Ian Foster's Collection of Speke Photos, late '50s

[viscount]

THE IAN FOSTER COLLECTION

The other week, while at the 27 mound on a Saturday morning, the assembled 'Meerkats' were approached and asked if there was an interest in photos of the old airport. The visitor was passed onto me, and it transpired that he had a small collection of negatives and photos at Speke and Woodvale taken as a schoolboy in the second half of the 'Fifities.

Needless to say, I was very interested! It transpired that Ian Foster has been a visitor to the nwan site and admired the b&ws of the old airport, although did not think his were quite of the same quality. I've since been round to his home and collected the negatives and second-rate scans made a few years ago. The negatives have now been scanned into my PC and cleaned, straightened, cropped etc as necessary - and a very fine mix of airliners, light aircraft and military they are too. A couple of the 46 negatives have damage, but are still presentable.

Two shots in particular created a headache as they clearly were not of aircraft that visited Liverpool - indeed several shots are now identified as Ringway, even though Ian cannot recall ever having taken his camera there! Then while examining the prints closely during cleaning, it became evident that a show said to be at Woodvale had both the wrong aircraft for the 1957 SSAFA display, and that there was a very large industrial tower in the background! Phil Butler has now identified the airfield as Hooton Park and the event quite positively as the final Battle of Britain Open Day there in September 1956.

This thread will share some delightful shots of Speke (at a couple at Woodvale) in the late '50s, while I'll post the Hooton Park and Manchester shots on appropriate threads in the Nostalgia Section:
Hooton Park: www.derbosoft.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=history&action=display&thread=6279 (at the 1956 Air Display)
Ringway: derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/10416/manchester-50s-80s-images-restored?page=1&scrollTo=61658 (short post on a thread of Manchester images)
Stretton: derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/1946/rnas-stretton-blackcap?page=1&scrollTo=61083 (single shot)

The equipment that these photos were taken on, is a very basic 'Kodak Brownie Box Camera', using 620 film, which produce a large negative, but were very susceptible to camera shake so a sharp image required good strong light and an extremely steady pair of hands. As a schoolboy, film was not particularly cheap to purchase, develop or print either, which explains why there usually is just one of each type, airline etc.

Thank you Ian for making these images available for me to share on your behalf. They will bring back memories of good times for many, and show later generations what they missed out on! While traffic was slow in comparison to today, there was greater variety and the view of proceedings from the balcony has no equal.

[viscount]

To start off with, a selection of the airliners to be seen regularly at Speke in the late '50s.




1. G-ANCI a DH.114 Heron 1B of resident airline Dragon Airways in the period 6.55 to 2.57.



2. Another Heron 1B, this one G-AOZM in the colours of Silver City, but operated by Manx Airlines in the period 4.57 to 12.59. Both G-AOZM and G-ANCI were familiar at Speke through the '60s with other operator



3.It is easy to forget just how close and personal to the aircraft the balcony was. Here far too close for the lens on the Brownie Box camera to fit in the whole aircraft is a Vickers Viking of Hunting Clan, presumably on a charter flight.



4.The Dakotas of B.E.A. were daily regulars, this one G-AGZC served from 8.46 until 2.61.



5. G-AMPY of Liverpool's 'own' airline, Starways sat outside their hangar beside Speke Boulevard.



6. Aer Lingus was a major operator into Liverpool in the late 50s and well into the 60s. Here is one of their Dakotas EI-ACE which served Aer Lingus from 2.46 until 7.64. The negative has slight damage through the nose and wing of the subject.



7. The Fokker F.27 Friendship was a great favourite of passenger and photographer alike. No wonder it is one of the more popular subjects in this collection. EI-AKB flew with Aer Lingus 11.58 to 1.66.



8. The individual fleet name 'St. Feidlim' shows this to be EI-AKE, with Aer Lingus 2.59 until 6.66.



9. Although it was not until the mid 60s that Aer Lingus Viscounts were regularly used by Aer Lingus on the Dublin schedule, they did call on charters and extra flights. Here Friendship EI-AKE and Viscount EI-AJJ are caught on the apron together.



10. Viscount EI-AJJ operated with Aer Lingus 1.58 until 12.69. Note Apache G-APCL tucked-in behind, close to the hangar doors





11 & 12. Two shots at different locations of Douglas DC4 G-APEZ. Seen from Banks Road outside No.4 hangar, and on the apron with No.2 hangar as a backdrop.



