FURTHER DETAILS OF the ski-equipped French Vampire have come from Jean-Christophe Altherr in France, who writes: “The history you seek is to be found on pages 145-146 of the Numero special Trait d’Union 1980: D.H.100 Vampire et SE.535 Mistral en France. The undercarriage was designed and built by the DOP company to enable the Mistral to take off and land on unprepared strips. The ski itself, shown RIGHT, was mounted on Mistral prototype No 02; it was ground-tested in December 1954 and flight-tested the following January. While the test results were satisfactory on a grass field, the ski appeared to be unsuitable for a hard surface - impeding, for example, movement of the aircraft inside a hangar. DOP then designed a special trolley equipped with two small wheels, seen LEFT. After the Mistral had landed using the skis, the trolleys were simply put in front of the aircraft (after it had been chocked), and the pilot gently moved forward to place the skis on the trolleys. All in all, however, the system was considered too complex for operations. During the first quarter of 1956 another Mistral, No 61, was equipped with the skis and tested by the Centre d’Experiences Aeriennes Militaires between March 1956 and February 1957. The absence of any markings in your picture suggests it shows the Mistral prototype. ”

Capt Moynihan and crew at Croydon on February 21, 1947 - the BEA “Jupiters” normally carried a crew of four: Captain, First Officer, Radio Operator and Steward/Stewardess;

The starboard engine nacelle (with its own fuel gauge) and wing seen from E.J. Riding’s seat;

Passengers boarding G-AHOG at Croydon (at Speke ???) on the morning of February 21, 1947 (a freezing A. J. Jackson is seen at right). This aircraft, together with most of the Jupiter fleet, was scrapped a year later at Warrington.

56 оставшихся в Германии в летной годности Ju 52/3m были перевезены в Великобританию. Из них 10 передали BEA - они получили регистрационные номера с G-AHOC по G-AHOL и эксплуатировались на маршруте Кройдон - Ливерпуль - Белфаст.
G-AHOG with starter trolley plugged in, among snow and ice at Speke, February 21, 1947.