Thanks, HP81, and welcome.

I knew I’d heard the name somewhere; I came across BKS as an operator of the Airspeed Ambassador (my pet project right now) but it hadn’t clicked.

I wonder if Mr Keegan using G-AJXE for revenue work or as private transport?

Boeing 377-10-26 Stratocruiser N1038V (55)

No caption; Hurn probably 6th December 1952 after diversion from Heathrow.

Pan Am’s “Clipper Constitution” from 1949 according to http://www.panamair.org/newsite/aircraft/clippernames.htm, its was later modified to Super Stratocruiser standard and renamed “Clipper Holtspur”. http://www.allaboutguppys.com/sg/377sgf.htm has the aircraft as c/n 15938.

It was withdrawn from service and stored until about 1960 when it was sold on to Aero Spacelines who used it, together with parts from Boeing’s YC-97J 25-2693 (c/n 16724) Turbo Stratocruiser, B377’s N406Q ( c/n 15945) and N408Q ( c/n 15944), as the basis for construction of the first Super Guppy. The majority of the parts including the wings with engines, cockpit and forward fuselage section of the YC-97J were used in the construction of the Super Guppy, but apparently enough of N1038V was used to enable ASI to use the registration number.

On 25th September 1965, the aircraft suffered a serious non-fatal accident at Mohave, CA. Whilst high speed testing for CoA certification, there was a structural failure and partial separation of the fuselage causing the crew to make an emergency landing (http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=73280&key=0). More bluntly, the bulbous front caved in and a 23 foot chunk of fuselage made its own way to the ground. The pilot’s story is recounted at http://www.allaboutguppys.com/sg/afmsg/afmsg1.htm .

The aircraft was repaired and served for many years transporting Saturn rocket sections and other large cargo. In about 1981, it passed to NASA for use in the Shuttle programme and was re-numbered N940NS. It was subsequently mothballed and although well wrapped suffered significant storm damage on several occasions (NASA repaired it). It is apparently still at Pima AFB, Arizona and maintained in good order.

A QuickTime clip of a take-off is at http://www.allaboutguppys.com/sg/377sgtos.mov. Turn the sound off (horrid music) and note the aircraft rotates with its main undercarriage already off the ground; strange.

Some pics of its later life culled from the above and http://www.todo-aviones.com.ar/usa/boeing377/gal_377.html.

Pretty sure its a Wellington. I’ll go with you on Mark X and 201AFS.

The other picture of WK647 has a couple in the distant background; there’s another (quite nice) shot at Hullavington of a couple of Wellingtons parked up; NA916 ‘R’ and ? ‘F’. I haven’t scanned them yet.

An airliner with a strange story next, then a pair of Mossies.

Nah. Shame the pics a bit blurry or you’d see the unusual framework under the fabric…

re: WK647, does the book (another of many I don’t have) mention c/n and ultimte fate?

Gloster Meteor 8 WK647 ‘Y’ (54)

Caption “Meteor 8 WK647 54 Squadron Hullavington July 1952”.

This is the shot in the first post; it’s repeated here in a (hopefully) slightly improved format.

The only other record of the aircraft I could find is at http://www.jetagemuseum.org/aircraft/meteornf14/history.shtml which mentions it as the first of a block of Mk 8’s apparently built Gloster’s. 54 Squadron apparently operated these aircraft from 1952 to ’55.

Today’s bonus competition is to identify the aircraft type who’s fin is shown in the second shot. Smarta*se points will be awarded for the aircraft’s mark and unit.

Hullavington / Colerne / Venoms / Rapide G-AHKB (48 to 52)

These five are lumped together as, together with 53, they are contact prints and of even less interest than normal. No wait!! In the second aerial shot, if you look really hard there’s a Spitfire taxiing :rolleyes: .

The captions given are

Hullavinton from Anson VL312 July 1952
Colerne Aerodrome Gloustershire from Anson VL312
Venom Hurn 23th August 1952
Venom Hurn 23th August 1952
Rapide HKB Hurn 28th August 1952

The dates on the Venoms had both been changed to “23th”.

The is a photo (presumably much better than this) of the Rapide in the AJ Jackson collection (http://www.ajjcollection.co.uk/d8.htm) in the livery of Vickers.