In 1930, an aerodrome was built in rural Surrey, sandwiched between two farms and adjacent to a racecourse. In 1936, after growing from strength to strength, Gatwick Airport was officially opened by the Secretary of State for Air.
Since its second runway opened in 1958, Gatwick has officially been London's second airport: if you wanted a package holiday throughout the 1960s and '70s, you would often fly from here on charter airlines that operated a multitude of aircraft types to destinations worldwide. This variety made spectator visits fascinating for plane spotters, who were well catered for with viewing piers that very closely overlooked the parked airliners.
From its pre-war construction days to the hustle and bustle of today, Gatwick in Photographs charts the airport's history through its aircraft in glorious full colour.
| ISBN: | 9781837051168 |
| Publication date: | 16th April 2026 |
| Author: | Adrian M Balch |
| Publisher: | The History Press |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Genres: |
Aircraft and aviation Photographs: collections Architecture: public, commercial and industrial buildings Transport industries |
In 1930, an aerodrome was built in rural Surrey, sandwiched between two farms and adjacent to a racecourse. In 1936, after growing from strength to strength, Gatwick Airport was officially opened by the Secretary of State for Air.
Since its second runway opened in 1958, Gatwick has officially been London's second airport: if you wanted a package holiday throughout the 1960s and '70s, you would often fly from here on charter airlines that operated a multitude of aircraft types to destinations worldwide. This variety made spectator visits fascinating for plane spotters, who were well catered for with viewing piers that very closely overlooked the parked airliners.
From its pre-war construction days to the hustle and bustle of today, Gatwick in Photographs charts the airport's history through its aircraft in glorious full colour.
Gatwick in Photographs features in the following genres: Aircraft and aviation, Photographs: collections, Architecture: public, commercial and industrial buildings, Transport industries
Gatwick in Photographs is available in Hardback
Gatwick in Photographs was written by Adrian M Balch and published by The History Press
£24.75