Foulness was recipient of the worlds last flying Scimitar (XD244) which flew in to Southend from Hurn on Saturday 13th February 1971 this was the last flight of the type. It was roaded out to Foulness on Monday15th February 1971.

Four other Scimitars are known to have flown in to Southend:

XD241 and XD322 flew in on Wednesday 2nd December 1970 and left by road on Monday 21st December 1970,

XD333 & XD234 flew in on Wednesday 20th January 1971 and left by road on Monday 15th February 1971.

(Thanks to Ken, Southend Yahoo group)

The rail line still operates only in a much more piecefull way, London Underground and a number of the other railway operating compnays have used Foulness fot storeage of old out of life stock if you Google Earth the site it make for some intresting viewing.

Now this is what I call a line up!

Southend Airshow 1968 Sunday 24th March 1968
21st Anniversary Open Day

Static Park.
Belroit—RAF Museum
Gloster Gladiator—Shuttleworth Collection
Hawker Hurricane—RAF
Supermarine Spitfire—RAF
Hawker Siddeley Dominie—RAF Stradishall
Lockheed Hercules—RAF Support Command
Westland Whirlwind—RAF Manston (22sqn)
Avro Shackleton—RAF Coastal Command
Avro Lincoln—Southend Historic Aircraft Museum
Hawker Sea Fury—Southend Historic Aircraft Museum
Hawker Sea Hawk—Southend Historic Aircraft Museum
Saab J-29f—Southend Historic Aircraft Museum
De Havilland Vampire— 1312Atc Sqn
De Havilland Hornet Moth—Historic Aircraft Group
De Havilland Cygnet—Historic Aircraft group
De Havilland Cirrus Moth—Hawker Siddeley
Avro Anson—E K Cole
Tippsy Nipper—Altair
Bristol Freighter—British Air Ferries
Aviation Traders ATL98 Carvair—British Air Ferries
De Havilland Fox Moth—Tiger Club
De Havilland Puss Moth—Tiger Club
Hawker Siddeley Trident—Channel Airways
Pipper Apache—Automobile Association
Shorts Skyvan—Shorts (Belfast)
Elizabethan—BKS
Piper Cherokee—Southend Light Aviation Centre
Aircoupe—Southend Light Aviation Centre
Gliders—Marmol Aviation
The ATEL & other hangers will be open.

(The museum aircraft were located in a compound by the railway lines)

Flying Display
Handley Page Victor Air to Air re-fuelling demo with English Electric Lighting
Handley Page Victor Touch and Go
English Electric Lightning—Display
SAR Westland’s Whirlwind—SAR Demo
Hawker Siddeley Dominie—Display
Lockheed Hercules—Display
Avro Shackleton—Display
Armstrong Whitworth Argosy—Take off RAF Flacons
Supermarine Spitfire—Display
Hawker Hurricane—Display
RAF Flacons Freefalll
Armstrong Whitworth Argosy Flypast and land to close RAF Section
Glostor Gladiator—Display
De Havilland Tiger Mothx2
Stampex2
Gliders
Shorts Skyvan
Tipsy Nipper
Percival Prentice
Aircoupe & Cherokee’s Formation
De Havilland Foxmoth
De Havilland Pussmoth
De Havilland Hornet Moth
Cygnet
Scheduled Services will arrive and depart during the show

Sticking with 748’s but moving South N748D arrived at Southend this evening the sound of the darts should be on the next X Factor! better than any of the pop pap they always have!

100 Years of Aviation In The Borough Southend!

1909: Leigh-on-Sea V.F Forbes & A.J. Arnold built their unconventional single seat tractor monoplane. Successful flights were made of a scaled down model. The real aircraft was made from bamboo the aircraft was fitted with a water cooled car engine it was reported that the aircraft made a few hops but never actually flew.

or

99 Years since the first offical flight in Southend on Sea

Saturday 9th July 1910: The first true aeroplane to fly from Southend, Local aviator George Barnes made the first ever recorded flight from the borough. The flight was not from the site that has today become the town’s airport, but Roots Hall Home of Southend United football Club. More than 2000 people some of whom gathered at the top of St Mary’s church watched the flight, which was made in a Bleriot. The event was hampered by strong winds which affected the light aircraft a number of attempts were made but due the winds it was decided not to try to fly the aircraft. When the winds drop in the evening the aircraft was rolled into position and fired up its engine it got 50 yards off the ground and flew in to the next field before coming back down. The event was open to spectators who had to pay an entry fee to get in to the Football clubs ground, but because of the low height of the fence many people simply jumped over the fence. , Sadly a few weeks later Barnes was seriously injured when attempting another flight this time flying at Folkestone.

Would love to have seen an Aerovan sadly I’m far too young to have…

Anyway I seem to recalled having found a list of Aerovan accidents and after a seach here it is. Beleve one was scrapped at Southend but have no details.

G-AKHG 21FEB1952 Miles M.57 Aerovan Arab Contracting & Trading Company Hama
G-AJKJ 25MAR1948 Miles M.57 Aerovan Irish Sea 0
G-AJKM 03MAY1949 Miles M.57 Aerovan Lympne 0
G-AJKP 17DEC1957 Miles M.57 Aerovan Meridian Air Maps Oldbury
G-AJOB 27JUN1947 Miles M.57 Aerovan Irish Sea 0
G-AJOI 07DEC1950 Miles M.57 Aerovan Patrick Aviation Elmdon 0
G-AJTC 23SEP1955 Miles M.57 Aerovan Air Ads Munich 0
G-AJTD 03NOV1948 Miles M.57 Aerovan Newtownards 0
G-AJWD 26AUG1956 Miles M.57 Aerovan Air Ads Dunkerque 0
G-AJWI 1950 Miles M.57 Aerovan Mayfair Air Services United Kingdom 0
G-AJXK 03DEC1950 Miles M.57 Aerovan Handley Page Aircraft Woodley 0
G-AKHG 21FEB1952 Miles M.57 Aerovan Arab Contracting & Trading Company Hama 0

Scan from todays Evening Echo (Southend Edition)