One of two French Navy Dakota's from 56S visiting Luton on a training flight. This one is the former USAAF 42-100521 which operated in Europe during WWII. To the US civil register as NC65384 on 26 Apr 1948. To N308SF on 26 Mar 1953. To N45V on 28 Feb 1962. To the Aeronavale as 18954 on 05 Mar 1963, later to 84. To the US as N98BF in Sep 1985 for Basler Flight Services. To Dodson Int' Corp as N308SF on 11 Aug 1992. Shipped to Coventry on 17 Jan 2017 where restoration is carrying on to restore her as 42-100521. Eventually to be based at Membury in flying condition.

One of two French Navy Dakota's from 56S visiting Luton on a training flight. This one is the former USAAF 42-23936 and operated during WWII in North Africa and Europe. Later going to CSA as OK-WDU until 1958. From 1958 to 1983 with the Aeronavale as 36. in 1983 to France as F-GEOM with Stellair and later Transvalair. To the UK in 1994 as G-DAKK with Classic Airways, South Coast Airways and Air Atlantique. In 2006 moved to storage at the Aviadrome in Lelystad. Currently with Classic Wings for restoration. Registration G-DAKK still current in 2024.

Although BMA flew from Luton this was a Heathrow weather diversion. Delivered to Lufthansa on 05 Oct 1958 as D-ALUN. To Nora Air Services on 26 Jul 1971. To BMA on 12 Feb 1972 as G-BAPF. To SE-FOY with Skyline Sweden on 15 Oct 1975. Back to BMA as G-BAPF in May 1978. To Baltic Airlines in Mar 1988 and did various leases with Gambia Air Shuttle and Hot Air. WFU and stored at Southend in Jun 1991. To Moreton-in-the-Marsh for fire training in Mar 1992.

The start of the end for Monarch's Boeing 720 fleet with the first Boeing 757 being delivered into Luton on 22 Mar 1983. This is the former G-AZNX ----- Delivered new on lease to TWA as N793TW on 27 Aug 1961. To Northwest as N732US on 01 Jul 1968. To Monarch Airlines as G-AZNX on 23 Mar 1972. To Jet Charter S (Jet 24) as N24666 in Mar 1983. To Davis Monthan on 21 Jun 1983 for parts for the KC-135E re-engine programme. Broken up in Oct 1990.

A Heathrow weather diversion. Delivered new to Lufthansa as D-ABHF on 16 Jul 1981. To JETZ/LAN ac CC-CRP on 07 Nov 1996. Noted as LAN on 31 Mar 2004. To CC-CRP with Aerolineas Principal Chile on 25 Sep 2009. PWFU at SCL on 21 Aug 2014. Noted stored at SCL on 30 Mar 2016. Parked behind is a Monarch Airlines Boeing 720.

Delivered new to the West German register as D-CONO in Jun 1976. To the US as N70WW in Mar 1984. To Italy as I-NIKJ in Nov 1988. To N255RG in Apr 1991. To Canada as C-GCJD on 09 Jun 1994. To N354LQ on 24 Apr 1998. Still current in 2024. The new terminal is in construction in the back ground. This is when the terminal gained its red brick frontage. Contact Air were a familiar sight in those days with their brightly coloured Lears and Falcons.

Still in its former Royal Navy colour scheme. It used to be based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall with 750 NAS to train observers. (What the RAF called navigators and the US WSO's). First flight 12 Mar 1953. Delivered to the Royal Navy on 23 Apr 1953. WFU for storage at 5 MU on 26 Jun 1979. To the UK civil register as G-BRFC on 10 Sep 1980. To the USA as N7SY on 12 Nov 1999. Back to G-BFRC on 08 Aug 2006. Moved to the St Athan Museum in Aug 2018. Deregistered on 19 Nov 2020.

What a registration ! Delivered new to Soc' Ital-Avio SRL on the Italian register as I-DEAF in Jun 1981. To the US as N28GA in May 1993. Back to Italy as I-JESO on 21 Sep 2003. To Germany as D-CIAO in Apr 2007. Still current in 2024.

Short Brothers company Sherpa demonstrator. First flight 23 Dec 1982. Converted to a C-23A Sherpa in Dec 1988. WFU and stored in Nov 1996. Registration cancelled on 14 Nov 1996. Scrapped with the Forward fuselage preserved at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

New to Air Belgium on 20 Mar 1981 as OO-RVM. To Eagle Air as TF-VLK on 21 Apr 1981 lsd to Britannia Airways. To Air Belgium as OO-RVM on 08 Nov 1981. To Orion Airways as G-BKMS 01 Mar 1983. To Wien Air Alaska 10 Oct 1983. To America West as N143AW 05 Dec 1984. To Amberair as G-BKMS 06 Apr 1988. Merged into Paramount Airways Oct 1988. To Dragonair 01 Nov 1988. Reregistered to VR-HYZ 1989. To Sultanair as TC-JUS 1990. To Lithuanian Airlines as HA-LEH 1991. To LY-GPA 1992. To Aerosweet as UR-BVZ 1999. To Air Kazakstan as UR-B3705 2000. To Metro Batavia as PK-YTG 2004. Noted WFU CGK 28 Oct 2007.

Registered new to Canadair as C-GBOQ in Feb 1982. Delivered to Taubman Air Inc as N80AT on 18 Mar 1982. To N88AT in Mar 1986. To N66MF in Aug 1986. To N900DP in Nov 1996. To N900LG on 01 Jun 2005. To N275JP on 08 Feb 2016. Still current in 2024. In the background is Monarch B737-200 G-DFUB.

Delivered new to Guernsey Airlines as G-BITX on 15 May 1981. To British Air Ferries in Sep 1987. To Fairflight Charters in Feb 1988. To Gill Air on 15 Feb 1989. To Muk Air as OY-MUB on 19 Apr 1990. WFU at Bournemouth on 14 Apr 2001. Scrapped in 2001 with the fuselage going to Pocklington for use by a parachute club. Noted there in Dec 2014. Britannia's new Boeing 767 hangar is under construction in the background.

Taken at sunrise

Delivered new to the US register as N50FM on 12 Jun 1980. To N63A in May 1981. To NL Industries as N253L in Oct 1982. To N519CW on 15 May 2000. To N519EM on 03 Nov 2006. Still current in 2024.

Registered PT-SAV with Embraer in Mar 1980. Delivered new to Jersey European Airways as G-BHJY on 23 Mar 1980. To Euroair Transport in 1982 and seen here still in JEA colours. To National Airways in Aug 1987. To Servisair on 05 Dec 1988. To Euroair in Jun 1989. Reregistered to G-BTAA in May 1990. To BAC Charter in May 1990. To G-OEAA with Euroair on 06 Jan 1994 and leased to Knight Air. Crashed at Dunkeswick shortly after take off from Leeds-Bradford on 24 May 1996. All 12 on board were killed.

Winglets in 1983 ! The Learjet 55 was one of the first aircraft to adopt winglets which had been pioneered by NASA. Its then unusual look gained it the nick name 'Longhorn'. Delivered new to Vulcan Materials Co on the US register as N5574 on 20 Dec 1982. To N74GL in Mar 1988. To N151PJ in Apr 1995. To N701DB on 01 Oct 1999. To N155LR on 02 Jan 2001. To N905RL on 04 Dec 2006. To N755CL on 28 Jan 2013. To Alliance Air Parts on 28 Oct 2016 as a spares source and PWFU. Registration still current in 2024. In the background is a Monarch BAC-111-500.

Delivered new to the US register as N617GD in Apr 2013. To the Government of Azerbaijan as 4K-AI88 in March 2015 and operated by SW Business Aviation.