Display complete and now taxiing back to Parking. (Canon 40D 55mm)

To celebrate 65 years of their operations in Scotland KLM sent across the stunning 'Prinses Amalia' for a promotional tour. Engineers are just checking over the port engine before some lucky prize winners board for a spectacular low-level scenic flight across to Edinburgh (sooo jealous! - well done Peter!).

Then wearing a KLM livery on the port side, and an Air France paint on the starboard side for Air France-KLM promotional purposes.

Reminding me of Southend in the 60's, the MAC Dak fires up for the short hop back to Holland after loading its pax at the end of Flying Legends 07

Scanned from 200 ISO Kodacolor 35 mm film, Canon AE-1

KLM were the first airline to serve Manchester, beginning with the arrival of their DC-2 on 24 June 1938. I suggested a re-enactment 50 years later and PH-DDA flew from Schiphol, returning that afternoon taking 2 hours 4 minutes - my longest flight in this classic type. An Unforgettable experience.

The sound of four roaring Twin Wasps could often be heard at Amsterdam during the mid and late 1990s, when DDA's Skymaster ZS-NUR (later PH-DDS) in 1950s KLM colours took to the air again. Unfortunately they were forced to dispose of this magnificent aircraft, due to very rigid regulations imposed by the Dutch aviation authorities. It departed for South Africa in late 2002 (as ZS-AUA). By 2017 it was still there, but hadn't flown since 2008/2009.

Like the bears in the zoo this warm winter, Doornroosje (Sleeping Beauty) isn't hibernating. She's wagging her tail and pressing her nose against the hangar door, wanting to get out and fly.