AIRLINE 1980S ITV series

Here are few shots of the Daks from my Archive scanned from slides

G-BHUB as “G-AGIV” – Duxford 19th September 1980

G-DAKS as “G-AGHY” – Fairoaks Airshow 2nd August 1981

G-DAKS as “G-AGHY” – Biggin Hill Airshow 15th May 1982

Martyn

exellent photos thanks for posting them:cool: 😎 😎

Here are few shots of the Daks from my Archive scanned from slides

G-BHUB as “G-AGIV” – Duxford 19th September 1980

G-DAKS as “G-AGHY” – Fairoaks Airshow 2nd August 1981

G-DAKS as “G-AGHY” – Biggin Hill Airshow 15th May 1982

Martyn

Not long after “Airline ” was screened in the Spring of 1982 an article appeared inthe “Sunday Express” ( I think) which revealed that Wilfrid Greatorex was very displeased at changes that were made to his scripts. This lead to Greatorex asking for his name to be removed from some scripts and for 4 planned episodes of the first series to be scrapped.

Around this time “Flypast” reported that a Constellation and a Bristol Freighter had been sourced for the second series. Then another newspaper article appeared which claimed that Yorkshire TV had scrapped the second series. I don’t remember any reason being given but I would guess that Greatorex’s difficult relationship with them was part of the problem.

Wilfrid Greatorex died some years ago but it is possible that his estate is blocking release of “Airline” on DVD. It has been said that Graham Williams’ estate is similarly blocking the release of “Target” (BBC TV 1977-78.

Colin

fascinating information,typical of Tv companies interfering with an original storyline,i have read both “airline” books and remembered Ruskin bought a Connie to expand his fleet etc ,didnt know about the “target” saga either thanks very much.:cool: 😎

There was certainly some dispute with British Airports Authority using the characters (and actors) without permission in a TV advert, a court case which BAA then won, IMHO, in a rather dubious decision. I wasn’t aware of any other litigation, but I’d be interested to hear more. I’d assumed the series two collapsed due to lack of income / interest, the usual problem.

Thanks for the photos, Hornchurch.

Cheers

Not long after “Airline ” was screened in the Spring of 1982 an article appeared inthe “Sunday Express” ( I think) which revealed that Wilfrid Greatorex was very displeased at changes that were made to his scripts. This lead to Greatorex asking for his name to be removed from some scripts and for 4 planned episodes of the first series to be scrapped.

Around this time “Flypast” reported that a Constellation and a Bristol Freighter had been sourced for the second series. Then another newspaper article appeared which claimed that Yorkshire TV had scrapped the second series. I don’t remember any reason being given but I would guess that Greatorex’s difficult relationship with them was part of the problem.

Wilfrid Greatorex died some years ago but it is possible that his estate is blocking release of “Airline” on DVD. It has been said that Graham Williams’ estate is similarly blocking the release of “Target” (BBC TV 1977-78.

Colin

I’ve been known to hum the them tune when flying in Air Atlantiques G-AMPY before………:D

Dah-dah-dah-da-da-daaaah-da-da-da-dah-daaaaaah-dah-dah-dah
da-da-da-daaaaaah-da-da-daaaaah etc.

Anyone else remember the theme tune?

I remember seeing at least one a Duxford, was it really that long ago?

John

‘Alice’ was the second Dak that was lost in a crash in low Cloud. Pilot Peter Whitney Survived, and Flight Engineer Albert Clark was killed. 99% sure ‘Vera’ was the Dak in the snow. Jack flew an Auster while ‘Vera’ was being repaired if I recall. It was 1982 I believe when it was on TV, and I was 12.

Steve

Was G-AGIV not written of in the series when one of the pilots became disorentated in cloud after doing far to many hours? It’s a long time ago and I was very small. 🙂

Yeh you could be correct. I remember the ‘incident’ with the aborted take off and it ended up in a snow drift, but can’t recall if that was G-AGIV’s demise for certain, but i seem to remember he was back to one Dak only at the end.

.

Was G-AGIV not written of in the series when one of the pilots became disorentated in cloud after doing far to many hours? It’s a long time ago and I was very small. 🙂

Yes, G-DAKS was ‘G-AGHY’ named Vera Lyn. The other was G-BHUB and marked as ‘G-AGIV’ and was the second Dak acquired by Jack Ruskin.

