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Imperial Airways
operated not only as passenger transport, and freight carriers
but were also the main Royal Mail 'Airmail' carriers. The company
used Croydon for it's land based operations centre, but also
operated seaplanes from Southampton and other coastal ports for
long range links. |
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(above) Imperial Airways 'booking in'
counter |
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(above) the Imperial Airways 'Departure
Gate'. |
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(above)
Christmas in the air. |
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(below) The cockpit of an Imperial Airways aircraft. |
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(below) 'Easter is a busy time', Ground organisation and
scientific training of pilots and crew play an important part
in making those routes safe. The picture depicts a routine day
at Croydon Airport before the departure of a giant 38 seater
Imperial Airways liner. |
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(below) October 1929. One of the huge new sheds for the
giant Imperial Liners. The new sheds can house up to 35 aircraft |
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(below) Imperial Airways van fleet. |
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(below) Inspecting a new arrival to the fleet. |
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(below) loading up in 1934. |
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(below) first England to Australia direct airmail by Hengist.
1934. |
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'Silver Wing' |
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Imperial Airways ran a
Croydon - Paris - Croydon flight schedule which it called it's
'Silver Wing' service |
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(above)
first page of a 'Silver Wing', fact pamphlet offered to customers |
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(above
and below) 1927 fares
and timetable. Imperials
'Croydon - Paris' flight was called the 'Silver Wing Service'. |
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(above) interior of an 'Argosy' on the
'Silver Wing Service'. |
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(above) inflight service |
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(above) a 'Silver Wing' 1929 Tarrif list. |
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(above) food preparation for the 'Silver
Wing' service. |
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(above and below) Silver Wing advertising postcards |
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(above)
'HP42'. 'Hadrian' flying in.1935. |
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(below) The luxurious cabin of the de Havilland
D.H. 91 Albatross. State of the art 1938 design. The DH 91 four
engined 22 seat airliner was delivered to Imperial Airways in
October 1938. Five passenger variant aircraft were delivered
in all, serving routes from London Croydon Airport to European
destinations. The aircraft was designed by A E Hagg to an Air
Ministry specification for a Transatlantic mail plane. Due to
the outbreak of the Second World War the Transatlantic trials
never took place. |
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