Martin’s Air Charter/Martinair
Has Operated from May 1958 to Present
Country of Origin – The Netherlands
Founders/Directors – Mr Martin Schröder and Mr John Block
Another small, European airline that would eventually grow into a sizeable entity was Dutch outfit Martin’s Air Charter, which would spend a good 
deal of its fledgling years flying services in and out of Southend. Operations began in the spring of 1958 with a single De Havilland Dove which was used to run joy flights and air taxi services. This was soon expanded to three Doves with ‘Mike’ Keegan having a hand in the sale or lease of two of them. Meanwhile, the company began to expand into charters, initially by leasing other aircraft. It was in August 1959 that M.A.C began its first regular freight charter, leasing Vickers Viking (G-AIVK) from Overseas Aviation which was then put to work hauling cut flowers and other fresh produce between Amsterdam and Southend. The aircraft was subsequently returned to its owner in June 1960 while in the meantime, M.A.C had started bolstering its own fleet with C-47/DC-3 equipment.
Traffic into SEN by this airline reached its peak in 1962 with a total of 101 movements, although operations slowed slightly moving into 
the mid-60s. During the first half of the ’60s, its C-47s brought both passenger and freight to the airport while May 23rd 1963 witnessed the arrival of the company’s only C-54 operating an Amsterdam football charter accompanied by exceedingly rare Royal Air Burundi L-049 N9412H. A name change in 1966 would then see new Martinair titles and a revamped livery being applied to most of its aircraft. However, as the end of the decade approached, the C-47s would gradually be replaced by Convair CV-640s and Fokker F-28s which by this time were mostly bringing in Dutch day trippers for London who would then return to Holland later that day. While the odd flight may have appeared during the early-70s it would appear that for the most Martinair had ceased commercial operations to SEN by the end of 1971, although in September 1983, a one off charter witnessed a Martinair MD-82 arriving to collect a load of day old chicks destined for Saudi Arabia.
Martin’s Air Charter/Martinair fleet from 1959 to 1971
De Havilland D.H.104 Dove
PH-MAC* – 5/58 to ?/66
Leased from T.D Keegan – Was G-AMVV
PH-MAD* – 4/60 to 11/66
Sold to Highsky Transport as G-AKCF
PH-VLC* – 4/61 to 6/66
Sold to T.D Keegan as G-ARDN
De Havilland D.H.114 Heron
PH-VLA* – 1/62 to 5/63
W/O in collision with tractor at Frankfurt Airport 5/63 – Airframe later used in ST-27A conversion
Vickers 610 Viking
G-AIVK* – 8/59 to 6/60
Leased from Overseas Aviation
Douglas C-47/DC-3
PH-DAA* – ?/64 to 6/65
Leased from KLM
PH-DAB – 11/64 to 12/64
Leased from KLM
PH-MAA* – 7/60 to 10/67
Sold to Lufthansa
PH-MAB* – 2/60 to 1/69
Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales Ltd
PH-MAG* – 7/65 to 10/68
Sold to Moormanair
PH-SCC* – 1/64 to 6/70
Sold to Delta Air Transport as OO-AVG
PH-SSM* – 1/66 to ?/??
Scrapped due to corrosion – Date unknown
Douglas C-54B
PH-MAE* – 6/62 to 2/67
Sold to Allgemeine Lufttransport
Convair CV-640
PH-CGD* – 4/64 to 7/71
Sold to Omni International as N111TA
PH-MAL* – 2/67 to 9/71
Sold to Omni International as N640R
Fokker F-28
PH-MAT* – 10/69 to 10/80
Initially leased – Sold to Fokker
McDonnell Douglas MD-82
PH-MBZ* – 2/83 to 7/92
Sold to Oasis International Airlines as EC-FMO
Recorded SEN Movements for MAC Aircraft
De Havilland D.H.104 Dove
PH-MAD
1961 Visits
16/12 (AMS-AMS) – 27/12 (AMS-AMS)
PH-VLC
1962 Visits
24/4 (AMS-AMS) – 2/5 (AMS-Leavsden)- 16/6 (AMS-AMS)
De Havilland D.H.104 Heron
PH-VLA
1962 Visits
8/6 (AMS-LBG) – 23/6 (AMS-AMS)
Douglas C-47/DC-3
PH-MAA
1961 Visits
15/11 x 2 (RTM-AMS) & (SVG) – 16/11 (RTM) – 23/12 (AMS-BRU)
1962 Visits
1/1 (AMS-AMS) – 2/1 (OST-AMS) – 6/1 (AMS-AMS) – 24/2 (RTM-RTM) 2/3 (RTM) – 4/3 (RTM) – 16/3 (RTM) – 18/3 (RTM) – 22/3 (RTM-AMS) – 27/3 (AMS-AMS) – 28/3 (AMS-LHR) – 19/4 (AMS-AMS) – 20/4 (AMS-AMS) – 23/4 (AMS-AMS) – 24/4 (AMS-BOH) – 27/4 (AMS-AMS) – 29/4 (AMS-AMS) – 30/4 (AMS-AMS) – 2/5 (BRU-AMS) – 27/6 (RTM-RTM) – 28/6 (AMS-AMS) – 29/6 (RTM-RTM)
PH-MAB
1962 Visits
27/3 (RTM-RTM) – 9/4 (RTM-RTM) – 28/6 (AMS-AMS) – 30/6 (AMS-MMX)
Do you have any other, interesting snippets of information about this airline’s SEN history or indeed, any pictures or paraphernalia that you would like to share? If so, then please contact us on saadinfomail@gmail.com
Many thanks from the SAAD Admin Team.
