Lufthansa Curtiss C-46 N9891Z was one of three of the type leased from Capitol. It is seen visiting Heathrow on August 22, 1964.

BEA Viscount 701C G-ANHF Mathew Flinders heads a line-up of the company’s Dakotas at a very basic Heathrow around the mid-to-late 1950s.

Dakota G-AGNG of BOAC, seen flying over the huge ‘cement factory’ during the final construction phase of the Heathrow complex. G-AGNG was a Lend-Lease transport,formerly KK216, which was transferred to the company on January 21, 1945.

By the 1950s, air cargo had become an important part of BEA’s activities. Pepsi-Cola vending machines are seen here being loaded onto a DC-3 for transporting from London to Jersey.

Boeing Stratocruiser Clipper Flying Eagle N1035V was a frequent visitor to Heathrow. It is seen here in the early 1950s, sporting the revised PAA livery and the addition of weather radar in the nose.

Lockheed Constellations in the original BOAC maintenance area. British Airways hopes to have an engineering unit adjacent to the proposed Terminal 5.

Transportes Aereos Portugueses (TAP) L-1049H-03 Super Constellation CS-TLD seen at Heathrow around 1958/9 whilst on lease to the airline from Seaboard & Western Airlines. Visible in the background is one of BEA’s first Viscounts, Srs 701 G-ALWF, which is the oldest survivor of the type and is now preserved at the IWM Duxford.

BOAC Douglas DC-7Cs at Heathrow