PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
26/03/15

Having been working long hours through the night putting together the first phase of our overall 'history of Blackbushe' I hope you will excuse us having only one photo this morning - I need to unglue my fingers from the keyboard! If you have a moment, I've covered the period 1942 to 1960 quite losely - but I think conveying the essence of Blackbushe during that period. "Flyboys" coverage of wartime Blackbushe goes into far greater detail of the period. Please take a minute, if you can, I'd be pleased to receive your comments on, "Blackbushe Airport - this is her story through war and peace". Not enough detail, boring...readable, or not..

Today's photo...



G-ASPA. Staravia's Mk8 Dove, Blackbushe based for quite some while, and probably one of the most impressive Doves you would find. Staravia operated an aircraft spares and breaking operation long during the years when Blackbushe was a major airport. After the closure of the Airport Staravia moved to premises in Ascot.

The photo also shows a Cessna Skymaster at the 26 hold. The wonderful push pull twin boom design that was quite noisy. If you like the sound of aeroplanes it would appeal, but apparently the type was not universally popular. It was banned from Blackbushe under the Section 52 Planning Agreement.

The Dakota was also on the list of banned aircraft, but happily following a phone call with the Planning Department they agreed to my request, and the Dakota returning to Blackbushe was approved. I had a Dakota lined up for one of our past events, the 'Blackbushe 50th Anniversary', an immaculate example coming from Switzerland. Sadly she was unable to make the trip, but having 'my own' Dakota I wanted to use Blackbushe as often as possible. This was, of course, G-BVOL, the Army's beautiful Dakota and having the job of taking her to as many air shows as possible keeping her at Blackbushe was highly beneficial!

So many great memories thanks to Blackbushe Airport and some nice aeroplanes!

signing off...
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day
27/03/15

Thanks for tuning in for another view from the vaults. Earlier this week we started looking at some of Blackbushe Airport's larger visitors to have graced her runways following the Goverment's decision to finish the Airport off for all time following their investment in grassy Gatwick, or the efforts of the local powers who disgracefully took it upon themselves to plough up the runways and taxiways on the Airport's eastern extremity known as 'common land'. Destroyed by NIMBYism in the wrong hands, sabotaged by unwelcome influences...

BUT, we know they all failed to silence the south-east's most suitable airfield, she still breathes, she not only has a glorious past, she has the potential for a glorious future. My crystal ball is a little cloudy, you need to apply optimism in generous quantities when you rub it...

Back to our post 1960 yesterdays...My piece on Dakotas at Blackbushe a few days ago, if I remember correctly, failed to include Eastern Airlines visit. Just uncovered a view of it down in the vaults, it should be OK when the cobwebs are disentangled.. For those who knew him, Roger Russell is the person closest to the right with the fuel hose in his hands.. Dear old Roger, many years since we lost him, but he still lives on in my memory. He was a good friend who loved Blackbushe as much as anyone..


Dates unkown, but it's a shape that suits Blackbushe

1977 was a year that managed to brand itself on my memory cell. Putting the Blackbushe Air Festival together took rather more of my time than expected, but worth every second. I believe there are till a few people around who remember the event. The Air Festival was held over the last weekend of July, but half way through the month a delightful visitor arrived, red, four engines and a product of the growing STOL industry.



The DHC Dash 7 demonstrator C-GNBX. A four engined airliner that could easily operate from Blackbushe at the highest of take-off weights, and here it was at Blackbushe! A terrific sight as she was engaged in a significant sales tour, choosing Blackbushe for her 'near London' contacts. Having poured myself over this new and clean machine the next thing was to fly in her. No problem, and without much ado I was soon sitting in her cabin as the four big fans blurred into life.

Following years of four engined deprivation at Blackbushe, apart from the occasional Heron, here was a multi engined aircraft of reasonable size taxiing the along the tarmac tat had been so starved of 'real' aeroplanes. Had I been in possession of my crystal ball during taxi it would no doubt have been given a quick rub to see if this type had a future at Blackbushe. If not, it should have.. Alas, no crystal ball, and the Blackbushe status quo remains with few changes in her operational status.

