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Liverpool Airport 75
Anniversary Celebration & Liverpool Aviation Fair
Report by Colin Trollope.
Photographs on this page by Graham Ward
ON Sunday, 29
June 2008, the Jetstream Club's and Friends of Liverpool Airport's
held their Aviation Fair, incorporating Liverpool Airport's 75th
Anniversary Celebration. So after being in vited we popped over to
the famous art deco landmark, the grade II listed, former terminal
building, which is now the multi-award winning Liverpool Marriott
Hotel South. In this building, the Friends of Liverpool Airport (FoLA)
and The Jetstream Club jointly celebrated the 75th anniversary of
the 1 July 1933 opening of Liverpool Airport. The event opened to
the public at 10am and closed at 5pm. The Hotel staff, as well as
the Friends, were most co-operative and helpful to everyone. Being
able to arrive at the old terminal in a vintage bus, no fare
charged, a real bonus. So, a big, thank you, to the Merseyside
Transport Trust for adding to the pleasures on the day. Inside the
hotel were stalls with memorabilia, aviation books, cockpit
instruments as well as other various trade stalls including Line
Hanger. A well worth seeing art exhibition, by Manchester Aviation
Artists, was in another room in the hotel. Then outside there was an
area for children to play. Walking around on the old taxiing tarmac
area there were fire engines, historic vehicles, military
helicopters, an aircraft simulator, a refreshment stand, the
Jetstream Club's Bristol Britannia and their J41 Jetstream, plus a
queue for rides in a civilian helicopter. For all of that, there was
an entry fee of only £2 per person, or £5 per car, both of which
were shared between the Jetstream Aircraft Preservation Trust and
other local charities. Graham Ward of the Friends of Liverpool
Airport told us that "Sadly The Battle of Britain Memorial
flight's Spitfire and Hurricane were unable to operate, due to bad
weather elsewhere, however, the BoBMF Dakota did do a spirited
flypast. Late on in Morning there were heavy showers however, huge
numbers of people still attended our event through out the day.
Overall a very successful day for the Jetstream Group and FoLA. We
would like to thank every one who helped us with this event. We
would like t point out that our photographic display at the Airport
(Landside - Level 3) is on until Sunday 6 July 2008, which includes
many interesting and historic photos from 1930 onwards. So if you
want to see what Liverpool Airport was like in the 1930's, pop in
and take a look!"
On the day, Liverpool John Lennon Airport new terminal played host
to some interesting displays, and also there were opportunities to
fly in a vintage passenger aircraft, a D. H. Rapide, which flew the
first passenger service in 1933 and a D.H Dove. Interestinly a full
sise model of that aircraft can be seen all year round out side the
former terminal building. This in our view was a very good day out
for all the family. Well done everybody!
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For more
information about the Friends of Liverpool Airport and to
find out how to join go to:-
www.fola.org.uk.
Also
for information about the Jetstream Club go to:-
www.jetstream-club.org. |
