If the Swift was black, it was probably the one used in landing trials at Heathrow when I was a lad, playing football in my school field. It did several approaches and it was some years later that I learned it was being used to research the effects of snow and slush on runways, as a result of the Munich Ambassador crash. As I recall, the fights took place in the summer, so presumably ice and snow was imported? :confused:

Interesting! Considering you grew up not far from where I grew up, was it approaching runway 23?

Now that is difficult. At this point in time I just don’t remember. Some clues from the photos are that the hangar has (had) a proper ceiling, and was completely divided across the middle by a partition with rooms and a balcony. The aircraft were in one end and the engines in the other.

Thanks 🙂 I am not sure as I think 2 hangars have been partitioned off if I remember right. The IAE one is partitioned off and shared with Cranfield Aerospace. Also the former Patriot aviation hangar (that was right at the very end) was also partioned off – one side patriot, the other side Bonus engineering. It’s currently being renovated and I start working in there soon once its done! So i’m not sure which one you was in.

HP111, just out of interest which hangar was the pics taken in?

30 tons of cigarettes? Crazy.
Does the IL76 sound different with the new engines?
Nice shots! Good catch with the B732 aswell!

Since the drought was announced we have had nothing but rain in Milton Keynes.
During the first week of the ‘drought’ I put together a fish pond we had got and used the hosepipe to fill it because I simply didn’t believe the whole ‘drought’ thing.

Very sad news. RIP.

Fantastic! It’s great to see what used to be at Cranfield in the past! I wish we still had stuff like that there now!

Nice one! Very nice! They do make a distinctive sound when they fly over.