Flying in her as we left Blackbushe in a remarkably short space and time was something very different to the usual PA-28 or Auster's performance!! I had to pinch myself to confirm that I was actually flying in an airliner, not a large one perhaps, but it was a flight originated at EGLK. Amazing!

This was on 14 July, 1977. How frustrating, the Blackbushe Air Festival was not for another couple of weeks. A Dash 7 added to my collection of unusual display participants would have been another feather in the hat. Indeed, had they been in the UK at the end of July the Dash 7 would have participated. We had to make do with the DC-8, 747, aetc etc..

Rolling time forward to the nineties, I had business connections in the west country and regularly commuted down to Plymouth from Heathrow aboard Brymon's Dash 7 service. A reliable old girl, but something that stays in my mind is the self propelled snack trays. A consequence of the four large aircrews bolted to the outside of the aeroplane was a significant vibration in the cruise. Not unpleasant, but at a frequency that made ones tray move across the set back mounted table, a resonance that made it necessary to repositions one's sandwich now and again! I loved flying in the Dash 7 and being 'in the business' managed to ride in the jump seat from time to time. The arrival at LHR did feel a little different to the much loved 707 in which that runway had rushed under the nose many times, but it was always an enjoyable experience, and one that used so little runway!!

PB

Back tomorrow with another post 1960 Blackbushe heavy...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
28/03/15

Another week ends, and summer time begins! Is it me, or was that a short winter just gone by? Maybe I've spent too much time in the vaults overnight excavating crates of photos to bring you by daylight? Anyway, last night's search was in aid of more Blackbushe 'heavies', large aircraft that have flown from Blackbushe AFTER the day when the Government proclamation came to reality and Blackbushe was to closed 'for all time'. The Government wrecking crew performed the most amazingly fast destruction of the Airport, while the local authority and its influences shelled out a fortune from their pots of cash to destroy as much of the airport's surface infrastructure as they could.

Happily all the parties who proclaimed the end of Blackbushe and spent so much of our money in the process were wrong, and aircraft of all shapes and sizes have flown from here during the 55 years since we were told that this particularly well placed airfield was finished. Most of this week we've looked at Blackbushe's larger visitors, today some more have escaped the vaults - further proof that neither the government or the local powers were able to bring Blackbushe to her knees...



NO, it's not at Blackbushe, but the Breitling Super Connie was the most recent 'heavy' to offer Blackbushe a salute. These monster prop driven machines were a regular sight at Blackbushe, especially in US Navy markings. As she was in the UK last year I couldn't help but pester the Breitling crew to pay Blackbushe a tribute fly-by. They did..



That old familiar sound and shape appeared from the north...







..and for fleeting seconds the Blackbushe circuit again hummed to the tune of four Wright Cyclones in perfect formation. She may not have landed, but she brought back memories of incredible days long gone.

Another fly past, this time from a friendly Fortress..



Sally B in the hands of the late Don Bullock frightens the dandelions back in the ground.

This wonderful long lasting aeroplane first came to Blackbushe to participate in the 1977 Blackbushe Air Festival. Another deep dig in the pocket where one's wallet is kept, but worth every penny!



Your scribe 'poses' with Sally B at the end of 'day one' of the Air Festival. The weather had been very kind, and people had seemed to enjoy the event in which I had invested much, especially time!





Heads down, it's Don Bullock again...

The B-17 was no stranger to Blackbushe during the war. Many either limped in bearing the scars of combat, or diverted here as their bases were socked in by fog. The airfield's good weather record shone from the very beginning.

The Comet 4 would not have been an aeroplane expected to return to Blackbushe after the public funded destruction of our noble aerodrome..



But it did!! Sadly it never flew again, but this example from the retiring Dan-Air fleet brought back a type familiar to 'old' Blackbushe, and a logo that was VERY familiar to all who knew 'old' Blackbushe.




Her last landing, her last crew - who had to make a rather undignified exit down an Airport step ladder. Blackbushe does not quite have the facilities of old..


As we all know, Eagle Airways were long established at Blackbushe, their aircraft being seen all sides of the A30, Vikings, Dakotas, Viscounts, even a Lancaster, Herons and various Douglas multi engined types. Probably the most emotional, and maybe tear provoking 'heavy' to return to Blackbushe was the long missed DC-6, G-APSA. In 2008 she came home, her engines crackled and popped just as DC-6s always did as the throttles returned to idle and the speed bled off the ASI.







