Rare historical footage shows what airports were like in 1935

This rare historical footage shows what airports in 1935 were like, and it’s remarkable.

The footage, filmed at Croydon Airport near London, is worlds away from what we’re used to nowadays as flyers.

Let’s just say, there are a fair few things done in this footage that would never be done today.

But still, it’s an amazing time capsule of a different age.

EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie

What airports in 1935 were like, as documented by rare historical footage

We would say cast your minds back to 1935, but the odds of you being there to remember it are relatively slim.

But it was a pretty notable year in many ways – there was the first can of beer, the first parking meter, and the advent of radar technology.

That all sounds pretty impressive, right?

Well, by our modern standards, the airports may not seem so advanced.

To be fair, air travel wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today.

While an exact figure for 1935 is hard to pin down, available data suggested that around half a million people flew in the US in 1935 – up from 6,000 in 1928.

That’s quite a significant leap.

So that may get you thinking – what were airports like in the 1930s?

At Croydon Airport in London, the Meteorological Bureau made use of balloons and a theodolite to measure wind direction and speed.

Any information gathered from this was communicated to meteorological centers, who would then advise aircraft via radio.

Suffice to say, modern airports do not use balloons for such a purpose.

Nor do modern planes have propellers on show quite like they did in 1935.

In the footage, cleaners are shown giving the planes a look over in the early morning.

Passengers are also shown arriving at the airport, and they’re all dressed to the nines.

Overcoats, suits, and a lot of smart hats.

It’s certainly a lot of different from today, where most flyers dress for comfort on long-haul flights.

Most of us would probably opt for modern air travel if it came down to choosing.

But there is something cool about seeing airports in 1935.

It’s like stepping back in time.

Believe it or not, the airport featured in this video was once the biggest in the world.

Home to the world’s first control tower, it ended up closing in the 1950s as it couldn’t expand to meet demand.

Airports around the world tell interesting stories

Whether from the past or present, airports around the world can tell interesting stories.

In Indonesia, there’s an airport that has no security fencing around the runway.

Then there’s a really weird airport in Indiana, which a pilot attempted to land in after finding it on Google Maps.

And some airports just stand out for being super efficient, like this Japanese airport which hasn’t lost a single piece of luggage since 1994.

That’s pretty impressive.

To say the rare historical footage for yourself, head over to DroneScapes’ YouTube channel.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie