Nicosia Airport Today
There are many evocative photographs of the airport online (see Links) but they tend to concentrate on a limited number of areas within the UNPA.
This page is a selection of images (my own, Ali Sale and via Tim Reardon) that hopefully, in conjunction with the above, will provide the reader with an overall view of the UNPA.
Several 'Then & Now' images are available by clicking the link (the image will open in a new window).
This image shows both the civilian and military parking aprons with the old terminal in between
A number of old WW2 buildings can be seen around the control tower
Runway 09/27 can be seen at the top of the picture
Some of the filled in fighter pens alongside runway 14/32........the enlarged image is unmarked and shows a wider area
The control tower dates from 1943 and is the most significant WW2 building remaining within the UNPA
Inside the control tower overlooking the main runway
Then & Now
From the control tower looking towards the 1968 terminal (top of picture) with the parking apron of the earlier terminal on the RHS
Looking south from the tower with several of the WW2 flight offices
The concrete squares of the military parking apron can be seen in the distance
Many of the old WW2 buildings have been demolished but this is the area from where the radio sonde (weather instrument) would have been launched by balloon
The control tower can be seen in the distance
The Valettas and Hastings were parked here during the Suez crisis
Then & Now
In front of the WW2 RAF Air Movements section of the airport (with one of the early Nissen huts and a 1974 bunker)
One of the earliest Nissen huts that made up the WW2 RAF Air Movements buildings
This is the building that can be seen at the bottom of 'The Years to Independence'
A Greek bunker dating from 1974 close to the WW2 Air Movements section
One of the mess buildings in Camp UNFICYP (the old 166MU domestic camp)
This camp lay between the Turkish forces and the terminal building
The remains of the screening that used to run between Camp UNFICYP and the new terminal building
The road leading to the Officers' Married Quarters
Old signs within Camp UNFICYP
The Guardroom of Camp UNFICYP with the entrance to the main road on the LHS of the picture
This is the location from where the REME soldier opened fire on the attacking Turkish jets
The Joint Air Traffic Control centre
Then & Now
The north facing wall of the JATC showing remarkably few signs of battle damage
This building was at the epicentre of the fierce fighting on the 23rd July 1974
The view of the JATC as would have been seen by the attacking Turkish troops
Fire would have been incoming from the JATC, Camp 50 (LHS) and terminal building (RHS)
The view of the 'Caywood Camp'.....also spelled as 'Cawood'.
These prefabricated buildings included the NAAFI (bombed in 1958)
Then & Now
The Czechoslovak Airlines Tupolev Tu-104, which earlier overran Runway 14/32, was destroyed during the battle for the airport
Looking down the length of the fuselage towards the tail (the UN Morphou Gate can be seen in the distance)
The wingtips of the Tupolev are lying near the old railway line at the northern edge of the airport
Then & Now
The remains of the Shackleton on the western side of the airfield (close to the western end of Runway 09/27)
A closeup of the cockpit area (with stray bullet hole)
Then & Now
A rusting sign at the terminal carpark
Note that only Greek & English are used.....no Turkish employees were allowed to work at the airport following the troubles of 1963
The once busy carpark behind the terminal building
Then & Now (not a perfect comparison)
The wartime 79 OTU camp is still in use as the UN's Blue Beret Camp (BBC)
Although the buildings are now air-conditioned they are still essentially the 1943 constructions
In the heat of the central plain, the washing dries quickly
The empty parking apron in front of the 1968 terminal
Then & Now
The viewing gallery had a small admission charge but was often very busy with people visiting the airport for a day's sightseeing
Then & Now
The check-in area.......not a scanner or x-ray machine to be seen anywhere
The Links section contains many fine photographs of the terminal
Then & Now
A slightly different view of the Trident (5B-DAB) with the wartime Bellman hangers and the Kyrenia mountains in the background
The Links section contains many fine photographs of the Trident
Captain John Hill was on loan to Cyprus Airways from BOAC
His last flight in 5B-DAB to Nicosia was in June 1974 and he only saw it again in April 2012
Possibly Captain Hill flew my parents when they came to visit in April 1974
Click the image for the full receipt that includes prices
Multiply the cost by 11 for 2017 prices and prepare to be surprised
At the northern end of the airport the approach lights to Runway 14 face the Turkish lines