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.
A Valiant start to the V-Force
The Valiant nuclear bomber was the first aircraft used by the RAF as an in-flight refuelling tanker. The details of this and other developments with this V-bomber were detailed in the July 29, 1960 issue of ‘The Aeroplane and Astronautics’
First-hand report from the Berlin Airlift
A revealing account of the aircraft operations during the Berlin Airlift with ‘The Aeroplane’s’ John E Fricker getting to experience flights into the city on an Avro York and Short Sunderland carrying supplies. In his article, which was published in the July 23, 1948 issue, he also gives his impressions of life in Berlin which was still bearing the scars from World War Two
Convair-liner 1948 UK debut
Heathrow Airport hosted the first visit to the UK of a CV-240 (which be the first of many variants of this family), with the event covered in the September 10, 1948 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’
Revolutionary Victor design insights
The Handley Page H.P. 80, later to be named the Victor, had a new wing design which bestowed excellent performance. The virtues of this ground-breaking shape were explained by no less than Handley Page’s chief designer in the January 2, 1953 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’
BEA 1960s Highlands and Islands operations
An insightful overview of the challenges faced by BEA serving the communities of Scotland from the August 11, 1966 issue of Aeroplane
Spectacular 1960 Farnborough airshow flying display
A report on what was in the flying display at the 1960 Farnborough airshow from the September 9, 1960 issue of ‘The Aeroplane and Astronautics’
How the Canberra completed the fastest transatlantic crossing
A report from the March 2, 1951 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’ on a ground-breaking flight by a Canberra
Revealing 1951 article on the Korean air war
‘The Aeroplane’ in its January 12, 1951, published an article from a visit to one of the bases launching aircraft on missions in the Korean War
1949 UK Stratocruiser Debut
An interesting report on the first visit of a Boeing Stratocruiser to the UK, as reported in the April 15, 1949 issue of ‘The Aeroplane’
Swissair - Goodbye Metropolitan, Hello DC-9
The arrival of the DC-9 with Swissair meant the days of its last propliner were numbered, although as revealed in the August 25, 1966 issue of ‘Aeroplane’ there were some unexpected complications...