Post by viscount on Jan 16, 2013 13:28:00 GMT 1
A couple of interesting shots, almost certainly from Fox Moth G-AOJH (arrived at Speke during 1957) while on pleasure sight-seeing flights. Perhaps others can comment, as they are proving difficult to date. Three of the shots are clearly in different years.
I suspect that this is the earliest. Note 'LIVERPOOL' painted along the top roof of Hangar No.1, a feature that I don't think lasted that long. The amount of car parking space is small. There are no aircraft on the apron to give a date indication. While writing the airfield name on the hangar roof is something I associate with the 1930s, the foreground buildings were built for Lockheeds during WWII, so a 50s date is likely.
This though may be the earlier. While there is no 'LIVERPOOL' on the No.1 hangar roof, there are two Dakotas on the apron and something parked on the western. What catches my eye here is that runway 04/22 appears to be operational (closed 1958) - it runs diagonally across the right lower corner of the photo. Main runway 08/26 (runs to the left bottom corner) does not seem to be clearly marked at all, indeed the edges seem to fade into the grass. Thought this might be taken in the period 1956-57 when the runway was re-laid, this idea is supported by Fox Moth G-AOJH arriving at Liverpool during 1957.
Clearly the later of the three photos, main runway 08/26 is now boldly marked. Suggest late 50s/early 60s, not earlier than 1958, but no later than 1961 as the Starways hangar has been built alongside Speke Boulevard, but the 500 ft extension to the 08 end of the main runway and a new taxiway off the apron to the 26 end, both completed in 1962 have not been built.
Clearly no sightseeing 'flip' out of Speke could not avoid a look at Speke Hall. This is the view from the back. No formal rose garden and this was long before the the roof restoration. Clearly before the 1966 construction of the 'bund bank', which today would start part way across and run along the bottom edge of the image to the left.
I suspect that this is the earliest. Note 'LIVERPOOL' painted along the top roof of Hangar No.1, a feature that I don't think lasted that long. The amount of car parking space is small. There are no aircraft on the apron to give a date indication. While writing the airfield name on the hangar roof is something I associate with the 1930s, the foreground buildings were built for Lockheeds during WWII, so a 50s date is likely.
This though may be the earlier. While there is no 'LIVERPOOL' on the No.1 hangar roof, there are two Dakotas on the apron and something parked on the western. What catches my eye here is that runway 04/22 appears to be operational (closed 1958) - it runs diagonally across the right lower corner of the photo. Main runway 08/26 (runs to the left bottom corner) does not seem to be clearly marked at all, indeed the edges seem to fade into the grass. Thought this might be taken in the period 1956-57 when the runway was re-laid, this idea is supported by Fox Moth G-AOJH arriving at Liverpool during 1957.
Clearly the later of the three photos, main runway 08/26 is now boldly marked. Suggest late 50s/early 60s, not earlier than 1958, but no later than 1961 as the Starways hangar has been built alongside Speke Boulevard, but the 500 ft extension to the 08 end of the main runway and a new taxiway off the apron to the 26 end, both completed in 1962 have not been built.
Clearly no sightseeing 'flip' out of Speke could not avoid a look at Speke Hall. This is the view from the back. No formal rose garden and this was long before the the roof restoration. Clearly before the 1966 construction of the 'bund bank', which today would start part way across and run along the bottom edge of the image to the left.