No more to be said. An old flame was back in town and she looked as beautiful as she always did..despite nearly fifty years having flown since she last flew at Blackbushe.


And a quick look back at the way we were, the way we looked at 1950's Blackbushe Airport when Eagle's DC-6 fleet soared through our skies from London's second airport.







That's as far I go today. Weetabix time!!

Tonight's foray into the vaults will hopefully yield some more of the 'big boys'...

I hope this week's collection has brought a smile to your faces as we remember more of the past - during a week that sadly will long be remembered in the annals of civil aviation for all the wrong reasons.

I'm sure our collective hearts go out to all who lost their lives and to those who will suffer the most undeserved grief for a long while following the Germanwings tragedy.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
29/03/15

Isn't life great? The clocks go forward and the rain comes down. Looks like we made it through another winter. The winter of discontent when "Photo of the Day" once lodged on 'another' forum, the forum in which the original "Photo of the Day" was sabotaged by unfriendly forces who like the evil villain in a Bond film pressed the red button and vapourised three years of photos and commentary.

But, from the resultant dust of the 'other' forum's super novae of self destruction came forth shining new stars.."Aviation for All" and her mammoth coverage of all things aviation, while another smaller star came within the gravitational effect of the mighty "AFA". - the "one-stop Forum" twinkled into life giving Blackbushe her very own foothold in the cosmos of communication.

We lost a lot of friends when the original "POTD" was annihilated, but happily we continue to slowly recover our previous population while attracting new members as we continue our orbit around Blackbushe.

Picking up where we left off from last week's theme, that is the heavier aircraft to focus on Blackbushe since the days when men with bulldozers arrived with a juicy government contract to destroy London's second airport in the shortest possible time.

First offering today arrives in the hands of the late great Neil Williams..



Lancaster G-ASXX arrives for an airshow in the first half of the sixties. Strategically positioned near the main runway the vision of the Lancaster's return to Blackbushe was a truly moving moment. I was of the age where memories of the latter-day Lancaster, the Avro York, were clearly in my mind. The two huge Dunlops taking the strain at the moment of first contact with terra firma, a squeeech (new word??), a trace of tyre smoke and the wonderful backfires and crackles as four Merlins return to relaxed mode.



Show time at Blackbushe



Same aeroplane, different venue, but with a one-time owner of Blackbushe. Doug Arnold surveys this gallant lady. We had a Royal Canadian Air Force Lancaster in his Blackbushe collection, in component pieces though. It, like all of DA's equipment, vanished as he moved out and the car auction people moved in.











We also had a Lincoln - if only these aged Avro's had had time to fly at Blackbushe again!



G-FORT arrives in style, the second B-17 to honour privately owned Blackbushe with its presence



G-FORT, owner of various civil registrations..F-BEEC, ZS-EEC, G-FORT and N900RW.

G-FORT originally joined the USAAF as 44-85718. Post war joined Institut Geographique National in 1947. Became ZS-EEC when signing up with Intenational Aviation Services in Pretoria and named 'Charlotte'. became F-BEEC again 1966-64 when back with Institut Geographique National. Withdrawn from use in 1978, she moved to Warbirds of GB Ltd at Blackbushe as G-FORT, 1984-86. Moved to Duxford under the care of Stephen Gray before taking the leap over the Atlantic after a gap of some forty years. So many 'Forts' never made that return journey. She moved to Lone Star Flight Museum in Texas and adopted another name, now she was "Thunderbird".

And on the note of thunder, I think it's stopped raining, time to sniff the 'summer time' air.. The vaults may have one or two Blackbushe heavies for tomorrow? Tune in and find out...



...a farewell wave from your scribe in the hot seat of G-ASXX last autumn. She's better known as 'Just Jane' in her present guise, lives at East Kirkby and would love to see you!!
PB

[PB]

Oooooops, several errors occurred during this morning's gathering together "Photo of the Day". Obviously the time change has upset my circadian system, that and watching F1 in one eye and Andrew Marr in the other.

Corrections now applied, hopefully all of them??

