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Aird Crooks Collection

• Prestwick •

All photos: Aird Crooks © 1948 - 1960

My thanks to Gordon Macadie for allowing me to add some of Aird's Prestwick photographs. Certainly a great period in the airport's history, for myself and many others of my generation.
42-65414 Douglas C-74 Globemaster (13925) USAF. This aircraft was the only C-74 used in the Berlin Air Lift. It flew 25 missions and transported 446 tons of supplies. To MASDC / Davis-Monthan AFB - where it was scrapped in 1965.
XT-610 Convair 240-14 (131) Central Air Transport Corporation.. Still present at China Aviation Museum, Beijing, China.
LN-LAG Douglas DC-6 Cloudmaster (43134) SAS - Scandinavian Airlines System "Sverre Viking". This aircraft was painted in the more modern SAS scheme circa 1952. This image predates that. Shown parked in front of the Orangefield House goldfish pond and gardens. I had forgotten about that pond until I worked on this image!!
F-BATO SNCASE SE.161/P7 Languedoc (32) Air France. Destroyed 29 August 1948 in a hangar fire at Le Bourget. Boy, these public enclosure chairs sure lasted a long time.
Need to do some research on this US registered photo reconnaissance Lockheed P-38 Lightning variant. Unmarked up the back.
AP-AAE Douglas DC-3 (19032) Ex 42-100569 delivered 02 November 1943; VT-CIF; VT-CPE ntu; AP-AAE; N1501V; PK-SVE; PK-WWJ.
VL233 Vickers Viking C.2 (153) RAF. f/f 03/10/1947, d/d 29/10/1947, to G-APAT, w.f.u. at Hurn May 1961 and scrapped.
45-00940 Douglas C-47B Skytrain (16943/34202) USAF-MATS.
G-AMAV Vickers V.701 Viscount (3) MoA. During one of many crew training flights in the period 11 - 28 March 1951. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXLink to detailed History
TF-ISA Douglas DC-3 Dakota (12184) FLUGFÉLAG ISLANDS.
CF-TGC Lockheed L1049C Super Constellation (1049C-4542) Trans Canada Airlines f/n 403. A regular at Prestwick. Later converted to L-1049G.
PH-TEN Lockheed L.049-46-25 Constellation (049-2083) KLM. - The Flying Dutchman. "Nijmegen". Crashed 21 October 1948 near Prestwick - 40 killed. Accident link.
G-AKGK Boeing B377-10-32 Stratocruiser (15977) BOAC - "Canopus". Later became N409Q and was noted at KMHV - Mojave.
N90942 Boeing B377-10-29 Stratocruiser (15958/30) American Overseas Airlines - "Flagship Europe". Later was noted at KMHV - Mojave. DBR ground collision with N402Q August 1967. Photo taken c. 1949/1950.
N50549 Curtiss C-46T Commando (30200).
17512 Canadair C-54GM North Star (119) RCAF.
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