Several United States Air Force Convairs were based at Northolt during the 1950's, 60's and early 70's in support of the Headquarters of the 3rd Air Force, which was located at South Ruislip Air Station.  The aircraft were under command of units at other bases.

The following information is with thanks to BARG, taken from an excellent article on European based Convairs in the September 1996 magazine..
 

The following interesting information has kindly been sent to me by Col. Robert R. Arnau, USAF (Ret.) I found your RAF Northolt web site  quite interesting as I served a very enjoyable tour at that station. As  a USAF Air Force major, I was assigned as a T-29 pilot to the 3rd Air Force VIP Flight at RAF Northolt during 1966 -1968.  The mission of the Flight was to provide airlift support to the 3rd Air Force Headquarters,  then located at nearby RAF South Ruislip.  When I first arrived, the unit had two T-29B's (51-7899 and 51-3816) and two C-47's assigned.  During 1967, the C-47's were transferred and the unit gained a VC-54. The VT-29B, 51-7899, pictured on your web site and subsequently located in the Duxford Museum,  was primarily assigned to support the Commander, 3rd Air Force (a major general position).  It was a unique aircraft, having been converted from a T-29B (navigator trainer) to a VT-29B (VIP transport).  The conversion, which was done under contract by an aircraft firm in Milan, Italy, totally re-configured the aircraft passenger section. This included, interior panelling, addition of airline type bathroom, a full galley that allowed on-board meal preparation, airline seats, tables and one compartment that could be isolated by curtains, containing a couch that could be converted into a bed.  The conversion also removed the large bulging radome under the nose, thereby increasing cruise speed by about 10 knots.  During passenger flights, the crew consisted of two pilots, flight engineer, and flight steward.  The other T-29B assigned during my tenure, 51-3816, also pictured on your web site, had not been converted  to the VT configuration and still contained the navigator training positions in the passenger compartment and had the large radome. One point of interest, during the 1960's, the 3rd Air Force VIP Flight, operated  regularly scheduled round trip passenger flights three days per week  between RAF Northolt and Weisbaden Air Base, Germany.  (Headquarters, USAF Europe was located at Lindsey Air Station in downtown Wiesbaden.)  The flights normally departed RAF Northolt at 0800 Monday, Wednesday and Friday and returned to Northolt around 1600 to 1700.  T-29 flying time between Northolt and Weisbaden  was approximately two hours.

VT29B 51-3816 was based for three years and pictured at Northolt in May 1968.
Also note the based Sycamore and the French Air Attache Magister in the background.
.

(see above) 51-3816 VT29B (244)	This aircraft was based at Northolt from 9/66 to 9/69 under the command of 66th TRW at Upper Heyford
no photo available 51-5114 T29B (245)	This aircraft was based at Northolt from 7/68 to 1/69, again with 66th TRW
51-5159 T29B (290)	Operated from Northolt under charge of 7500th ABG at RAF Bovingdon, this aircraft was based here from 4/61 to 8/62, a period which included 6 months servicing at Brussels
51-7899 VT29B (311)	Based at Northolt from 1962 to 11/71, this aircraft was under 7513th TG and 513th TAW charge whilst here, both units located at Mildenhall. This aircraft is the one that  resided in the Duxford museum until being broken up in the late 1990's.
no photo available 51-7901 T29/VT29B (313)	This aircraft was based at Northolt from 8/69 to 1/72 under command of 66th TRW then 513th TAW.  It was redesignated as a VT29B in 10/69
52-5832  T29D (55-32)	This aircraft was present at Northolt from 4/70 to 1/72 under command of 513th TAW.
55-0291 C131D (207)	This aircraft, the first USAF example to arrive in Europe, was under command of 7500th ABG whilst based at Northolt from 13/5/55 to 17/12/60,  when it crashed onto a street in Munich with a large loss of life.

..
During this period, up to forty USAF Convairs were based in and around Europe, many of which visited Northolt.  Here is a selection of them, photographed at Northolt and once again with thanks to BARG...

T29A 50-0190	VT29D 53-3542 in 1970
C131D 54-2819 in October 1965	C131A 52-5790 around 1964
C131A 52-5803 in June 1965	C131A 52-5805
	C131D 54-2822, taken around 1970
US Navy  C131F 140999	US Navy C131F 141011

Also regular visitors were the Mildenhall based C131's 140997, 141009 and 141023, which were replaced by UC12's in the 1980's. 141023 is currently in storage at AMARC, Tucson, Arizona and is pictured there behind me in March 2000.

.