The original caption reads: "Somehow 37 survived the crash of this Air France Constellation at Preston, Conn. The airliner, flying from Paris to Mexico City via New York crashed during a rainstorm and landed in flames on an isolated farm. The wing of the plane finally ended up resting against the tree."
3.8.54 Air France L.1049 F-BGNA c/n 4510 diverted from Idlewild for Boston due to bad weather but force-landed wheels-up on McClimon Farm near Preston, CT at 0830 EST due to fuel starvation. The 29 passengers and 8 crew escaped although Capt J Cabouche, 1 crew and 10 passengers were injured. Inadequate flight planning.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Lockheed Super Constellation L-1049 / C-121C - СШАUSA - 1951

Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZN c/n 5212 was BEA flagship "Elizabethan" after which the class was named. This early photo of G-ALZN shows the clean lines of the design. The collision damage on 11.8.54 was minor and easily repaired enabling the aircraft to continue in service.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Airspeed Ambassador / AS.57 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1947

Early production Auster J/1 Autocrat G-AGTY c/n 1841 attended many flying displays as a demonstration aircraft flown by Gordon Millar who is seen here making a slow fly-past. The aircraft was destroyed when it crashed on a night take-off from Denham which was described at the time as 'unauthorised'.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Auster J/1 - J/5 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1945