Several United States Air Force Convairs were based at Northolt during the 1950's, 60's and early 70's in support of the Headquarters of the 3rd Air Force, which was located at South Ruislip Air Station.  The aircraft were under command of units at other bases.

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The following information is with thanks to BARG, taken from an excellent article on European based Convairs in the September 1996 magazine..
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VT29B 51-3816 was based for three years and pictured at Northolt in May 1968. Also note the based Sycamore and the French Air Attache Magister in the background.
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(see above)	51-3816  VT29B (244)	This aircraft was based at Northolt from 9/66 to 9/69 under the command of 66th TRW at Upper Heyford
no photo available	51-5114  T29B (245)	This aircraft was based at Northolt from 7/68 to 1/69, again with 66th TRW
	51-5159  T29B (290)	Operated from Northolt under charge of 7500th ABG at RAF Bovingdon, this aircraft was based here from 4/61 to 8/62, a period which included 6 months servicing at Brussels
	51-7899  VT29B (311)	Based at Northolt from 1962 to 11/71, this aircraft was under 7513th TG and 513th TAW charge whilst here, both units located at Mildenhall. This aircraft is the one now residing in the Duxford museum.
no photo available	51-7901  T29/VT29B (313)	This aircraft was based at Northolt from 8/69 to 1/72 under command of 66th TRW then 513th TAW.  It was redesignated as a VT29B in 10/69
	52-5832   T29D (55-32)	This aircraft was present at Northolt from 4/70 to 1/72 under command of 513th TAW.
	55-0291  C131D (207)	This aircraft, the first USAF example to arrive in Europe, was under command of 7500th ABG whilst based at Northolt from 13/5/55 to 17/12/60,  when it crashed onto a street in Munich with a large loss of life.

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During this period, up to forty USAF Convairs were based in and around Europe, many of which visited Northolt.  Here is a selection of them, photographed at Northolt and once again with thanks to BARG...

T29A 50-0190	VT29D 53-3542 in 1970
C131D 54-2819 in October 1965	C131A 52-5790 around 1964
C131A 52-5803 in June 1965	C131A 52-5805
	C131D 54-2822, taken around 1970
US Navy  C131F 140999	US Navy C131F 141011

Also regular visitors were the Mildenhall based C131's 141009 and 141023, which were replaced by UC12's in the 1980's. 141023 is currently in storage at AMARC, Tucson, Arizona and is pictured there behind me in March 2000.

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