13. A typical view from Speke Boulevard of a Douglas Skymaster outside the Starways hangar with maintenance steps in position.

[viscount]

Although nothing like as numerous as today, general aviation types provided a great deal of interest to the enthusiast. In the late 50s the invasion of American metal constructed light aviation singles and twins had barely started, so all the aircraft here are British built.



14.The name 'Bunge' on the nose is the clue by which this can be traced as G-AMHM a Dove 2 operated by Trader Navigation during the period 4.51 to 2.61



15. Possibly the earliest shot in the collection is this rather grey image of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul G-AIAH, very likely while being operated by Morton Air Services 9.46 to 8.59, although it does not appear to be wearing any titles. Note the Aer Lingus Dakota behind in their earlier, mid 50s scheme.



16. DH.89 Dragon Rapide G-AKZO, very likely while operated by Don Everall (Aviation) Ltd in the period 4.53 to 8.60.



17. Avro Anson G-AIPA being operated as a freighter, with no cabin windows. This aircraft was one of resident operator's Federated Transport's aircraft, used to transport fresh vegetables, mushrooms and newspapers across the Irish Sea. G-AIPA was based at Speke 3.54 until 2.5



18. The same Avro Anson G-AIPA, with Starways Dakota G-AMPY behind. I strongly suspect that this photo was taken during the May 1956 Air Display.



19. This is another Anson photo, this was N9828 with the Royal Navy, sold to Federated Transport, but was never converted onto the civil register, ending its days with the Fire Service, having been donated early 1957.



20. G-AGXN an Auster of Manchester based Airviews, but quite clearly at Speke. This aircraft was converted from a J/1 Autocrat to a J/1 Alpha 2.57, so if anyone can tell the difference it would help fix a date for this photograph. Airviews operated G-AGXN 4.46 until 6.66. From an answer below, this now known to be after conversion to an Alpha, so the photo is in the period 2.57 to 6.66.



21. G-AOEZ is an Auster J/5L Aiglet seen outside the Starways hangar where it lived. Based at Liverpool by owner Eric Bemrose around 10.55 until 12.60.



22. Oddly no underwing registration is evident on this DH.82 Tiger Moth, so it might be an Irish registered one. Quite possibly recently ex military as there is a faded roundel under the port wing.



23. This though is clearly G-AKYR and a visitor, as the owner was resident of Harlow, Essex. The aircraft crashed 6.58 - so the photo obviously pre-dates that. Rescued from a badly marked negative.



23A. This image is the same as the shot above, but before working on the badly marked negative in 'Picasa'. Amazing what can be saved with a little patience. I've left this image in the original proportions, which goes to show how much sky and foreground I've cropped-out on the posted images, although I've usually left the original width as the background is as much the memory as the subject.

[viscount]

My favourites from this collection are without doubt these three shots of DH.98 Mosquito TT.35 aircraft at Liverpool. For two years after the retirement of their Spitfire PR.19 aircraft the Thum (Temperature and Humidity) Flight at R.A.F. Woodvale operated one of their aircraft into Speke each day to drop off their weather observations with the Airport Met. Office.



24. Thum Flt Mosquito TT.35 VR806/J which was operated 5.58 to 5.59. Note that on this aircraft, the target towing gear is still installed under the aircraft and the guards to prevent the tow wire tangling the horizontal tail surfaces, elevators and tail wheel.



25. Mosquito TT.35 RS719, operated by the Thum Flt 5.57 to 6.58



26. Mosquito TT.35 TA722, operated by the Thum Flt 6.57 to 5.59. The yellow and black diagonal 'target tug' colours underside are visible on the lower engine cowling and undercarriage doors of this shot. The DH Heron in the background is actually just airbourne off runway 26.



27. Another '50s operation at Speke Airport was the overhaul of Vampire and Sabre aircraft by Airwork Ltd. Here two F-86 Sabres are parked outisde No.1 hangar in U.S.Air Force markings. The nearest is 19606 with 'buzz-code' FU-606.



28. Avro Ansons were regular visitors on communication flights, here WB450 is an Avro T.21 parked by No.1 hangar. From the smoke clearly a stong southerly wind, which explains the Aer Lingus Dakota about to line-up and depart on the short runway 18.



