[1][2][3] Aviation Traders Ltd. (ATL) was established by Freddie Laker at Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, England, in 1947 to trade in war-surplus aircraft and spares.
Two years later, Laker shifted his fledgling business to new premises at Rochford aerodrome (later Southend Municipal Airport) near Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England.
This included the conversion of Handley Page Halifax bombers into freighters, six of which were sold to Bond Air Services, an early post-war independent British airline.
Avro Tudor airliners were fitted with large side freight doors for Air Charter Ltd (one of ATL's sister companies) as Supertraders.
[11] Twenty-one Douglas DC-4 airliners were converted into car ferries as the ATL-98 Carvair,[1] a major rebuild that replaced the aircraft's original nose with an enlarged version that raised the cockpit above the cargo hold and added a hinged nose through which five cars could be loaded with a mobile scissor lift.
Carvairs were operated from Southend Airport on short air ferry routes across the English Channel or North Sea where they supplemented Bristol Freighters already being used in the same role.
[15] In 1956, ATL purchased over 250 surplus ex-Royal Air Force Percival Prentice trainers, about 20 of which were converted for civilian customers.
[1][16] In 1958, Laker announced his decision to sell both ATL and Air Charter to Airwork for £600,000 cash plus a further £200,000, subject to the valuation of stock.