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Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Only nostalgic and wrecks & relics photography in here please, nostalgic posts should be over 5 years old.
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LondonEye
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Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by LondonEye » Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:02 pm

When I first started at Gatwick in 1971, the viewing area was on top the southernmost pier. Oh for a decent camera then.
The single terminal (now referred to as Southern) was still being fully developed. If you exited to the north, you came to the GA area.
There was a large patch of grass there, and you could be up close watching, if you behaved. These pictures were taken in that area.

First up, a few airliners.


ImageIL18 Tarom YR-IMA 1 Gatwick


ImageBAC111 Dan-Air G-ATVH Gatwick


ImageCaravelle SATA HB-ICO Gatwick


ImageHS748 Dan-Air G-ASPL 2 Gatwick


ImageDC3 Mercy Airlift N180WT Gatwick



ImageSC7 Skyvan G-ASZJ Gatwick



Then there were often a couple of biz-jets.



ImageLearjet 35 D-CONA Gatwick


ImageSabre 75 HB-VEC Gatwick (2)


ImageJetcommander N77NR Gatwick


ImageFalcon 20 N12GH Gatwick


ImageHS125 G-BJCB Gatwick


ImageCitation 500 EC-CCY Gatwick


ImageCitation 500 PH-SAW Gatwick


ImageCitation 500 HB-VEX 1 Gatwick



Things would go through on delivery.



ImageSC7 Skyvan Oman AF 916 G-BDBT 1 Gatwick


ImageSC7 Skyvan PK-PSK Gatwick



This helicopter went to British Airways.



ImageSikorsky S-58 N18825 Gatwick



Getting close to the light aircraft helped my knowledge. I carried my Ian Allan “Light Plane Recognition” price 5 shillings ( 25p).



ImageMu-2 N77TM Gatwick


ImageCessna 337 HB-LHE Gatwick


ImageCessna 310 OE-FYL Gatwick


ImagePA-36 Pawnee N82389 Gatwick


ImageAc680 N2755A Gatwick


ImageAc500 BAA G-BCLK Gatwick



Sometimes you would see training flights by Lufthansa, Sabena and Martinair.



ImageBeech King Air Lufthansa D-ILHA 1 Gatwick



My only civil Beech Twin Bonanza.


ImageBeech Twin Bonanza N1421G Gatwick



Finally, who would enjoy seeing a Beagle Pup at Gatwick now ?



ImageB121 Pup G-AXFZ Gatwick



Any other early memories of Gatwick ?
Last edited by LondonEye on Sat Jan 01, 2022 2:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Nighthawke
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass !

Post by Nighthawke » Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:09 pm

Wow - nostalgia by the bucket load with some rocking horse droppings too - fantastic stuff.

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Re: Gatwick - on the grass !

Post by acw367 » Fri Dec 31, 2021 2:38 am

Wow - just wow!!!!!
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass !

Post by niallsaviation » Sat Jan 01, 2022 1:35 pm

WOW...Fantastic photos

Back when LGW was a great airport to go to both for planespotting and to fly in and out.

Its such a pity and mind boggling as to why the powers that run it now have let it turn into one of the worst airports to travel from in the UK(My Opinion)

Dont even get me started on how unfriendly it is to spotters these days

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LondonEye
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass !

Post by LondonEye » Sat Jan 01, 2022 2:14 pm

Thank you all.
Here are two more that I was thinking of posting. Rubbish pictures by todays standards, but special memories.
Both puzzled me on the days.
The first is a MS760 Paris biz-jet, Italian I-FINR, a rare civil.
Second is a Potez 840 F-BMCY. I believe only four were built. This later crashed at Sumburgh in 1981.
Hope it triggers a few more memories.
Pete.


ImageMS760 Paris I-FINR 7-8-1972 Gatwick


ImagePotez 840 F-BMCY 30-12-1971 Gatwick

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Mike
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by Mike » Sat Jan 01, 2022 4:07 pm

Wow! :o What a great collection of shots from Gatwick and this is just like what I remember from my first visits there in the early seventies, such a shame that the place is so unfriendly to spotters now.

Fantastic :D :thumbs:
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by Paultojo » Sat Jan 01, 2022 6:11 pm

Fantastic stuff Pete :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:
C&C always welcome

Paul

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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by waghorn41 » Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:17 pm

Absolutely wonderful! Anyone know what the Vickers Aircraft 'plane is behind the Ac680 N2755A ?

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Mike
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by Mike » Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:29 pm

waghorn41 wrote:
Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:17 pm
Absolutely wonderful! Anyone know what the Vickers Aircraft 'plane is behind the Ac680 N2755A ?
It looks like a PA-31 Navajo. :)
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by LondonEye » Mon Jan 03, 2022 7:11 pm

I can confirm that as G-BEVK PA-31.350
Thanks again all.
Pete.

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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by Stug298 » Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:05 pm

WOW what a fantastic collection that is takes me right back and any picture with a BIA Herald in is fine by me...thank you..

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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by andygolfer » Mon Jan 03, 2022 10:19 pm

what a superb piece of aviation nostalgia and history - thanks Pete that really brings back memories of walking round that fence, nobody took any notice of spotters there - possibly because everybody behaved and weren't perceived as any potential threat whereas these days everybody is considered a risk.

I've got some photos that I took there - nowhere as good as your's mind but similar subjects and what a joy it was to walk round that fence never knowing what to expect.

Post of the year and it's only 3rd January???

thanks again
Andy
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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by STRATOCRUISER » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:20 am

What a great memory jerker!
I always loved the Bizjet and light aviation park.
I fondly remember the Mercy Airlift Dak and if I am not mistaken, the H-34 was one of a few ex Heeresflieger machines that ended up at nearby Redhill.
The Potez 840 was a regularly OTT my home in Bournemouth and like so many other airframes, they were almost dismissed at the time; goodness how I wish I could turn back the time and appreciate all those photogenic birds :(
Thanks for sharing your superb pics :thumbs:

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Re: Gatwick - on the grass ! added

Post by Mancman2 » Tue Mar 01, 2022 5:47 pm

Thanks for posting these. Brings back memories of finishing the day at Gatwick after Biggin Hill or Farnborough after coming down from Manchester. A quick visit to the grass area and then fall asleep in the terminal until it was time to catch the coach back North.

Here's a shot through the fence after visiting Biggin Hill in 1977.

ImageI-FIMI Learjet 35 May 1977 Gatwick by Andy Bird, on Flickr

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