29. Chipmunk T.10 aircraft from Woodvale were quite regularly seen on overshoot (or in today's parlance 'go-around'), but fairly rarely on the ground. Here Manchester U.A.S.'s WP841 is parked outside No.2 hangar along with Dove 6 G-ANPH of Atlantis Air Ltd, who operated this aircraft 4.54 to 7.66.



30. I've seen a movie on the net of this aircraft at Speke before, but not a still photo. The amazingly highly polished aircraft is Vickers Viking C.2, VL247, of the Queen's Flight. Almost certainly the visit of 3rd June 1957, when Anthony Eden, PM, arrived in Liverpool from the USA by Ocean Liner and was being taken onward to his Oxfordshire home.





31 & 32. Two shots on different visits (parked in slightly different locations) of Vickers Valetta WJ504 of R.A.F. Coastal Command Communications Flt. The aircraft is known to have visited three times in 1957, in 1959, twice in 1960 and again in 1961. As photos of this aircraft visiting in 1961 have appeared on nwan before and was parked further out then, these must of be of earlier visits.





33 & 34. Photos taken at the May 1956 Speke Air Display are not too common, and when I do find some they always include this aircraft, Blackburn Beverley C.1, XB283. Clearly the photographers were impressed by the sheer size of this double-decker transporter just entering service at the time. The location is between No.2 hangar and the 26 threshold.

[andyh]

Brian, thanks for taking the time and effort to upload and narrate these fantastic photos and thanks also to Ian for sharing these gems. I do sometimes wish I had been born 20 years earlier!!!

[acklington]

As 'box brownie' photos go, those are very good, and Ian obviously knew how to take a pleasing aircraft photo.

Also, well done on the restoration of the negs - it shows!

Regarding the supposed-Irish Tiger Moth, I think I've seen a photo of a similar looking one with no underwing registration, taken on the Isle of Man, in colour. If so, then the colours are yellow overall with dark red engine cowling.

I'll have a search this afternoon.

[acklington]

Regarding the un-identified Tiger Moth, I found the photos I was looking for but unfortunately it is not the same aircraft e.g. the colour of the propellor is quite different, and the top wing fuel tanks are different colours.

Sorry, can't help further.

[danairamb]

Fantastic photos, especially the close-up of the Hunting Clan Viking. You wrote
" Aer Lingus was a major operator into Liverpool in the late 50s and well into the 60s." In fact Aer Lingus operated to Liverpool from the late 30s through to the 80s and briefly again a few years ago. Of all the airlines that I remember operating into LPL during my days spent spotting on the balcony (60s and early 70s) they are the only operator still in business, except for BA which of course took over from Cambrian but didn't stay long before swapping routes with British Midland who are also no longer with us. As has been mentioned many times on this forum Aer Arran a.k.a. Aer Lingus Regional would be a great addition to LPL and would be able to offer great connections to Aer Lingus transatlantic routes. Wish the LPL authorities would pursue this but I suspect they dont want to alienate Ryanair.

[viscount]

JUST A FEW MORE IAN FOSTER SHOTS, THESE DISCARDED AS NEGATIVES AT THE TIME

A few more from Ian Foster, these shots being found as a number of negatives in an envelope, quite likely put aside many years ago as not worthy of being printed. A few though are presentable, although others, mainly of Chipmunks suffer too badly from shake, and a couple of Aer Lingus Friendships too badly over-exposed for rescue. To me though they represent a photographer keen to push his basic equipment to the limit. 'Proper' cameras with dials and adjustments were, in the '50s and early '60s way too expensive for amateur use.



Auster G-AGVI of the Merseyside and North Wales Flying Club in the mid '50s. With a Brownie Box, capturing moving objects was a bold move.



Three Austers of the M&NWFC, identifiable as G-AHAK, G-AIPH and G-AJAE. As these were the 3 Austers that closed the 1956 Speke Air Display, this almost certainly dates this photo to 21st May 1956. They must have been close to be captured on a standard lens camera!



Although the Southport and Merseyside Flying Club were based at Hesketh Park Aerodrome during the mid 50s, here is G-AFJB their Foster Wickner Wicko at Speke sometime between 10.56 and 10.58.



This was found as a negative, even with a nose and tail cropped, the light scratching would never fully be erased on Picasa, but does not destroy the image visually. Apart from having removed a couple of white or black blotches, the poor composition does not encourage further work.



