AVRO G-AGRG on tarmac at Adelaide Airport c1950s

Many thanks Cliff Noble for this “piece of the tapestry that is Maralinga”. T

During our recent tour, Robin mentioned that old photos would be welcome. Please find attached a photo of an AVRO Tudor aircraft (registered as G-AGRG) which was taken at Adelaide airport in the 1950s.

These aircraft used to do charter runs to Maralinga delivering freight from Britain during the tests.

I would have been about 12 or 13 years old when I took the photo. I had a mate who lived close to the airport so we were down there often. Security wasn’t so tight in those days. At the time I didn’t realise that this aircraft was doing charter work to Maralinga; as a high school kid, I probably didn’t even know Maralinga existed.

It was only recently when I came across this old photo and looked up the website that I cited in my email, that I made the connection. I thought it may have been of interest to you because I never heard any reference to any other aircraft other than DC3’s, Bristol Freighters, Bristol Britannias and Vickers Valiants during our tour, but there were other aircraft types and private contractors like Air Charter London landing at Maralinga too. Although I guess that the aircrews didn’t get any further than the airport terminal building.

Just a little more trivia to add to the rich tapestry of the history of Maralinga.

A more detailed history of this plane can be found on the web site: www.saadonline.uk/archives/359

Best regards, Cliff.