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
30/03/15

Another manic Monday ahead, but before I launch myself into the great beyond a quick look at some other Blackbushe visitors who gave us their time, but due to voracious runway appetites would have been unable to give us their presence on the ground.

Concorde burned her way round the circuit and did a fly past, or two, while on a jolly for British Car Auctions. Must have been a fun few minutes! I recall the Cessna Skymaster being an example of types banned under the Section 52 Planning Agreement for being too noisy for Blackbushe! This was another league altogether!

Looking back at flying visits, the ones I recall most vividly belong to the 1977 Blackbushe Air Festival. This was my big chance to harness some sounds and shapes of yesteryear, so far as I was concerned the sky was the limit. Having said that, trying to lasso large aeroplanes out of the sky was not 100% easy, and one's phone bill maybe reflected the necessary time involved in finding types that reflected our pre 1960 skies over Blackbushe.

Luck played a serious hand, looking back it often has, and we acquired some old shapes, some modified old shapes, and some shapes that were just too young to have been seen at Blackbushe. As it happens the fact that the local authority - and friends - had chopped 2,000ft off our main runway did not make much difference to what did and did not land.

British Air Ferries were pleasure flying over the weekend with their Herald, but they also added to the flying display by diverting one of their Carvair fleet making an "en route" flying visit to Blackbushe. The runway was long enough, time wasn't.. My ambition to have a DC-4, DC-6 type machine in the show was going to have to have one with a bubble on its nose, but we got one. Job done!



John Blake, our display commentator, seemed quite surprised to see this venerable aeroplane with its bulbous nose appearing from the west. Sadly the business she was on precluded time for paying a social call and taking tea in the pilots' tent. I'd like to say,"maybe next time.." but Carvairs are getting harder to find.

Phone calls to 'high command' at IAS Air Cargo produced another aeroplane caught in the line of duty. This one was a DC-8 laden with grapes en route from Athens to Gatwick. Indications were that after the flight this example of Douglas design was carrying not only grapes, but a degree of grape juice too!! OK, the type did not reflect anything from Blackbushe's glorious past, but it helped broaden the display spectrum!











The first, and possibly the last, time the Douglas DC-8 has made a conscious decision to come to Blackbushe. The runway length would certainly have thwarted any landing..


Trans Meridian Air Cargo at Stansted were not exempt from begging calls from some young chap from Blackbushe. They seemed pleasingly enthusiastic to lend us a flying machine. The Britannia was not an unusual site at Blackbushe of the past, a TMAC CL-44 would do nicely to represent the multi engined turbo prop times.









Keith Sissons who was at the wheel that day would have happily landed his 'whispering giant' as the Brit was known, had we had a GPU to start her again. To this day I beat myself up over that. If only I'd known I can guarantee a GPU would have been there waiting..

Whilst my efforts to secure a VC10 or a 707 from my old fleet at British Airways bit the dust, knowing a Senior Training Captain from the 747 flight paid dividends. Alan Chalkly quietly asked if I'd like a 747 later in the day...The 747-200 with RR engines had just been delivered, and Blackbushe was about to witness the public debut of the type. I couldn't say "no", and after a quick word to brief the tower Al was off to LHR to find an aeroplane for the day's training flight.







The next big Boeing to visit Blackbushe must have been the USAF B-52 that mistook Blackbushe for the Farnborough Air Show, but I was VERY happy with our Jumbo who was dead on track!!

This huge aluminium cloud in the hold over Basingstoke was an unusual sight to put it mildly. The question of her landing at Blackbushe was never asked..funny that?

If you ever decide to run an airshow based on luck, micro budgets, an oversize prayer mat, obstacles, objections, committees, the threat of rain, fog, tempest or typhoon - think again!! You wake early in the morning with the words "WHAT IF" emblazoned in your head... it's amazing how many "what if's" you can dream up in a short space of time!!


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
31/03/15

The month of March gets its marching orders today, perhaps we can look forward to warmer days, the smell of fresh cut grass and plenty of daylight beneath the wings of our home based aeroplanes?

I think over the past week we've squeezed as much as we can out of the larger types of flying machine to land, or pay a flying visit, to the airport the government decided to set free, destroy and let the local wolves devour as much as they could of it. It's taken fifty plus years to build up the heavy visitors list from a Boeing 747 downwards, but we've proven that Blackbushe still has a heart that beats despite the assassination attempt of 1960 when HMG fired both barrels at their second airport.