Same Friendship, much more interesting angle and composition, but the wicked surface scratching of the negative does spoil the image visually. Just serves to show that while old images can be rescued with care and patience, there is a limit, no matter how well pleasing the shot is.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Although clearly not at Speke, I'll post these couple of shots here as they come from the same source.



Auster AOP.6 VF554/G of 663 (AOP) Sqdn, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, who were based at RAF Hooton Park until March 1957. VF554/G was only briefly on charge with the unit 29.8.55 until an accident 21.10.56 - is the background Woodvale, Hooton Park, or indeed somewhere else? Clearly is not Liverpool though, despite the gun butts against the woodland on the far boundary.

There are a number of Chipmunk photos, of which these are the best. Presumed to have been at RAF Woodvale.





Chipmunk T.10 WP918



Chipmunk WD322, given the basic camera equipment, a brave attempt at an action shot - it so nearly worked too.





Chipmunk T.10 WP968 in Manchester University Air Squadron markings.



A Percival P.56 Provost T.1 - a type once operated from RAF Woodvale in the late 50s



Not the best shot in the world, but bear in mind this was with a box Brownie, with little control over shutter speed or aperture, not a bad try - and that fence does look very like the one at RAF Woodvale (now inside a more modern one).

[mw5]

Fantastic photos...!

[kevmul]

There's a superb set of nearly 800 photos of aircraft at Liverpool dating from the 60s onwards on Flickr.

The set will almost certainly be familiar to some. They belong to Ken Fielding; I hope he doesn't mind the link being posted here.

www.flickr.com/photos/kenfielding/6052144919/in/pool-1081539

Kev

[viscount]

As I've spent a number of hours restoring the 60 or so images to this thread (and others linked from it earlier), thought I would give it a 'bump up' after 8 months of 'Photobucket' logos replacing the images. Most are from negatives, some from prints, the last post being from negatives put aside likely 60 years ago as not worthy of printing. All have been scanned on a CanoScan 9000F and processed using Picasa to clean, straighten, sharpen, re-contrast and crop. Usually the crop is of the sky and foreground, with the width retained - the buildings and apron activity are as interesting as the aircraft at times.

Sadly though, I have to report the death of the photographer, Ian Foster, since he first provided his collection for us to view in March 2013. I think he knew his days were limited when he approached us on the 27 mound in 2013, I certainly know he was delighted at the response and interest in his photos when posted on a medium which was barely even science fiction when he was taking his photos in the late 1950s! After five years the thread 'hit' counter stood at an extremely popular 3,650 as I was replacing the images back into the text (Jan '18). Thank you Ian for having the foresight to know that others would really value the opportunity of looking at them time and time again now, they are a great 'time capsule'.

At a matter of record, when the images were re-inserted for a second time in July 2021, the visits counter stood at 5,680.

Brian.

[Deleted]

20. G-AGXN an Auster of Manchester based Airviews, but quite clearly at Speke. This aircraft was converted from a J/1 Autocrat to a J/1 Alpha 2.57, so if anyone can tell the difference it would help fix a date for this photograph. Airviews operated G-AGXN 4.46 until 6.66.

Brian

It's been converted to Alpha. Note the larger tail and the position of the tail wing against it. The engine cover also appears to be extended with extra lumps and bumps aswell as a different shaped exhaust outlet. Click the link below for a photo of her as an Autocrat.

abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1200233

This text also appears in Wikipedia. Many J/1s were converted to J/1N Alpha standard with a higher fin and fitted with a 130 h.p. Gipsy Major engine, as used in the J/1B Aiglet. 45 new build J/1N Alphas were completed in 1956/57, mainly for export to Australia.

Hope this helps,

Steve

[viscount]

Another of those zombie threads, missing images for the past 18th months or, that has now been brought back to life. A great little collection. It makes me all the more pleased to get these on back on display as I know Ian was absolutely delighted at how his images looked on a screen back in 2013 when first posted. He sadly died not too long after that and I consider this thread to be a reminder of his vision to not only record the aircraft seen at Speke, Hooton, Manchester and Woodvale all those years ago, but to consider passing his album to be copied.

So this is a further thread BUMP UP to bring a compact but delightful series of images from Speke Airport in the '50s and very early'60s back to everyone's attention.

For the record this thread has notched up a very creditable 5,730 'hits' since first posted in March 2013.