Propliner Annual 2026

Tony Merton Jones - Editor

PROPLINER ANNUAL 2026

Wallow in nostalgia throughout the eleventh edition of the 2026 edition of the "Propliner" Annual and enjoy feature articles from many of the world's leading aviation authors in 176 glorious pages. Chris Buckley reveals some of the mysteries surrounding the operation of the world's last Fokker 50s, Friendships, ATPs and even a Dash 7 at Nairobi Airport, Eamon Power details the final North Atlantic operations undertaken by the Aerlinte Eireann Super Constellation N1005C, while Peter Marson describes how Air France served London Airport with Constellations, Super Constellations and even Starliners for many years. Further afield, Keith Simpson discovers the fascinating history of British Columbia operator Harrison Airways, which flew everything from a Piper Apache and Fairchild Husky to DC-3s and even a Viscount between 1961 and 1979. British Columbia is also the focus for other features, with the history and current activities of the impressive Harbour Air operation coming under the spotlight, together with Domenico Binda recalling a Grumman Goose flight from Prince Rupert to Masset over 30 years ago. Chris Buckley tracked down an elusive Grumman Mallard, which still flies from Victoria Airport on Vancouver Island and has survived a number of recent adventures. A lone Beaver flies with Horizon Sun Charters from an island paradise in the Philippines, and illustrated with many stunning images Dirk Grothe reports on this exciting operation. Fred Barnes outlines the NZNAC Pacific Islands regional operations undertaken between 1947 and 1955, together with the local island operations subsequently flown by other carriers. Italy's first four-engined airliner, the Savoia Marchetti S.74, was only built in small numbers, and Ugo Vicenzi shares the history of this attractive airliner together with some remarkable illustrations and drawings. Bob Cooper recalls his early career as an apprentice engineer with Air Couriers at Gatwick, and Tony Merton Jones reminds those that may have forgotten of the short-lived Severn Airways Dove operation based at Bristol Airport more than 50 years ago. Illustrated with many air-to-air views, Graham Robson chronicles his adventures chasing Constellations around the United States, and Michael Zoeller continues his account of the many US Air Travel Clubs that flourished in the seventies and eighties. Phil Lo Bao describes the gallant service performed by a small fleet of de Havilland Herons purchased by BEA in the mid-fifties, and Maurice Wickstead reveals how politics and personalities conspired to create a roller-coaster of a ride for Olympic Airways and its predecessors amidst an often turbulent Greek airline scene. Derby Airways and its successor British Midland Airways flew three Argonauts between 1961 and 1968, and Tony Merton Jones describes the service life of these three beauties before the Stockport Air Disaster tragically cut short their careers. Other features include a 30th anniversary celebration of the Ford Tri-Motor staged in 1955 by the Ford Motor Company, a comprehensive update on the remarkable worldwide operations by Ukraine's An-12 freighters, a Readers' Response section and news from around the world, with Ralph Pettersen once again venturing as far as Alaska to report on the enduring 'propliner' operations of carriers such as Everts and Desert Air. The Curtiss Commando is alive and well and still thriving in the harsh Alaskan environment.