The mention above of 'fresh cut grass' reminds me of a wonderful experience in low level flying where the wee blades of grass may well have cowered back into the ground. Some may recall the five B-25 Mitchells that arrived at Blackbushe for the making of "Hannover Street" amid other motion picture opportunities. I guess these qualified for inclusion in the recent 'larger aircraft at Blackbushe category..





Jeff Hawke was well known in the aerial filming business and for flying camera ships into interesting positions. The aerial filming of "The Battle of Britain", the classic 1960's portrayal of 'the battle' with a truly massive supporting cast, was largely conducted from another B-25 flown by Jeff. It was Jeff who took responsibility for the safe passage of the Blackbushe five across the North Atlantic to their new Hampshire base. In fact a TV documentary was made covering the journey entitled, "B-25s do fly in IMC"..various You tube clips are available..www.youtube.com/watch?v=52eUHn6HazI.

I was keen to experience flying in such an aeoplane, if only to get a taste of what it must have been like for the heroic souls who regularly went to war in such machines from airfields such as Blackbushe. One afternoon back in 1978 Jeff was taking one of the five B-25s to RAF Odiham for some more sequences for the upcoming movie, his offer of the front seat was too good to miss!! It was soon after this that "fresh cut grass" comes to mind.

The front seat was not an understatement, and presented the opportunity to fly while a blind eye was turned to all forms of safety precautions. The nose turret affords splendid views of the world ahead, while to the side equally good views are available of the mighty airscrews waiting to carry you forward. Seating was basic, if you consider a wooden bar stool basic? Safety harnesses were obviously considered pointless as there were no such items to be seen, but one did have a machine gun to bolster your efforts at imagining what this part of the aeroplane offered the heroes of WW2. Arrival in the nose turret involved a climb into the lower hatch beneath the cockpit followed by the brief tunnel crawl to the forward vantage point.

No ear plugs, just nature's prime listening devices either side of my head...When the props started to turn there fairly soon after followed the sounds of hell on earth. The noise was incredible, even at idle! Thinking how lucky I was to be in this remote plastic surrounded greenhouse we made our way to the 08 hold. Power checks confirmed that it was going to get louder in here...Much louder. From this, and future experiences in the Blackbushe B-25s, I came to the conclusion that these engines sounded funny or they needed some attention. The frequent explosive backfires each time accompanied by sheets of flame from the exhaust stubs did not give the passenger confidence that maybe the world's airlines try to give? I think the flames came from the exhaust stubs, I hoped they did.

Take off from 08 soon confirmed that it was going to be noisy, very noisy, and that altitude was not a prerequisite on Jeff's flight plan. Cut off from all mankind one could hang on to one's bar stool and wonder...I did at least those two things. The climb out terminated at an early phase of flight and was replaced by a 180 degree turn placing Blackbushe squarely before me. It was certain that whatever was going to happen next, I'd be first to get there..



Through the cloudy perspex Doug's Dakota fleet appeared..


We returned to Blackbushe on the reciprocal to our recent take-off as Jeff opened up the taps and pushed down the nose. At this stage a number of things came to mind. First, the integrity of the ancient perspex that surrounded me. As the airspeed increased so did the mighty creaking of my plastic greenhouse. No idea how much was displayed on Jeff's ASI, but my aural ASI indicated lots!! The grass skimmed under my toes by inches - Jeff was known for his low level antics!! Feeling sure our prop tips must be cutting the grass when abeam where BCA now have their auction centre our nose reached for the sky, the horizon suggesting that we proceeded to reach vertical until the ASI unwound and with lots of left boot, and maybe asymmetric help, the B-25 performed a perfect wing over as we went weightless, rolled near inverted and rapidly conducted the downhill leg of our stunt so as to be reunited with the daisies as we scorched the full length of the airfield whereupon we gave the Terminal the closest view it will ever have of a B-25 with a pair of bulging eyeballs pressed against the nose turret perspex.

We climbed away in the direction of the other airfield at Farnborough. The air traffic boys had requested we give them a salute. This was done Hawke style, but not quite so low as recent events at Blackbushe.

