Aeroplane Archive

The Key.Aero team have delved for treasure in the archive of Aeroplane Magazine dating back to 1911. Aviation history brought to life by the editors of the period.

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Inside Bristow's 1960s North Sea oil rig helicopter service

From the February 16, 1967 issue of Aeroplane, Raymond Hankin describes Bristow Helicopters’ support service for rigs drilling off the east coast of the UK for oil and natural gas

An F-86D-50-NA of the 513th Fighter Interception Squadron at Manston. Note the many vortex generators, including those on one of the NACA flush intakes for tailpipe cooling. All “Aeroplane” photographs Feature Premium

Revealing Insights into UK-based USAF F-86D Sabres

A detailed report on the new capabilities provided by the F-86D from the April 22, 1955 issue of The Aeroplane

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Farnborough Airshow insights from TV’s Raymond Baxter

For many years the distinctive voice of Raymond Baxter was synonymous with Farnborough Airshow, due to him presenting the BBC’s coverage of the aeronautical extravaganza. In this October 1978 article in ‘Aeroplane Monthly’ he gives a personal take on the famous airshow 

Twin Pioneer G-AOEO at Davos, Switzerland, where passengers were taken by horse-drawn sledge from aircraft to hotel or ski-lift. AEROPLANE Feature Premium

Twin Pioneer Demo Tours

When Scottish Aviation sent its new Twin Pioneer on demonstration tours, it really put the aircraft through its paces
By David Dorman

No 203 AFS at Driffield, Yorkshire, trained many National Service pilots. It put up this formation of three Meteor T7s during 1949. AEROPLANE Feature Premium

When conscripts flew RAF fighters

The days when National Service pilots flew RAF jet fighters are understandably long gone, but memories remain strong – not least amongst those who piloted Meteors

Early RAF Hampden Is cavort for the camera. Although intended to be manoeuvrable, this the Handley Page aircraft was not — and certainly it was no fighter. AEROPLANE Feature Premium

Handley Page Hampden night-fighters

A desperate measure to combat the German night raiders of late 1940 saw Handley Page Hampdens being pressed into use as improvised fighters

Goliath F-ABAY Alsace of Air Union shares the Croydon tarmac at 15.30hrs one day with Imperial Airways Handley Page W.8B G-EBBI. AEROPLANE Feature Premium

Farman Goliath - bomber turned airliner

Farman’s Goliath started out as a design for a bomber, was turned into an airliner — and then became a bomber again

A June 1941, and thus pre-delivery, image of Mosquito PRI W4051. The first such production example, this was the aircraft flown by Fg Off Victor Ricketts with observer Sgt Boris Lukhmanoff on post-strike reconnaissance following the attack on the Billancourt factory. VIA ANDREW THOMAS Feature Premium

Bomber Command raid on Renault plant

Bomber Command’s raid against the Renault works at Billancourt on 3 March 1942 was a pivotal one for several reasons. Not only did it see the first application of new operational techniques under Arthur Harris, but post-strike reconnaissance brought to the fore the outstanding qualities of the new de Havilland Mosquito

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Was the Vickers Vanguard terribly timed?

The February 24, 1961 issue of ‘The Aeroplane and Astronautics’ published a fascinating article on the Vanguard amid its entry into service with BEA. Even then, just three months after it began flying for the airline, it was clear that the type’s longevity was in doubt

Lufthansa Boeing 727 Feature Premium

Lufthansa’s early Boeing 727 operations

Lufthansa was the first airline in Europe to fly the Boeing 727 and ‘The Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News’ December 31, 1964 issue looked at the type’s first seven months of operations with the German carrier