From canvas tents to Terminal 6 – charting the history of Heathrow Airport in photographs

London’s Heathrow Airport has seen dramatic changes since it opened in 1946, from canvas tents being used as terminal buildings serving converted military piston-engined airliners to the latest Airbus and Boeing jet airliners operating out of five modern, sophisticated terminals.

As air travel became more affordable, Heathrow expanded to accommodate the increase in airline traffic. This pictorial timeline records these changes in air transport and infrastructure to capture the interest of aviation enthusiasts, casual visitors or anyone fascinated by nostalgia in an ever-changing world.