From a film released in February 1956

Hello plough,

Very many thanks for your very helpful posting.

Christopher

There aren’t any clear landmarks for positive identification in your first photo, but the building shown in the second picture is definitely the original 1940s control tower at Heathrow – you can see another photo of it from a different angle on https://atchistory.wordpress.com/2023/01/22/egll-heathrow-atc-part-2/.  Whilst the view in that pic is looking from the other side of it from anfle in the film still, it is clearly the same building.

This would have been in use until 1955 when the more familiar replacement tower came into operation (and which was demolished in 2015), and would presumably have still been standing and (being unused) presumably available for filming without interfering with the airport operations?

Hello Paul,

Many thanks for your message. I know Reelstreets and was aware of their posting concerning this film. However I’ve seen more than one image, I mean pre-1957, presented as to being the control tower at Heathrow but they apprear to show different buildings. Perhaps there were different towers pre-1957 but I’m still uncertain if the shots show Heathrow.

Christopher 

According to the excellent Reelstreets website, the Airport was indeed Heathrow.

Reelstreets | Not So Dusty

Cheers

Paul