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.

"Tlacaelel II" had just been acquired by the Fuerza Aerea Mexicana at the time of this photo, the basic livery inherited from her previous operator, the French AF ('82-PV'). Starting life with Slick in 3.53, she joined UAT as F-BGTX just eight months later. Broken up 7.03 after storage at Santa Lucia AB, Mexico City

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!

Delivered new to Slick Airways as N90811 on 27 March 1953. To F-BGTX, TU-TBM and 43819 with the Armee de l'Air. Bought by the Fuerza Aerea Mexicana in 1979. Stored then broken up in 2003.

This aircraft, seen here at the start of its takeoff run on runway 14, joined the Everts fleet in August 2000. It was originally delivered to Canadian Pacific way back in July 1958 as CF-CZZ. It later served as a sprayer with Conifair (C-GBZC) in the mid 1980s and even saw some service as an airtanker with France's Sécurité Civile from 1986 to 1988 as F-ZBAP (Tanker 65). Its last former owner was Conair (C-FCZZ, Tanker 52). By 2017 it still served faithfully with Everts.

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