Nostalgia Page 7
INDEPENDENT AIR TRANSPORT
BLUE-AIR
Back to Main List
E-Mail me!
Independent Air Travel came into being in 1954 when a group of airline pilots purchased the London based travel agents,Independent Air Travel. Flying operations started in 1954 using an Anson,soon replaced by two DH Doves,the aircraft being used forcharter work.
In April 1956,the airline bought four ex- BWIA Viking aircraft for use on inclusive tour and charter work.These aircraft were soon followed by more Vikings,and ,in July 1957 ,by the airlines first Dc-4. Operations were ,in the main ,from Blackbushe,with Hurn acting as maintenance base. Over the next eighteen months,the airline continued to expand with two more Dc-4s added to the fleet by mid 1958.
.
IAT Viking G-AHPG,date and place unknown.
.
However,an accident on the 2nd of September 1958,when Viking G-AIJE crashed at Southall after take off from Heathrow,killing the crew,led to allegations of improper practices in both maintenance and operations.This ,in turn led to the departure of the company's chairman and managing director,Captain Marian Kozubski.
The reorganized airline now changed it's name to Blue - Air,probably in order to distance itself from the adverse publicity surrounding the Southall crash.Charter operations continued throughout the summer of 1959,but the end was now in sight.By September 1959,work was declining ,and on 12th October,the last revenue -earning service took place. Within a few days the company had ceased to exist,its aircraft being sold very quickly.
.
IAT DC-4/C-54 at Hurn.
.
INDEPENDENT AIR TRANSPORT/BLUE-AIR FLEET 

                
G-AGRS  V657 Viking     110     del 5-57    sold 5-57
G-AHOU  V657 Viking     122     del 5-57    sold 2-58
G-AHPE  V614 Viking     137     del 3058    sold 6-58
G-AHPG  V614 Viking     139     del 4-57    sold 3-59
G-AHPR  V610 Viking     164     del 6-56    sold 11-59
G-AHRJ  Dove 1          O4004   del 2-55    sold 7-55
G-AIJE  V624 Viking     127     del 9-57    w/o in crash Southall 2-9-58
G-AILW  Br.170 Mk 31    12787   del 1-57    sold 5-57
G-AJBU  V610 Viking     246     del 4-56    
G-AJCE  V610 Viking     256     del 4-56    
G-AJXB  Dragon Rapide   6530    del 2-56    sold 4-56
G-AKSS  Dove 1          O4122   del 6-55    sold 11-55
G-AKWJ  Proctor 3       H.45    del 11-57   
G-ALUM  Anson 1         ex MG901 del 1954   sold 4-54
G-ALZJ  Dragon Rapide   6573    del 4-56    sold 11-56
G-AMNR  V635 Viking     291     del 2-56    
G-APBB  Dove 1          O4219   Purchased 1955 but not delivered.   
G-APBX  Beech C18S      269     del 5-57    sold 3-59
G-APCW  Douglas C-54A   10299   del 7-57    
G-APID  Douglas C-54A   10408   del 11-57   
G-APNH  Douglas C-54B   18333   del 6-58    
                
At the time of closure Blue-Air were still operating G-AJBU,G-AJCE,G-AKWJ(crew ferry),              
G-AMNR,G-APCW,G-APID and G-APNH.
Back to Main List