Blackbushe interesting visitors 1947-60- light aircraft
Mar 19, 2016 12:40:59 GMT
a26invader likes this
Post by rj on Mar 19, 2016 12:40:59 GMT
During Blackbushe's 'airport' period from 1947-60 the airport played host to many rare visiting aircraft. By 1950 the airport was open 24 hours per day and did not suffer from any slot issues that would prevent visitors using Heathrow. With Gatwick not open until 1958, Croydon only having grass runways, and Bovingdon limited space and opening hours Blackbushe was the premier airport for visitors to the London area. Sadly no official movements record seem to have survived so these are from spotters logs and from the likes of Air Pictorial and Air Britain. Additionally I have had access to the logbooks of several pilots that operated from the airport. The information I have is fairly complete from 1955 to 60 but gets less complete the further back in time we go. If anybody would like a copy of what I have please let me know.
This is alphabetical by type and the first aircraft will be the light aircraft visitors.
The Aero Commander series of light Twins was introduced in 1950 but took some time to appear in Europe. Only a handful visited in the 50's, as well as the based Airwork demonstrator HB-GOB
15/03/1960 D-IBEB Aero Commander 560 741
08/02/1956 N2714B Aero Commander 560 214 delivery to Laos Air Force
26/04/1960 F-BIRS Aero Commander 560 354 diversion, departed to Gatwick.
25/02/1960 D-IBIB Aero Commander 680 805 Hamburg to Kidlington for customs.
08/09/1959 HB-GAL Aero Commander 680 522
N2714B seen during its delivery to the Royal Lao Air Force where it was serialed 2714 and used by the Royal Flight. The aircraft was little used and was appropriated by the CIA sponsored Air America and used by them until around 1974 when it was presumably WFU and scraped.
The Airspeed Consul was a conversion from the wartime Oxford. Some 162 were converted to carry 6 passengers in the late 1940's and were a common sight at Blackbushe. Those visiting were...
18/04/1953 AP-AGK Airspeed Consul 5151 Karachi Aero Club
30/03/1955 EC-AJV Airspeed Consul 4339 Aerotechnica
10/09/1955 G-AHEF Airspeed Consul 4044 de Havilland
25/05/1959 G-AHEG Airspeed Consul 1052 Swain Holdings
12/09/1955 G-AHJZ Airspeed Consul 2686 de Havilland
29/12/1958 G-AIAH Airspeed Consul 5316 Morton Air Services
00/00/1954 G-AIDX Airspeed Consul 4318 Esso
01/06/1953 G-AIKY Airspeed Consul 4324 Aero Services for Israeli Air Force as 4X-AEK
20/08/1957 G-AIOS Airspeed Consul 4329 Morton Air Services
14/09/1953 G-AIUX Airspeed Consul 5106 BOAC
00/00/1954 G-AJXE Airspeed Consul 5164 MCA
21/05/1956 G-AJXG Airspeed Consul 5166 BKS
00/07/1952 G-AJXH Airspeed Consul 5167 MCA
27/09/1949 G-AJXI Airspeed Consul 5168
27/09/1949 VR-RBM Airspeed Consul 5096 ex G-AHRK
15/06/1947 VR-SCE Airspeed Consul 4031 Malayian Airways delivery by Britavia
There were also several unconverted Oxfords in civil use, mainly as crew trainters
29/09/1957 G-AIOS Airspeed Oxford 4329 Morton Air Services
26/05/1954 G-AITF Airspeed Oxford PAC.620 ATS Hamble
00/09/1952 G-AHGU Airspeed Oxford 1 3277 Bristol Aircraft
Here is a photo of Consul G-AIKS of Air Malta. This airline was set up by the based Britavia group in 1948 and the consul was one of its first aircraft operated from 1948-51. Seen here after it returned from Malta and before its sale to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation.
to be continued.........
This is alphabetical by type and the first aircraft will be the light aircraft visitors.
The Aero Commander series of light Twins was introduced in 1950 but took some time to appear in Europe. Only a handful visited in the 50's, as well as the based Airwork demonstrator HB-GOB
15/03/1960 D-IBEB Aero Commander 560 741
08/02/1956 N2714B Aero Commander 560 214 delivery to Laos Air Force
26/04/1960 F-BIRS Aero Commander 560 354 diversion, departed to Gatwick.
25/02/1960 D-IBIB Aero Commander 680 805 Hamburg to Kidlington for customs.
08/09/1959 HB-GAL Aero Commander 680 522
N2714B seen during its delivery to the Royal Lao Air Force where it was serialed 2714 and used by the Royal Flight. The aircraft was little used and was appropriated by the CIA sponsored Air America and used by them until around 1974 when it was presumably WFU and scraped.
The Airspeed Consul was a conversion from the wartime Oxford. Some 162 were converted to carry 6 passengers in the late 1940's and were a common sight at Blackbushe. Those visiting were...
18/04/1953 AP-AGK Airspeed Consul 5151 Karachi Aero Club
30/03/1955 EC-AJV Airspeed Consul 4339 Aerotechnica
10/09/1955 G-AHEF Airspeed Consul 4044 de Havilland
25/05/1959 G-AHEG Airspeed Consul 1052 Swain Holdings
12/09/1955 G-AHJZ Airspeed Consul 2686 de Havilland
29/12/1958 G-AIAH Airspeed Consul 5316 Morton Air Services
00/00/1954 G-AIDX Airspeed Consul 4318 Esso
01/06/1953 G-AIKY Airspeed Consul 4324 Aero Services for Israeli Air Force as 4X-AEK
20/08/1957 G-AIOS Airspeed Consul 4329 Morton Air Services
14/09/1953 G-AIUX Airspeed Consul 5106 BOAC
00/00/1954 G-AJXE Airspeed Consul 5164 MCA
21/05/1956 G-AJXG Airspeed Consul 5166 BKS
00/07/1952 G-AJXH Airspeed Consul 5167 MCA
27/09/1949 G-AJXI Airspeed Consul 5168
27/09/1949 VR-RBM Airspeed Consul 5096 ex G-AHRK
15/06/1947 VR-SCE Airspeed Consul 4031 Malayian Airways delivery by Britavia
There were also several unconverted Oxfords in civil use, mainly as crew trainters
29/09/1957 G-AIOS Airspeed Oxford 4329 Morton Air Services
26/05/1954 G-AITF Airspeed Oxford PAC.620 ATS Hamble
00/09/1952 G-AHGU Airspeed Oxford 1 3277 Bristol Aircraft
Here is a photo of Consul G-AIKS of Air Malta. This airline was set up by the based Britavia group in 1948 and the consul was one of its first aircraft operated from 1948-51. Seen here after it returned from Malta and before its sale to the Lancashire Aircraft Corporation.
to be continued.........