Old pics of Concorde

[Catherine]

Found these amongst slides I was converting to jpeg the other day.

Concorde used Prestwick Airport for testing and pilot training throughout its lifetime. Prestwick Airport was just right for that as it had a very long runway which started in the countryside at one end, and ended with planes flying out over the sea at the other.

Those early slides were taken when the plane was performing at a Prestwick Air Show from my sister's in-laws back garden in the late 60s. The pilot, John Cochrane, was from Monkton, the little village at the north side of the main runway, so he wiggled his wings in salute to his parents as he flew over us.

Yes, the noise of its engines was incredible - but we absolutely loved that icon of the air, and really missed her when she stopped doing those 'circuit and bump' figure of 8's past our home at the south of Ayr when she was withdrawn from service. Gen took many videos of it in those days, and I think I have some REAL photos of it somewhere too...

Concorde, the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain flight were the 'stars' of the Air Show each couple of years. One year I was lucky enough to attend the pre-show reception at the airport, and met some of the Red Arrows as well as members of the Frecce Tricolori (Italian Air Force team). I think it was stopped in the 80s though - too costly for the local council to run any longer.

One year, just a few days before the Air Show was due to be held, an Antonov landed at Prestwick with 'engine problems'. Of course, those were fixed so it could fly out the day after the show. During its stay it had remained 'stuck' on the eastern apron next to the runway... Quite a coincidence!

The pic of a Concorde at the Madurodam (miniature village in The Hague, NL) tells its own story. KLM planned to buy some Concordes to use for trans-atlantic flight, but never did.