Post by acklington on Mar 5, 2024 19:10:07 GMT 1
Way back when, I worked for Post Office Telecomms in their NW London area HQ on Edgware Road. One day they announced that our section had to move to Harrow, and anyone who didn't want the additional journey from home (I lived in Muswell Hill) could apply for a transfer. A quick look at the London A to Z and I ever so reluctantly agreed to go to Harrow, my office window was to be right under the Northolt approach, less than 2 miles.
So I logged all sorts from my office window, and many lunchtimes I made the short drive to sit by the end-of-runway traffic lights. Landings weren't that frequent, sometimes three during the lunch hour, but often none. There was a good view of the airfield, but no telephoto lens in those days, just a bog-standard fixed 35 mm camera.
One particular day the parked aircraft were very exotic, so I held my binoculars in front of the camera and hoped for the best. There was a very high failure rate, but I've finally got round to scanning the negatives, and with a lot of work in photoshop, etc, I've stitched the best bits of the negs together, removed the 'black tunnel' effect of the binos, and rebuilt missing bits of the aircraft.
4X-FPZ, 96, Yodfat, Northolt, 10 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
51-3801, T-29B, Northolt, 2 July 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
51-3801, T-29B, Northolt, 2 July 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
51-7902, T-29B, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
51-7902, T-29B, Northolt, 25 June 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
52-5832, T-29D, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
52-5832, T-29D, Northolt, 25 June 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
Belgian RM-6, OT-ZAF, 21 Sqdn 15 Wing Melsbroek, Northolt, 6 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
BG579, D, L-1049G, Indian Air Force, Northolt, 25 Junr 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
TG505, SCBS, Northolt, 10 July 70 pfw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
USN 141021, C-131F, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS637, C-in-C Norway, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) cfw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS637, C-in-C Norway, Northolt, 25 June 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS765, 32 Sqdn red spinners, Northolt, 6 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS772, 32 Sqdn red spinners, Northolt, 6 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS780, 207 Sqdn, Northolt, 25 June 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS781, Northolt, 23 June 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
XS794, 32 Sqdn Benson, Northolt, 2 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
And even at home in Muswell Hill (many miles from Northolt), I attempted this binocular photo of Argosy XP409 heading for Northolt.
XP409, Benson, over Muswell Hill into Northolt, 25 June 70 pfw by Philip Pain, on Flickr
So I logged all sorts from my office window, and many lunchtimes I made the short drive to sit by the end-of-runway traffic lights. Landings weren't that frequent, sometimes three during the lunch hour, but often none. There was a good view of the airfield, but no telephoto lens in those days, just a bog-standard fixed 35 mm camera.
One particular day the parked aircraft were very exotic, so I held my binoculars in front of the camera and hoped for the best. There was a very high failure rate, but I've finally got round to scanning the negatives, and with a lot of work in photoshop, etc, I've stitched the best bits of the negs together, removed the 'black tunnel' effect of the binos, and rebuilt missing bits of the aircraft.
4X-FPZ, 96, Yodfat, Northolt, 10 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr51-3801, T-29B, Northolt, 2 July 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr51-3801, T-29B, Northolt, 2 July 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr51-7902, T-29B, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr51-7902, T-29B, Northolt, 25 June 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr52-5832, T-29D, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on Flickr52-5832, T-29D, Northolt, 25 June 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrBelgian RM-6, OT-ZAF, 21 Sqdn 15 Wing Melsbroek, Northolt, 6 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrBG579, D, L-1049G, Indian Air Force, Northolt, 25 Junr 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrTG505, SCBS, Northolt, 10 July 70 pfw by Philip Pain, on FlickrUSN 141021, C-131F, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS637, C-in-C Norway, Northolt, 25 June 70 (1) cfw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS637, C-in-C Norway, Northolt, 25 June 70 (2) fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS765, 32 Sqdn red spinners, Northolt, 6 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS772, 32 Sqdn red spinners, Northolt, 6 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS780, 207 Sqdn, Northolt, 25 June 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS781, Northolt, 23 June 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrXS794, 32 Sqdn Benson, Northolt, 2 July 70 fw by Philip Pain, on FlickrAnd even at home in Muswell Hill (many miles from Northolt), I attempted this binocular photo of Argosy XP409 heading for Northolt.
XP409, Benson, over Muswell Hill into Northolt, 25 June 70 pfw by Philip Pain, on Flickr