Melbourne Airport, October 1973: parking was in such short supply at Tullamarine that the taxiways had to be pressed into service. In the foreground of this photograph taken at the time are three Boeing 707s parked nose to nose and tail to tail, comprising British Caledonian’s G-BAWP - a rare visitor to Melbourne - Qantas’s VH-EAF, named City of Townsville, and BOAC Cargo’s G-AVPB.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Boeing Boeing 707/720 - СШАUSA - 1954

It is perhaps hard to remember today just how big a leap in size the 747 was on its introduction into service in 1970, specially when compared to its forerunner, the 707. Here Qantas 747-238B VH-EBA, named City of Canberra, dwarfs 707-338C VH-EAE City of Swan Hill, while parked at Melbourne during the strike. The 707 still wears the airline’s older “V-Jet” livery.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Boeing Boeing 707/720 - СШАUSA - 1954Boeing Boeing 747 - СШАUSA - 1969

Another aerial view of Melbourne Airport during the 1973 strike, with the bigger airliners having to be parked wherever space can be found for them. Some of the parking spots for the smaller feederliners, mainly Fokker F-27s of Ansett, are empty, but would have been of little use to anything much bigger than a turboprop.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Boeing Boeing 707/720 - СШАUSA - 1954Boeing Boeing 747 - СШАUSA - 1969Fokker F.27 Friendship - НидерландыNetherlands - 1955

Singapore Airlines 747 9V-SIB shares Melbourne’s taxiway S with KLM’s first 747, PH-BUA; the latter was hijacked a few weeks later by Palestinian terrorists on an Amsterdam-Tokyo flight, which ended without harm to aircraft or passengers after landing in Dubai.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Boeing Boeing 707/720 - СШАUSA - 1954Boeing Boeing 747 - СШАUSA - 1969

This unique line-up on Melbourne’s freight apron shows the three main types then in the Qantas fleet on the ramp together. From nearest to camera: Douglas DC-4, Boeing 707 and 747. Qantas retained a pair of DC-4s for services to Norfolk Island but was in the process of becoming an “all-747” airline. Beyond the Qantas line is a pair of Ansett Lockheed Electras.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Boeing Boeing 707/720 - СШАUSA - 1954Boeing Boeing 747 - СШАUSA - 1969Douglas DC-4 / C-54 / R5D Skymaster - СШАUSA - 1942Lockheed Electra L-188 - СШАUSA - 1957