Croydon Airport

Post World War 2 And  The Final Years

Page Two

(above) restored 'Tigers' were great for cheap club flying. (below) you never knew what might come in and land from one day to the next. This was an amphibian 'Grumman Widgeon'. mid 1950's

(above) a typical day in the 'B Hangar' area. A 'Proctor' and a 'Piper L4' outside, and a 'Dakota' and an 'Anson' just inside. (below) the same place a couple of days later and a 'Dakota' is now undergoing a port engine overhaul. mid 1950's

(above) for several years during the 1950's, 'D Hangar' was home to a 'Watkinson Dingbat'.

A typical busy time in and around 'Olley Air Services' hangar. (above) an 'Erco Ercoupe' in the foreground, one of 'Olley's' 'DH Dove's', a pair of 'Proctor's' either side and an 'Anson' inside the hangar. (below) the 'Ercoupe' and another of 'Olley's' 'DH Dove's'. mid 1950's

(above) another day and another group in the same hangar. L to R .... 'Beechcraft Bonanza', 'Auster Aiglet' and a 'DH Chipmunk'. (below) recently converted 'C47's' for 'Transair'. mid 1950's

Many well known personalities visited Croydon in the 1950's. One regular was Douglas Bader in a 'Miles M65 Gemini 7' (above) in his role as a rep for 'Shell Aviation'. (below) The well known film star Tyrone Powers kept his ex RAF 'Percival Proctor at Croydon. It was stored, maintained and serviced by Willis Hole Aviation.

(above) Passengers boarding a 'D H Dove' of 'Morton Air Services'. Late 1950's

(below) 1959

(below) late 1950's

(above) on the apron 1959

(below) The last day !!!!

(above) A 'DH Heron' of 'Morton Air Services', preparing for the last commercial flight out of 'Croydon Airport' on the 30th of September 1959.

. The final scheduled commercial flight from Croydon departed at 6:15pm on the 30th of September 1959.

It was followed at 7.45pm by a private flight of a 'Miles M65 Gemini', piloted by Christopher de Vere, which was the last aircraft to leave before the airfield officially closed at 10.20pm. Mr de Vere, later became the first secretary of the Croydon Airport Society, he watched the last commercial flight depart before he, and some friends, burnt an effigy of the Minister of Transport responsible for the closure of Croydon.