THE BRITISH Airways we know today resulted from the merger between British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways (BEA).

The two companies officially merged on April, 1 1972. 

In the pictures, you can see some stunning aircraft such as Hawker Siddeley Trident, VC 10, Boeing 707, Boeing 757, and the Boeing 747, popularly known as the Queen of the skies.

All the current aircraft are retired.

Take a look through our archive gallery of some images of BOAC and BEA, the predecessors of British Airways.