This C-130H, operated by 501Esq, arrived on this Sunday in 1983 at Gilze-Rijen to pick up a military marching band that had been brought in two weeks earlier by 6803. In 2005, this aircraft was extended and became a C-130H-30, then serialled 16801. On the day I uploaded this photo in 2024, more than fourty years after I took it, I again saw 16801, this time at Eindhoven. Still going strong!

active with Spantax between June and November 1983

On September 14, 1983, the World Championship speedway was held in Norden, Germany. The British participants were considered the biggest contenders for the title. Their supporters were flown in to Eelde and then transported to Norden. For this, BAF Herald G-BAVX and Viscounts G-AVJB and G-AOHV (all pictured here) visited Eelde. Dan Air HS-748 G-BHJC and Air UK Fokker 27 G-BCDN plus a number of smaller aircraft reportedly flew in as well. Built in 1967, G-BAVX was still sporting the basic livery of Aero Turbo Panama.

What a wonderful classic scene at Eelde, with a nice variety of aircraft present on the ground. From bottom to top G-BCDN (Fokker 27), G-BHNU (Cessna 404), G-BAGO (Cessna 421B), G-AVJB (Viscount), G-AOHV (Viscount), PH-JPO (Cessna 172), H-BAVX (Dart Herald), G-BHCJ (HS748), D-ILVO (Beech 56), D-ECNK and D-EGXE (Cessna 182's), PH-SRU (PA28), D-EFUN (Cessna 172) and D-EITS (Cessna 210). Photo from Harm Reinders, possibly taken by Aerophoto Eelde