IIRC, ‘G-AGIV’ it was written off in a TV sense when Ernie Cade forced Ruskin to take off in snowy conditions. But as Bruce says in real life it passed from Aces High to Duxford for display.

.

G-BHUB was the other then owned by Aces High now suspended in the American Museum at Duxford.

G-DAKS was definitely one of them – one of my earliest memories was of her in Ruskin colours when I was a nipper either at Cranfield or Sywell, either way I still have some pics and G-DAKS she was!

Happy days – Cant have been more than 7-8 years old at the time!

TT

Wasn’t the Connie at Wroughton originally acquired by Aces High for the second series?? – if it was, shame the second series didn’t happen!

I have a similar pic to those above taken at the Alconbury airshow in 82 – but I cant find it- not that it adds anything!

I believe one was G-DAKS – still with Aces High, but on the American reg. The other one is the one that hangs in the American Air Museum at Duxford.

Bruce

The attached image was taken at Duxford in 1982, can anybody confirm which two DC-3 were used for the flying scenes, I have a memory of seeing two Ruskin Airlines at Duxford but only have photos of one. Were both owned by Aces High and were are they now ?

DOUGHNUT

I think the reason is because creator Wilfred Greatorex was involved in a dispute with Yorkshire TV over the series and this is the reason why only 9 episodes out of the planned 13 were made for the first series and a planned second series was scrapped.

There was certainly some dispute with British Airports Authority using the characters (and actors) without permission in a TV advert, a court case which BAA then won, IMHO, in a rather dubious decision. I wasn’t aware of any other litigation, but I’d be interested to hear more. I’d assumed the series two collapsed due to lack of income / interest, the usual problem.

Thanks for the photos, Hornchurch.

Cheers

The Dakota which was blown up at the end of episode 1 came from Glasgow Airport where it had been used for training fire crews. The Dakota was not complete and a fake tail section made of cardboard had to be fitted.

The series was repeated on satellite TV in the early 90s but has never been released on DVD. I think the reason is because creator Wilfred Greatorex was involved in a dispute with Yorkshire TV over the series and this is the reason why only 9 episodes out of the planned 13 were made for the first series and a planned second series was scrapped.

Colin

thankyou very much for the info colin,interesting to know where the crash dak was located from and also the controversey concerning the writer wilfred greatorex(ive never heard that story before),originally it appeared there were indeed two seperate series as it took approx a year for the so called second series to come to screen ,( a chap i knew was an extra on the sets)in retrospect the “airline” stories could have run into the present day, it was an interesting format and the air photography was brilliant a shame personal differences spoilt things .a bit like historic aviation groups really
regards vic:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Airline Crash Dakota

does anybody have photos of the two flying Daks(i think they were Aces high machines) used in the 1980s ITV series,starring Roy Marsden,it was filmed in Yorkshire and overseas, with some sequences at Rufforth Airfield nr York (i think they painted up the former control tower and outbuildings) ,the film company used a dismantled dakota for a crash scene (filmed at Rufforth)anyone know where this aircraft came from and what happened to it afterwards, im guessing scrap,(hopefully not) also is the series available on either video or DVD. i think they blew up a redundant farm building for the opening episode somewhere near Green Hammerton nr York also.:
😎 😎 😎 😎

The Dakota which was blown up at the end of episode 1 came from Glasgow Airport where it had been used for training fire crews. The Dakota was not complete and a fake tail section made of cardboard had to be fitted.

The series was repeated on satellite TV in the early 90s but has never been released on DVD. I think the reason is because creator Wilfred Greatorex was involved in a dispute with Yorkshire TV over the series and this is the reason why only 9 episodes out of the planned 13 were made for the first series and a planned second series was scrapped.

Colin

I’ve attempted to include a few that I took at the same time (1981?) as my recent ‘Spencer Flack-Sea-Fury’ submissions…….(with the ‘dented’ 5-blader)

As with those, I’ve posted ’em for content, NOT pic’ quality – as a budding teenager I had an awful lot to learn with SLR’s……

These were taken on an old Ricoh 35 ‘G’ – with a fixed lens, at Stapleford T.
BEFORE I accquired my 1st ‘S.L.R.’

(also in same ‘packs’, are pix of Sally-‘B’ in ‘Susanah York’ mode ……!!!!!!!
…….. Silver, with a Red diagonal tail band & plain Black (unmarked)
1st A.D. triangle)

top photos many thanks for searching for them
regards vic

Three more……. (same excuse !!!!!!!)