Has Operated from May 1958 to Present
Country of Origin – The Netherlands
Founders/Directors – Mr Martin Schröder and Mr John Block
Another small, European airline that would eventually grow into a sizeable entity was Dutch outfit Martin’s Air Charter, which would spend a good 
deal of its fledgling years flying services in and out of Southend. Operations began in the spring of 1958 with a single De Havilland Dove which was used to run joy flights and air taxi services. This was soon expanded to three Doves with ‘Mike’ Keegan having a hand in the sale or lease of two of them. Meanwhile, the company began to expand into charters, initially by leasing other aircraft. It was in August 1959 that M.A.C began its first regular freight charter, leasing Vickers Viking (G-AIVK) from Overseas Aviation which was then put to work hauling cut flowers and other fresh produce between Amsterdam and Southend. The aircraft was subsequently returned to its owner in June 1960 while in the meantime, M.A.C had started bolstering its own fleet with C-47/DC-3 equipment.
Traffic into SEN by this airline reached its peak in 1962 with a total of 101 movements, although operations slowed slightly moving into 
the mid-60s. During the first half of the ’60s, its C-47s brought both passenger and freight to the airport while May 23rd 1963 witnessed the arrival of the company’s only C-54 operating an Amsterdam football charter accompanied by exceedingly rare Royal Air Burundi L-049 N9412H. A name change in 1966 would then see new Martinair titles and a revamped livery being applied to most of its aircraft. However, as the end of the decade approached, the C-47s would gradually be replaced by Convair CV-640s and Fokker F-28s which by this time were mostly bringing in Dutch day trippers for London who would then return to Holland later that day. While the odd flight may have appeared during the early-70s it would appear that for the most Martinair had ceased commercial operations to SEN by the end of 1971, although in September 1983, a one off charter witnessed a Martinair MD-82 arriving to collect a load of day old chicks destined for Saudi Arabia.
Martin’s Air Charter/Martinair fleet from 1959 to 1971
De Havilland D.H.104 Dove
PH-MAC* – 5/58 to ?/66
Leased from T.D Keegan – Was G-AMVV
PH-MAD* – 4/60 to 11/66
Sold to Highsky Transport as G-AKCF
PH-VLC* – 4/61 to 6/66
Sold to T.D Keegan as G-ARDN
De Havilland D.H.114 Heron
PH-VLA* – 1/62 to 5/63
W/O in collision with tractor at Frankfurt Airport 5/63 – Airframe later used in ST-27A conversion
Vickers 610 Viking
G-AIVK* – 8/59 to 6/60
Leased from Overseas Aviation
Douglas C-47/DC-3
PH-DAA* – ?/64 to 6/65
Leased from KLM
PH-DAB – 11/64 to 12/64
Leased from KLM
PH-MAA* – 7/60 to 10/67
Sold to Lufthansa
PH-MAB* – 2/60 to 1/69
Sold to Australian Aircraft Sales Ltd
PH-MAG* – 7/65 to 10/68
Sold to Moormanair
PH-SCC* – 1/64 to 6/70
Sold to Delta Air Transport as OO-AVG
PH-SSM* – 1/66 to ?/??
Scrapped due to corrosion – Date unknown
Douglas C-54B
PH-MAE* – 6/62 to 2/67
Sold to Allgemeine Lufttransport
Convair CV-640
PH-CGD* – 4/64 to 7/71
Sold to Omni International as N111TA
PH-MAL* – 2/67 to 9/71
Sold to Omni International as N640R
Fokker F-28
PH-MAT* – 10/69 to 10/80
Initially leased – Sold to Fokker
McDonnell Douglas MD-82
PH-MBZ* – 2/83 to 7/92
Sold to Oasis International Airlines as EC-FMO
Recorded SEN Movements for MAC Aircraft
De Havilland D.H.104 Dove
PH-MAD
1961 Visits
16/12 (AMS-AMS) – 27/12 (AMS-AMS)
PH-VLC
1962 Visits
24/4 (AMS-AMS) – 2/5 (AMS-Leavsden)- 16/6 (AMS-AMS)
De Havilland D.H.104 Heron
PH-VLA
1962 Visits
8/6 (AMS-LBG) – 23/6 (AMS-AMS)
Douglas C-47/DC-3
PH-MAA
1961 Visits
15/11 x 2 (RTM-AMS) & (SVG) – 16/11 (RTM) – 23/12 (AMS-BRU)
1962 Visits
1/1 (AMS-AMS) – 2/1 (OST-AMS) – 6/1 (AMS-AMS) – 24/2 (RTM-RTM) 2/3 (RTM) – 4/3 (RTM) – 16/3 (RTM) – 18/3 (RTM) – 22/3 (RTM-AMS) – 27/3 (AMS-AMS) – 28/3 (AMS-LHR) – 19/4 (AMS-AMS) – 20/4 (AMS-AMS) – 23/4 (AMS-AMS) – 24/4 (AMS-BOH) – 27/4 (AMS-AMS) – 29/4 (AMS-AMS) – 30/4 (AMS-AMS) – 2/5 (BRU-AMS) – 27/6 (RTM-RTM) – 28/6 (AMS-AMS) – 29/6 (RTM-RTM)
PH-MAB
1962 Visits
27/3 (RTM-RTM) – 9/4 (RTM-RTM) – 28/6 (AMS-AMS) – 30/6 (AMS-MMX)
Do you have any other, interesting snippets of information about this airline’s SEN history or indeed, any pictures or paraphernalia that you would like to share? If so, then please contact us on saadinfomail@gmail.com
Many thanks from the SAAD Admin Team.