The Carvair, Southend Airport

A Memory of Southend-on-Sea.

My dad worked for Aviation Traders at Southend Airport. He brought the Carvairs from Stansted where they were built in pieces via a transporter called 'The Queen Mary'. They were assembled at Southend and were the brainchild of Freddie Laker and the forerunner to the Jumbo Jet! They had the huge round front, which opened like a door to allow freight and cars to be loaded! I flew out on one of the last flights from Southend by Carvair aged about 18 in 1975(?), and witnessed the very last one leaving Southend a few years later. I also remember as a small boy, going aboard a yacht on the River Crouch, I think this may have been Mr Lakers boat!