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The history of British Midland dates all the way back to 1938 and for many years during the 1970-90s the airline was a beacon of how to run an independent airline in the UK. It is a shame theerfore that its recent passing seemed to me to go without a great deal of mourning, for its history was diverse and interesting.
It wasn't until 1953 that Derby Aviation graduated from being mainly a training school and occasional charter business and in 1955 they purchased their first C-47 (DC-3). In 1959 after changing its name to Derby Airways domestic ops started alongside the inernational charters and Jersey schedule. Several ex-BOAC Canadair C-4 Argonauts were purchased in the early 60s and Aeroclassics recently graced us with a lovely example in the later Derby colours:
In October 1964 Derby became British Midland after buying the assets of Mercury Airlines and soon moved to the new East Midlands airport. In 1965 Heralds began to arrive but were relatively quickly replaced with second-hand Viscounts. Aeroclassics have also done a C-47 in the first BD scheme (they still operated 5):
In 1969 Midland got access to Heathrow for the first time (and this access is probably what allowed them to last until 2012). A foray into charter ops with new One-Eleven 500s and an ex-Pan Am 707 was a major financial mis-step and soon after in 1972 Michael Bishop became MD. He refocused the airline for short-haul European and Domestic ops and started a lucrative wet-lease business using 707s which lasted until 1984. Up to 6 were used but rarely appeared in BMA colours. Aeroclassics has released a lovely example:
It wasn't until 1953 that Derby Aviation graduated from being mainly a training school and occasional charter business and in 1955 they purchased their first C-47 (DC-3). In 1959 after changing its name to Derby Airways domestic ops started alongside the inernational charters and Jersey schedule. Several ex-BOAC Canadair C-4 Argonauts were purchased in the early 60s and Aeroclassics recently graced us with a lovely example in the later Derby colours:
In October 1964 Derby became British Midland after buying the assets of Mercury Airlines and soon moved to the new East Midlands airport. In 1965 Heralds began to arrive but were relatively quickly replaced with second-hand Viscounts. Aeroclassics have also done a C-47 in the first BD scheme (they still operated 5):
In 1969 Midland got access to Heathrow for the first time (and this access is probably what allowed them to last until 2012). A foray into charter ops with new One-Eleven 500s and an ex-Pan Am 707 was a major financial mis-step and soon after in 1972 Michael Bishop became MD. He refocused the airline for short-haul European and Domestic ops and started a lucrative wet-lease business using 707s which lasted until 1984. Up to 6 were used but rarely appeared in BMA colours. Aeroclassics has released a lovely example:
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