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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Designer Tupolev’s first-hand insights into supersonic Tu-144

In an article published in the Aeroflot magazine ‘Grazhdanskaya Aviatsiya’ famous aircraft designer, A N Tupolev detailed the aeronautical engineering knowledge which led to the design adopted for the Tu-144 supersonic airliner.

Terminal buildings and apron at Islay. Feature Premium

BEA Heralds herald new dawn on Scottish routes

The November 15, 1962 issue of ‘The Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News’ reported on the introduction of the Handley Page Herald on the challenging Scottish Highlands and Islands routes operated by BEA at the time

An Ariana DC-6A/B at Kabul airport nearly 6,000ft above sea level. The airline carried 39,285 passengers in the Moslem year ended March 21, an increase of 3 per cent over the previous year. Feature Premium

1966 Afghanistan civil aviation flashback

A fascinating snapshot of the growing part aviation was playing in Afghanistan, as told in the July 28, 1966 ‘Aeroplane’

First One-Eleven 500 series for BEA photographed before its first flight, scheduled for today (Feb. 7), BEA is marketing the aircraft as the “Super one-eleven” and will put it into service on intra-German routes in November. Feature Premium

BEA’s first BAC One-Eleven Series 500

The BAC One-Eleven had achieved enough orders and sufficient potential for the stretched 500 series to be offered. BEA was the launch customer with details of the development of the variant explained in the February 7, 1968 issue of ‘Aeroplane’

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On the wings of a (de Havilland) Dove

This intriguing flight test of a de Havilland Dove appeared in the October 7, 1960 issue of ‘The Aeroplane and Astronautics’

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On board a BOAC wartime flying boat

A revealing visit to a BOAC operated Boeing 314-A flying boat undertaking wartime services for the British government was detailed in the February 6, 1942 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’

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Unearthed – 1942 visit to an RAF Boston squadron

Despite World War Two still raging the press were invited to visit a squadron of the RAF’s new Douglas Bostons and experience flying in the bomber, as reported in the April 17, 1942 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’

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Training RAF Hunter Pilots in the 1950s

A revealing article on the challenges of training pilots on the Hunter in its early days of service with the RAF, as published in ‘The Aeroplane’ in its August 3, 1956 issue

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Behind the scenes of a BOAC Boeing 707 delivery

In its December 9, 1960 issue ‘The Aeroplane and Astronautics’ described the process of testing and certification of a new Boeing 707 for BOAC. The author was also onboard the delivery flight from Seattle to London

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IN PICTURES: Rare colour photos of propliners at London airports in 1949

A selection of colour photos of airliners visiting London airports was published in the May 27, 1949 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’