• ACE Freighters

The Lockheed Constellations of ACE Freighters, Britain’s first all-cargo airline, were a familiar sight at London’s Gatwick airport during the mid-1960s. The company began life in September 1962 as Aviation Charter Enterprises and commenced operations on 1 March 1964, specialising in long-haul cargo charters, primarily to the Middle and Far East. A pair of DC-4s was added to the fleet during the year and, with this additional capacity, ACE obtained a number of Ministry of Defence contracts to serve overseas military bases such as Aden and Singapore. Later in 1964 the airline acquired the entire Constellation fleet of South African Airways, but of the four only one ever entered service, with the remainder cannibalised for spares. Another useful source of revenue was a contract with the Ford Motor Co, shuttling car components between Southend and Antwerp, which kept the DC-4s occupied until spring 1966 when they were withdrawn in favour of fleet standardisation with Constellations. ACE Scotland was formed in July 1966 as a subsidiary to operate summer season inclusive tour flights from Glasgow to Mediterranean resorts. This was to be the swansong of Britain’s last surviving Constellation operator for, on 16 September 1966, ACE ceased all flying and was put into liquidation.