Airport - first-ever film made film by the Shell Film Unit describing a day in the Croydon Airport

17 mins black-and-white sound film describing a day in the life of Croydon Airport which was London’s leading airport during the 1920s and 1930s, this film released in 1934 was the first-ever film made by the Shell Film Unit. Beginning with the airport’s gates opening and the launch of a meteorological weather balloon, the film opens with the roll-out and ground maintenance of Imperial Airways Handley Page G-AAXC ’Heracles’ and the loading of airmail and passengers before taking off. The footage is also shown of KLM Fokker PH-AGA ’Adelaar’ being refuelled on the ground by Shell and of KLM Fokker PH-AID ’Duif’ in flight. The film then graphically via maps shows various international air routes from London across the world and some of the processes involved in flight route planning, air traffic control and air-to-ground communications. After various inflight footage the second half of the film begins with various different aircraft in flight and landing at Croydon including among others Lufthansa Junkers Ju-52/3m D-ADER and D-AMIT, Swiss Air Lines Douglas DC-2 HB-ITE, Air France Wibault 282-T F-AMHK, KLM Fokker PH-AJA and AB Aerotransport Fokker SE-ABA. Imperial Airways Handley Page G-AAXD ’Horatius’ is then seen landing with passengers disembarking and mail sacks and luggage unloaded. The film then moves onto the G-AAXC ’Heracles’ undergoing maintenance with some very detailed film footage of its Bristol Jupiter engines (including its pistons and connecting rods) being thoroughly cleaned and worked on. The film concludes with a shot of a De Havilland Gipsy Moth G-ABBJ on the ground and footage of Imperial Airways Short L17 G-ACJK ’Syrinx’ landing. Produced by Edgar Anstey, directed by Roy Lockwood, photographed by Stanley Rodwell and narrated by Carleton Hobbs, with music by William Hodgson and Jack Bevir. The Royal Aeronautical Society has received the permissions for sharing these videos by Shell International Limited. For use of videos for non-commercial purposes credit the Royal Aeronautical Society with the respective company. For commercial use and for further information on each videos copyright, contact: nal@