During the post-war years, Heathrow Airport became the country’s leading aviation hub. This book examines how this was achieved, from the airport’s opening on 1 January 1946 until the transfer of long-haul services to the Central Area in the late 1950s. This period included the operations of BOAC up to the introduction of the Comet 4, the world’s first commercial jet liner, as well as many foreign airlines that have since ceased to exist. Charles Woodley explores Heathrow’s fascinating story through rare and previously unpublished illustrations and informative text, providing a nostalgic look back at a golden era of aviation history.