Maastricht Airport In The 70s
The photos displayed on this page were all scanned from black and white film, mostly Ilford Pan F, on an Epson V330 flatbed scanner and processed in Aperture 3. Click on a photo to enlarge it.
All photos © Paul J. Hooper.
All photos © Paul J. Hooper.
Air Anglia's DC3 G-AOBN seen at the airport on June 11, 1973. Air Anglia merged with other airlines to form Air UK in 1980.
Limburg Airlines was short-lived; the first of two Fokker F27 Friendships, PH-OGA, is seen here on the day of its delivery, June 25, 1973.
Italian Air Force C119G MM 52-6024 was a rare visitor to the airport on May 2, 1975.
Tunis Air was a regular charter visitor to the airport during the 70s, initially with Caravelles and later with B727s. This Caravelle, TS-MAC, visited on Monday, April 14, 1975.
The only British Airways aircraft that I ever photographed at the airport was Vickers V802 Viscount, G-AOJD, which visited on April 8, 1975.
Prior to the re-opening of Geilenkirchen the airport hosted regular military visitors, such as this US Army U21A, 15905, on October 31, 1974.
Martinair's Cessna 402B PH-MAZ on November 21, 1974.
Shortly before its operational retirement the RLD's DC3 PH-PBA visited Maastricht for an ILS calibration on February 4, 1975. No amount of hinting would persuade the crew to let me join them! In 1944 the aircraft had participated in Operation Market Garden and passed into the hands of Prince Bernhard after demob. These days she flies in KLM colors operated by the Dutch Dakota Association.
French Air Force Nord 262s were regular visitors to the airport during the 70s. No78 dropped in on May 15, 1975.
A large percentage of the cargo that passed through Maastricht during the 70s was hauled by Canadair CL44s. Tradewinds was one of the British cargo companies that appeared at the airport fairly regularly; on this occasion G-AWDK awaits re-loading on May 15, 1975.
Tarom's Ilyushin 18s were regular visitors to the airport in 1975 until superseded by BAC 1-11s. YR-IME was photographed on Friday, July 25, 1975.
This unidentified CL44, apart from the registration TR-LVO, spent a few days training at the airport. The photo was taken on August 22, 1975.
Just why this US Navy C-1A Trader, 136753, visited the airport on November 12, 1974, is unknown to me.
This immaculate VC118A, 53-3303, of the US Air Force visited the airport on January 8, 1975. By August of 1977 the aircraft had been retired to the Arizona desert at Davis Monthan Air Force Base.
Henry Ford II (right) arrives at Maastricht on June 11, 1975 presumably to visit the Ford plant in Genk.
Henry Ford II's chariot on June 11, 1975 was this Gulfstream 2, N328K.
On July 8, 1975 Canadian operator Pacific Western brought Boeing 707, C-FPWJ, into MST on a cargo charter.
First Airbus A300 to visit the airport was Belgian operator Trans European Airways' OO-TEG on March 6, 1976
Seaboard World DC8-61 N8960T dropped by on April 27, 1976, still in Loftleidir of Iceland colors.
DC4 EI-ARS belonging to Irish operator Aer Turas visited the airport on a cargo charter on August 8, 1976.
Although registered in the Emirates this Oman based DC8, A4O-PA, belonging to CargOman, was thought to have performed some dubious duties. Photographed on January 25, 1977.
Antonov 2 SP-DNO was one of a group of Polish aircraft that night-stopped at the airport on May 27, 1977 on its way to the Paris Salon.
This HS125-600B, G-BJCB, belonged to JCB and was a regular visitor to the airport supporting the company's facility right beside the airport in Ulestraten. The photo was taken on May 2, 1977.
The RLD's HFB320 Hansa Jets were to be seen at the airport whenever an ILS calibration was called for. This one, PH-HFC visited on April 8, 1975.
Pearl Air's Viscount VQ-GAB started out as a model 804 but was converted to an 807B by New Zealand National Airways Corporation, its previous owner, in 1967. It was stored at Maastricht for a short period in 1975 where this photo was taken on July 27 of that year.
This US Navy TA3B visited on July 24th, 1972 to and from Upper Heyford using callsign "Ranger 00".