I have copied over my original thread below from the Duxford Diary as this seems the most appropriate place for it. It is also nice to hear of the support and interest in the airliners.
Thank god they have got the civil airliners, if not we probably wouldn’t have any is largish numbers in one place. It always frustrates me that “war” is so interesting but the history of the British airline industry and the way it opened the world up to all of us is not celebrated better. I think the Ambassador, Viscount, Herald and York at a minimum should be inside I would go as far as kicking out Concord! She is special but not unique and we have lost too many irreplaceable unique airframes. I would also love to see a centralised airline archive where all the history can be saved but, and correct me if I am wrong, I have a feeling that there just isn’t the interest out there!!!
My father was in the airline business for over 60 years, started at 15 at Heathrow and retired at 76, has loads of archive material, tickets, load sheets, models, signs, advertising, even an airline vehicle, you name it, but where does it go when he does? I just don’t have the capacity to take it all on, I will keep some bits but can’t bare the thought of it not going somewhere that would conserve it and make it available to researchers, but then are there many researchers out there that would justify such an archive?
It’s interesting to think that probably most visitors go the the Imperial War Museum to see Spitfires etc, thanks to DAS their only opportunity to go “in” an aircraft is an airliner, but will they buy the model Spitfire or the Trident model as they leave by the shop?
Sign In
