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Post by foxfire on Mar 18, 2021 17:37:03 GMT
Found on Twitter, undated but described as during it's 'last days'. I recognise the two Rapides and possibly two Ansons but am very happy to be corrected! Haven't a clue about the single on the left. If anyone recognises the vehicles that might help dating the picture.
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Post by billsamuels on Mar 18, 2021 18:40:36 GMT
Hi Foxfire,
Great photo. Would have loved to see Croydon Airport thriving during my weekend transits between Fulham and Brighton during the 50’s and 60’s Sunday outings - but sadly can’t remember seeing anything despite craning my head around on every trip...
However, these really aren’t my era of planes but from my limited recognition talents I’d say the one on the left is a Percival Proctor and the two on the right (not the Rapide’s) are Airspeed Oxford’s. But as you say, I’d stand corrected as well...
Fantastic picture mate. Car’s of that era are even less on my talent list but I’d say this photo is circa 1955-1958 ish.
Over to the other’s....
Cheers.
Bill
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Post by foxfire on Mar 18, 2021 20:05:00 GMT
billsamuels, I did wonder if the single was a Percival of some sort but not being of that era either I was very hesitant to say so. However, it is a splendid picture. As you say, over to the others!
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Post by gtf4j2m on Mar 18, 2021 20:33:15 GMT
Hi Foxfire
Very good photo to post. I would definitely agree with Bill on the Oxfords and my first thought was Proctor for the single.
Graham
GTF4J2M
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Post by davebasing on Mar 18, 2021 23:46:41 GMT
Great picture. I'd go for Airspeed Consuls rather than Oxfords. Basically the same aircraft but with modifications for the civil market. Several were used by Croydon based outfits like Morton Air Services (who also used based Rapides) before moving to Gatwick when Croydon closed.
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Post by donutt1964 on Mar 19, 2021 6:53:18 GMT
Morton acquired a Percival Proctor in December 1949 according to Worldhistory.biz along with operating the Consuls and Rapides
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Post by graham on Mar 19, 2021 7:48:30 GMT
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Fleet in 1958
In April 1958, the combined fleet of Morton Air Services and Olley Air Service comprised 14 aircraft.
de Havilland DH 114 Heron 1
de Havilland DH 104 Dove 8
de Havilland DH 89 Dragon Rapide 3
Airspeed Consul 2
Total 14
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Post by foxfire on Mar 19, 2021 17:47:13 GMT
Thank you all for the input! After some serious searching I found the source of the picture on a fascinating site about Croydon Airport: www.airportofcroydon.com/Post%20WW2.htmlThe picture (sixth from the top) was taken around 1950. It confirms the identification of the planes was correct - Percival Proctor, DH Rapide, two Airspeed Consuls and DH Rapide. The cars, apart from the Commer aircraft tractor/tug on the left, were all from a Standard Triumph agent in Croydon. A bit further down another picture includes a very odd looking aircraft, a Miles Aerovan, which I've never heard of but, as I said, this wasn't my era!
Click "More" at the bottom of each page for a further three pages.
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Post by rh226 on Mar 19, 2021 22:37:33 GMT
In the 4th picture below the Aerovan one, surely that is a Miles Gemini (two tails), not a Messenger (three tails).
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Post by gtf4j2m on Mar 20, 2021 9:16:16 GMT
It is a Miles Gemini G-AKGE c/n 6488 which was finally cancelled from the register 30May84 and parts are held with the a museum in Northern Ireland.
Graham
GTF4J2M
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