A converted Lancaster bomber called Starlight. That was the first aircraft to take off from Heathrow. It soared into the sky in 1946. Its destination Buenos Aires a journey of 35 hours. This marked the humble beginning of Heathrow Airport.
Initially Heathrow was just a small airfield. It started in 1930 thanks to Richard Fairey. This British aero engineer paid a substantial sum for land. He wanted to build a private airport. Fairey’s Great West Aerodrome was born. It boasted a single grass runway. A handful of buildings completed the scene.
World War II changed everything. The government requisitioned the land. It included Fairey’s aerodrome. RAF Heston emerged. It served as a base for troop-carrying aircraft. A control tower appeared along with runways arranged in a Star of David pattern. The longest runway stretched an impressive 3000 yards.
Work to clear the land started in 1944. The war ended changing plans. The RAF no longer needed the aerodrome. It became London’s new civil airport on January 1 1946.
The early terminals were basic. They were ex-military marquees forming a tented village. Passengers walked over duckboards. This protected their footwear from the muddy airfield. There was no heating in winter. In summer the marquee walls were removed. This let in a cool breeze.
By 1951 passenger numbers had soared. British architect Frederick Gibberd was hired. He designed permanent buildings. His design included a central area. Passengers accessed it via a vehicular subway. A 122-foot high control tower was the focal point. The Europa Building and Queens Building joined the scene.
The jet age arrived in the 1960s. Terminal 1 opened in 1969. By then five million passengers passed through yearly. Boeing 707s VC10s and Tridents connected Heathrow to the world. Concorde and wide-body jets further shrank the world in the 1970s. Passenger numbers reached 27 million annually. Terminal 4 followed in 1986.
Today Heathrow is a global hub. Over 67 million passengers use it annually. Ninety airlines connect to over 180 destinations. Heathrow has come a long way from its humble beginnings. It now stands as the world’s busiest international airport. A testament to vision and innovation. A true giant of aviation.