The cockpit of this magnificent aircraft

Very rare shot of Instone Air Line's newly acquired DC-6 being pushed back into the hangar for refurbishment, just after its ferry flight and still in its Yemen Airways colours with crudely scrubbed titles and logos still clearly visible. Delivered to Maritime Central in 1958, she first arrived in the UK later that year being registered G-APSA with Cunard Eagle. Saudi Arabian bought her in 1964 and donated to Yemen in 1971, where she became 4W-ABQ. Another DC-6 still survived (just) in a very derelict state at Sana'a.

Not every day one gets to see a DC-6 fly! And certainly not one fitted with oil dispersant spray bars below the rear fuselage, doing a spraying demonstration.

Not every day one gets to see a DC-6 fly!

2008 should have brought a visit by Heathrow by this magnificent machine to close her British Eagle season, marking the last service into LHR by that airline exactly 40 years earlier. However, thanks to a deplorable decision at a late stage by the BAA to refuse permission, it didn't happen. Here's a tiny consolation from her working career, on a mail run from Heathrow due to a BA crew strike