Gatwick in the early '70s, some scanned slides
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:20 pm
I was digging around for some old photos (actually trying to find an interesting air France one for this month’s photo special comp) and found these that I had scanned some time ago, the quality is rather poor sorry ( they haven’t aged very weel, my equipment was rather basic in those days – poor student and my scanner is about 8 years old so old tech now) but hopefully they will be of interest, Taken at Gatwick in 1972 & 1973, although the content may be of interest the changes at Gatwick are one of the most startling features, it was quite rural in the early ‘70s. These were taken in the days when there was a large viewing terrace in front of the Terminal (now south terminal – there was only one in those days) and access to the terrace included access to the roof of the piers which led to the aircraft gates, you could almost touch the aircraft! The age of terrorism unfortunately closed the piers so this sort of access is now long gone – what a shame. Anyway hope you like them , I’ve also found some of Heathrow from the same era which I will post separately if you are interested. On with the pics (and commentary)………………….
The demo Lockheed Tristar on it’s first visit to the UK (August / Sept 1972) I remember that it first landed at East midlands so that the Rolls Royce workers at Derby could see what the engines they were building we being mounted upon, it then visited Heathrow and Gatwick where it did several demo flights before appearing at the Farnborough Air show by which time it’s tail was painted in BEA’s colours (the old dark blue union jack)
Taken from one of the piers which at that time was open so you could walk the full length to view the aircraft – those were the days! A BCAL BAC 111 in the foreground and the L.1011 Tristar on it’s first visit to the UK departing on another demo flight. Looking in the background it was very very open in those days, the north terminal and lots of other buildings occupy that area now
British island airways Herald and a CP air DC 8 looking from the viewing terrace towards where the north terminal now is
A Mey Air B737-200 and a BCAL BAC.111 taken from one of the piers, an excellent place to spot as there was an uninterrupted view of the runway and taxiing aircraft
This is a distant pan shot looking west from the terminal showing just how open it was then, no satellite and no north terminal. I seem to remember there was a small cargo shed on the north side.Of interst in this shot is the Tristar taxiing in after a demo flight , a BIA DC.3(yes really!) and a Tradewinds CL.44.
This is another area where Gatwick has been transformed completely, in 1972 there was a general aviation park on the north side where the satellite now stands, all that stopped you walking onto the airfield was a single fence and you could walk right along the northern fence into the fields to view the aircraft landing and taking off.
the same area with a more general view, you don’t see many Cessna 175s at Gatwick nowadays
Wow! In 1973 Dan Air were just starting to take delivery of some boeing 727s –the first on the British register (second hand mind you!)
Another one of the same shot but the background is interesting. IAS Cl.44 and a Donaldson B.707 (remember them?) and a couple of DC.8s parked roughly where the South Terminal Satellite now is
Here’s a closer view of one of those DC.8s – a United one, they didn’t operate to Heathrow in those days, that was reserved mainly for Pan Am & TWA, also next to it A Trans International (TIA) example
In 1972 Wardair (the Canadian airline) were operating 707s and a 727 into Gatwick, in this shot the northern of the 2 piers is visible, the south terminal Satellite is now beyond that pier
And a Wardair B.747 parked where the north terminal now stands, Gatwick was so open in those days it’s weird looking back
The demo Lockheed Tristar on it’s first visit to the UK (August / Sept 1972) I remember that it first landed at East midlands so that the Rolls Royce workers at Derby could see what the engines they were building we being mounted upon, it then visited Heathrow and Gatwick where it did several demo flights before appearing at the Farnborough Air show by which time it’s tail was painted in BEA’s colours (the old dark blue union jack)
Taken from one of the piers which at that time was open so you could walk the full length to view the aircraft – those were the days! A BCAL BAC 111 in the foreground and the L.1011 Tristar on it’s first visit to the UK departing on another demo flight. Looking in the background it was very very open in those days, the north terminal and lots of other buildings occupy that area now
British island airways Herald and a CP air DC 8 looking from the viewing terrace towards where the north terminal now is
A Mey Air B737-200 and a BCAL BAC.111 taken from one of the piers, an excellent place to spot as there was an uninterrupted view of the runway and taxiing aircraft
This is a distant pan shot looking west from the terminal showing just how open it was then, no satellite and no north terminal. I seem to remember there was a small cargo shed on the north side.Of interst in this shot is the Tristar taxiing in after a demo flight , a BIA DC.3(yes really!) and a Tradewinds CL.44.
This is another area where Gatwick has been transformed completely, in 1972 there was a general aviation park on the north side where the satellite now stands, all that stopped you walking onto the airfield was a single fence and you could walk right along the northern fence into the fields to view the aircraft landing and taking off.
the same area with a more general view, you don’t see many Cessna 175s at Gatwick nowadays
Wow! In 1973 Dan Air were just starting to take delivery of some boeing 727s –the first on the British register (second hand mind you!)
Another one of the same shot but the background is interesting. IAS Cl.44 and a Donaldson B.707 (remember them?) and a couple of DC.8s parked roughly where the South Terminal Satellite now is
Here’s a closer view of one of those DC.8s – a United one, they didn’t operate to Heathrow in those days, that was reserved mainly for Pan Am & TWA, also next to it A Trans International (TIA) example
In 1972 Wardair (the Canadian airline) were operating 707s and a 727 into Gatwick, in this shot the northern of the 2 piers is visible, the south terminal Satellite is now beyond that pier
And a Wardair B.747 parked where the north terminal now stands, Gatwick was so open in those days it’s weird looking back
What great memories Andy, thank you so much - can't wait for your Heathrow shots. 
