-radio equipped aircraft of the runway in use. Also visible are an Aer Lingus Dakota, two Miles Geminis and a dark Percival Proctor.

Seen from the west with the railway roundhouse in the background

Straddling the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire border and close to Nottinghamshire too, the former RAF Bottesford had a very short life. It opened in Autumn 1941 with Avro Manchesters but soon converted to Lancasters. It was transfered to USAAF use in August 1943 for the reception of Dakotas from the USA. Returned to the RAF for heavy bomber training in late 1944, flying had more or less finished by the end of 1945 and though used for a short time for storage it was sold in 1948. It is largely used for industrial purposes and car storage. Taken from a Tiger Moth, G-ANFI and with thanks to Geoff Graham for the magnificent flight.

Barton's control tower was built in early 1933 and is believed to be the oldest still in use in Europe. It originally had a large aerial array on top of the structure, but this is not now needed because of radio development in the ensuing decades. Compare with image 2113221 taken in 1934.

A vertical view of Ringway's south side scrapping area with the aircraft dispersals occupied by 44 Allison-engined North American Mustang I's, 27 Lockheed Hudsons and 26 Lockheed Venturas. All are ex RAF and now destined to become frying pans and ploughshares. Obtained from the UK CAA over 60 years ago.

Manchester horse races has attracted five charter aircraft to Barton today. Four DH Dragon Rapides and Airspeed AS.65 Consul G-AIOS of Morton Air Services with passengers from Dunsfold.

The airfield at Strendene is a little private airstrip with a windsock and a small hangar

North Luffenham in Rutland opened as a training base in 1940 but it became a heavy bomber base in 1944 after hard runways were laid. The airfield closed in 1997 when it became an Army base, St George's Barracks

Spanhoe airfield was opened as Spanhoe Lodge in 1943 and was closed in 1945. It is now an unlicensed general aviation field with runway 27 visible here having been part of the taxyway of the original airfield. It was USAAF Station 493 and was largely used for troop transport for the Normandy invasion. Seen from Auster G-AJYB from about 1000 feet

The control tower at LFPL, one of the Parisian general aviation airfields. King Air N9QN is reflected in the windows.

Seen from the north

The control tower of Ruteng, in the mountains of Flores.