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Vikings of Airwork and Hunting meet at Wadi Halfa - a night-stop on the East African Safari Service
As these photos testify, Wadi Halfa was a remote airstrip in the Nubian Desert. To the right, a lone stewardess walks back
to the airport facilities.
As these photos testify, Wadi Halfa was a remote airstrip in the Nubian Desert. To the right, a lone stewardess walks back
to the airport facilities.
Airwork were the founder company in the lineage of British Caledonian, though the early adventure of taking small aircraft into Africa was the preserve of Captain Gordon Olley of Olley Air Service who flew his Dragon Rapides into Africa and beyond as and when chartered to do so.
Olley formed his airline on 1st January 1934 and just a few weeks later he flew out of Croydon on 20th February in a Dragon Rapide en-route to Africa; flying staff for the London Engineering Company. The route took Olley through Egypt, East Africa, Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Uganda and Tanganyika (Tanzania), before heading back to Croydon in mid-March.
Olley formed his airline on 1st January 1934 and just a few weeks later he flew out of Croydon on 20th February in a Dragon Rapide en-route to Africa; flying staff for the London Engineering Company. The route took Olley through Egypt, East Africa, Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Uganda and Tanganyika (Tanzania), before heading back to Croydon in mid-March.
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| Hunting & Airwork Vikings meet |
Airwork's early activities included setting up airlines in Egypt, India and Iraq, but as they grew their attention would turn to passenger services in their own right. World War II put paid to nearly all independent aviation, but post WWII a large number of airlines started operations. Airwork had been busy maintaining military aircraft during WWII soon started a passenger charter division in 1946. Hunting Air Travel was formed in December 1945. These two airlines would come to dominate independent aviation for many years to come; but that takes time.
Though Independent Airlines always had to play second fiddle to State Airlines with Britain and any new routes and expansion were hard won. But they did grow and this was through always looking for opportunities.
Rumours and speculation were rife in the early 1950's that Airwork and Hunting were talking about a service to Africa; and they soon announced that they would start a service between London and Nairobi. Government rules, supported by BOAC, stated that these services could only operate with “older and slower” aircraft and only a single class of accommodation could be offered; officially called Colonial Class, they would be known as Safari.
Though Independent Airlines always had to play second fiddle to State Airlines with Britain and any new routes and expansion were hard won. But they did grow and this was through always looking for opportunities.
Rumours and speculation were rife in the early 1950's that Airwork and Hunting were talking about a service to Africa; and they soon announced that they would start a service between London and Nairobi. Government rules, supported by BOAC, stated that these services could only operate with “older and slower” aircraft and only a single class of accommodation could be offered; officially called Colonial Class, they would be known as Safari.
But on 14th June 1952 Hunting and Airwork started their joint operations on the “Safari” services to Africa. These were very popular with near full aircraft on each trip. It was however a long trip in a Viking, with stops at Nice, Malta, El Adem, Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba, Entebbe and finally Eastleigh Airport in Nairobi which all took 2½ days in each direction. The night stops were made at Malta and Wadi Halfa. This was the East African Safari Service.
They operated the services alternately, Hunting leaving from Bovingdon and Airwork from Blackbushe, but for the first flight they both flew a service. Both Vikings reached Nairobi on 16th June 1952. Airwork’s Viking, G-AJFS, operated their first flight.
The tickets were interchangeable between them both which enabled a wide range of options for the passengers. Safari tickets cost £98 single and £180 return, and this included transfers and accommodation en-route, compared with £140 and £252 by the state airlines.
The images below are from one of the East African Safari Services made by Hunting (Hunting Air Transport).
They operated the services alternately, Hunting leaving from Bovingdon and Airwork from Blackbushe, but for the first flight they both flew a service. Both Vikings reached Nairobi on 16th June 1952. Airwork’s Viking, G-AJFS, operated their first flight.
The tickets were interchangeable between them both which enabled a wide range of options for the passengers. Safari tickets cost £98 single and £180 return, and this included transfers and accommodation en-route, compared with £140 and £252 by the state airlines.
The images below are from one of the East African Safari Services made by Hunting (Hunting Air Transport).
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| Passengers disembarking | Bags being unloaded - a night stop | A Hunting Stewardess & Passengers | A fuel stop at El Adem |
The Vickers Viking was by far a larger aircraft than the Dragon Rapide used by Olley, but it was still a relatively small airliner.
