There’s a lot of material in the BA Museum at Heathrow. The late John Stroud had lots of (original) British Airways material – and many other airlines – until after his passing and the collection was broken up and sold to the Smithsonian I gather. I managed to get some of it, and we found ways to incorporate a number of the images into our new Airfield Focus Special on Gatwick. I also managed to get some of his books that – although badly battered and ‘abused’ – are full of additions and revisions if ever he did a second edition!

That night shot looks similar to a whole series of pictures that were taken for (the original) British Airways – I have a number of DH86 Express and other aircraft in more or less the same position – the photographer seemed to like the effect of props spinning in the searchlights!

I’m still trying to get some form of civil aviation archive happening, but am not holding my breath as no-one seems really interested.

Perhaps you would like to see a picture of the aircraft – 43-38172 Lovely Julie – as featured in our latest Focus on Nuthampstead from Malcolm Osborn and myself, out next week! Picture is as supplied by Malcolm.

I’ll dig out my manual

GOR.339, OR.343, TSR.2 design proposals …

Interim design proposals and studies, 1957 ;

Blackburn B.103A NA.39 Development
DeHavilland DH.110 Vixen Development
Hawker P.1121 2 seat ‘Hurricane’ Development
Vickers Supermarine Type 565 Scimitar Development

Proposed overseas types to fulfill GOR.339 specification, 1957 ;

Avro Canada ‘GOR.339’ Arrow Development ?
Bell D.188 VTO.
Convair B.58 Hustler
Douglas B.66 Destroyer
Republic F.105 Thunderchief
Martin B.68 delta (GOR.154)
North American A3J Vigilantie & Retaliator

GOR.339 design submissions, 1957/58 ;

Avro 739
Blackburn B.108 Buccaneer Development
Boulton Paul ‘GOR.339’, 76 deg. delta, fan lift (P.133 Dev.?)
Bristol Type 204
DeHavilland ‘GOR.339’
English Electric P.17 (later with Shorts PD.17/P.17D, 1958)
Fairey ‘GOR.339’
Folland ‘GOR.339’, 50 deg. delta, deflected Jets (SR.177 Dev.?)
Gloster ‘GOR.339’, 2x submissions (Javelin Development)
Handley Page ‘GOR.339’
Hawker P.1129
Hawker Siddely/Avro ‘GOR.339’, 1129/739 Development, 1958
Vickers Supermarine Type 571, 2x submissions, 571/1, 571/2
Vickers (Wallis) ‘GOR.339’ Swallow Development

RAE. Low Altitude Slender Delta studies, 1957
RAE. Nuclear Powered Tactical Bomber studies, 1957
Cranfield 1958 project (concept design based upon GOR.339)

OR.343 design submission ;

Vickers Armstrong/English Electric Type 571 (571/2/P.17A Dev.)

errr….. yes?

Additional

The following is from the two-page accident report – the other page is very hard to read.