Spooky Stuff !!!!

I was born in 1963 – In that house on the tip of MFP`s tail !

What a prime spot to live being so close to the airport.

You must have grown-up amongst the sights and sounds of Channel Viscounts, not to mention the BAC 1-11 take-off at 3:30am every Sunday morning during the summer on its way to Palma!

In addition you may have heard the C-124’s and C-133’s flying over in bound to Mildenhall and also the RCAF Bristol Freighters on their way in to Langar!

I understand that HP-379 visited Preswick on the 4th March, 1963 and Gatwick on the 13th March. On the 12th May HP-385 visted Heathrow. On the 22nd September of that year HP-367 visited Stansted (on route from Kastrup to Singapore).

I understand that they were all based at Kastrup.

Thanks aj_march for posting the photo.

Not in any way a pretty aircraft but it certainly has a presence!

If I am not istaken, this was the type of aircraft that featured in a Disney film “The Last Flight of Noah’s Ark”. Can anybody confirm that?

Correct HP81 and Albert Ross, it was indeed the C-74 Globemaster 1, registered as HP-379 and named “Heracles”.

It had flown in from Kastrup to pick up 24 Fresian cows in calf and one Fresian Bull. It was also due to pick up a load of day-old chicks but as the aircraft was 3 days late in arriving, this idea was scrapped!

Apparently because the aircraft could only carry out the slowest of turns it took half-an-hour from the arrival overhead to touchdown as it had to make a very lonbg approach.

It then departed for Amman via Rome and Damascus.

Further flights had been planned but unfortunately after the first visit it was discovered that Southend’s runways were not long enough for the normal weight limit of the aircraft so they were abandoned.

As I said, unfortunately I missed it and this has always been one of my biggest regrets!

Definately not the Ambassador.