Crew: Two pilots and One Stewardess, Capacity: 36 passengers Length: 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m) Wingspan: 89 ft 3 in (27.20 m)
Maximum speed: 263 mph (229 kn, 423 km/h) Cruise speed: 210 mph (183 kn, 338 km/h) Range: 1,700 mi (1,478 nmi, 2,740 km).
The East African Safari service proved to be very popular and following approval; both Hunting and Airwork doubled their service frequency from 28th February 1953. Hunting’s flights had been operating at 90% capacity and the extra flights would enable the service to grow. As part of this service increase they were able to agree a deal with East African Airways, passengers could now book low-fare connecting flights to Dar-es-Salaam, Mombasa, Kisumu, Lindi, Tanga, Zanzibar and Tabora.
Late May 1953 saw the approval of their second joint service. The Central African Safari Service would fly the route London-Malta-Ndola-Lusaka-Salisbury with technical stops en-route at Nice, Mersa Matruh, Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba, Entebbe and Tabora.
A Hunting Viking, G-AGRP, inaugurated this service when it flew out of Bovingdon at 9am on 26th June 1953 and arrived in Lusaka at 3.55pm on 29th June. The service was a flown once a month by each, Airwork and Hunting, making for a fortnightly service and the return fare was £210, some £24 cheaper than the lowest BOAC tourist fare. Hunting had also applied for a third Safari service; this was to West Africa.
January 1954 started with an application from Airwork and Hunting to double their services on the Central African Safari Service. They also applied for a ten year license to operate a freight service to East, West, Central and South Africa. This was the origins of the Africargo service (and thats another story for another time).
The West African Safari Service was approved early in 1954 and route proving flights were made by Hunting and Airwork in April the same year. Both services would call at Bordeaux (later moved to Biarritz), Tangier, Agadir, Villa Cisneros, Dakar, Bathurst, Freetown, Takoradi and Accra. The night enroute stops were at Tangier and Dakar.
The return fare was £144 and the service would again be flown by Vikings. There was a slight delay in the service starting but it was inaugurated on 14th June 1954 by Airwork this time with their Viking G-AKTU; Hunting’s Viking, G-AGRP, left on 21st June 1954 operating their first flight on the route.
Below we have some more super photos from Vikings flying the Safari Services
Late May 1953 saw the approval of their second joint service. The Central African Safari Service would fly the route London-Malta-Ndola-Lusaka-Salisbury with technical stops en-route at Nice, Mersa Matruh, Wadi Halfa, Khartoum, Juba, Entebbe and Tabora.
A Hunting Viking, G-AGRP, inaugurated this service when it flew out of Bovingdon at 9am on 26th June 1953 and arrived in Lusaka at 3.55pm on 29th June. The service was a flown once a month by each, Airwork and Hunting, making for a fortnightly service and the return fare was £210, some £24 cheaper than the lowest BOAC tourist fare. Hunting had also applied for a third Safari service; this was to West Africa.
January 1954 started with an application from Airwork and Hunting to double their services on the Central African Safari Service. They also applied for a ten year license to operate a freight service to East, West, Central and South Africa. This was the origins of the Africargo service (and thats another story for another time).
The West African Safari Service was approved early in 1954 and route proving flights were made by Hunting and Airwork in April the same year. Both services would call at Bordeaux (later moved to Biarritz), Tangier, Agadir, Villa Cisneros, Dakar, Bathurst, Freetown, Takoradi and Accra. The night enroute stops were at Tangier and Dakar.
The return fare was £144 and the service would again be flown by Vikings. There was a slight delay in the service starting but it was inaugurated on 14th June 1954 by Airwork this time with their Viking G-AKTU; Hunting’s Viking, G-AGRP, left on 21st June 1954 operating their first flight on the route.
Below we have some more super photos from Vikings flying the Safari Services
The Safari services would continue to be very popular for both Airwork and Hunting and there would soon be a need for larger and faster aircraft. Eventually they would win permission to use Vickers Viscounts........but they would have to reduce service frequency so as to protect BOAC from too much competition.
The Safari routes were extremely successful and it all started with Vikings into Africa
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This is Airwork Viking G-AJFS - These may have been taken on the inaugural East African Safari Service (flags etc)
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| At Bordeaux | At Tangiers | At Villa Cisneros | Firemen at Bathurst |
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| Abidijan / Takoradi | Abidijan / Takoradi | Abidijan / Takoradi / Maurice Mantell (HC) | At Bathurst |
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| Refuelling at Bathurst | At Freetown (it does rain) |
This is Hunting Viking G-AGRP - These may have been taken on the inaugural West African Safari Service or route proving maybe in 1954
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| The Hunting Crew |
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