FORTY years after the first flight of the prototype BAC 1-11, more than 170 former BAC staff and aviation enthusiasts celebrated the anniversary with a reunion at the factory on the edge of Bournemouth Airport, where the famous planes were made.

All but a handful of the 235 1-11s made during its 20-year production run rolled off the BAC - later British Aerospace - assembly line at Hurn, which closed in 1984.

But nearly 20 years on the former assembly hangars, now owned by European Aviation, still house three examples of the 1-11, the last all-British airliner and one of the UK's biggest export earners.

In its various versions - ranging from the original 79-seater to the later stretched and uprated models capable of carrying up to 100 passengers - the 1-11 has served in a short haul role with dozens of airlines around the globe since 1965.

And although tough new EC noise regulations grounded commercial use of the 1-11 in Europe last year, more than 30 of the planes are still in service as executive jets and flying test beds in the UK and carrying passengers in other parts of the world.

A pair of 1-11 executive jets operated by Farnborough-based Aravco charter company formed a backdrop to the 40th anniversary reunion hosted at the Bournemouth Flying Club where organiser Nik Reid laid out a comprehensive exhibition of 1-11 history and memorabilia.

While the European Aviation aircraft are now destined for the scrap yard, at least one BAC 1-11 will remain on the airport where it was born as a permanent exhibit at the Bournemouth Aviation Museum.