The long sector from Farnborough to Odiham was quite peaceful and gave time to reflect on recent minutes, and wonder what it must have been like with a long flight ahead, enemy defences waiting and a lot of explosive stuff in the part of the aeroplane that today was empty. You cannot imagine was my conclusion, although I doubt that many of the real B-25 boys indulged in low lever aerobatics as Jeff Hawke did??



Massive power, proclaimed by massive noise..impressive, beautiful, and so much punch..



The creaking perspex!



A sobering view point..at least my gun was probably only a posh broom handle. The prospect of fire being returned with only that perspex for protection was truly sobering.

..our arrival at RAF Odiham was somewhat amusing.. Having enjoyed the tranquil Hampshire countryside as it slipped beneath us my first experience with the B-25 ended all too soon. Exhilarating, awe inspiring, emotional...etc etc However, as we taxied in amid the Royal Air Force's immaculate helicopters, and our engines fell silent, there appeared RAF grey uniforms from all directions. I think it must have been like a movie where an alien space craft has landed and the spectators are speechless at what they are seeing. In this case it was a beaten up B-25 which wasted no time in emptying hot oil onto Odiham's tarmac. Really rather amusing as the aeroplane's occupants wandered off accompanied by the ongoing military stares...

My time with the B-25 was not finished. My last encounter was on the dreadful day when Roger Russell was killed. We were going to Biggin Hill in one of the B-25s but it refused to start. Roger, a couple of others and myself comprising the B-25 crew. My wife, son who was a couple of months old and myself had been invited to lunch with friends in Hatfield. I'd opted to go to the Battle of Britain airshow at Biggin. The warbird movement was very close to my heart, not everyday could you buzz round in a B-25 to such an event. With both engines firing we started our taxi to the Blackbushe runway only for the nose wheel tyre to burst. At this point I elected to abandon the Biggin Hill idea, we'd never get there on time and I did feel some guilt about leaving my family for the day.

On arrival at Biggin we would have linked up with Don Bullock who was flying the Invader. Well, I went to lunch, the B-25 was fixed and made it to Biggin. Roger went to meet up with Don Bullock and tragically they all were killed shortly afterwards. The loss of Roger left a huge gap, one of my closest friends had gone with Don Bullock and Peter Warren who drove the Invader, and B-17 Sally B. It left life long question mark over my head as to what would have happened had the nose wheel tyre not shredded at Blackbushe. Nothing was worse than the phone call from Roger's Mum that evening asking if he was by any chance with me??

Life is a game of chance...

PB

[PB]

April Fools' Day

A great title for today's contribution...Having written a particularly 'to the point' piece as to the association of the title 'fools' and its connection with Blackbushe the fickle finger of fate reached out and deleted the lot. Time has now taken the upper hand and I, along with my morning's text, must disappear.

Just one picture to qualify for Photo of the Day..



THIS was London's second airport.. Happy Fools' Day!

PB

[PB]

Photo of the Day"
02/04/15

Gloom, low cloud, drizzle..must be Easter weekend on the approach!

Time is pressing today, so just the one photo dragged from the vaults...



At first glance it's a Miles Messenger, but at second glance it isn't - it's only got two fins down the back..

The very rare Miles Mercury at Blackbushe..below is Wikipedia's discussion on the type..

"In the late thirties the designer Ray Bournon had planned to develop a new model that could replace, in its range of aircraft for the general aviation market, the Whitney Straight and the Monarch , but the outbreak of World War II forced him to shelve Bournon the project.

In 1941 , however, following a specification issued by the British government for the provision of a suitable aircraft for the training of pilots for the transport of military personnel, the project was resumed. Bournon filming the general approach that characterized his previous designs, with entirely wooden structure, introducing his own initiative still some technical refinements unusual for the role for which it was intended, including the adoption of a landing gear and retractable presence of flaps on the trailing edge of the wing. The model, which was given the designation M.28 Mercury, in quad configuration by connecting it offered the opportunity to carry three passengers in a cockpit closed with a maximum range of 800 km (500 mi).

The prototype , flew for the first time on 11 July 1941 [2] , demonstrated during the flight tests to be easy to drive, with high sensitivity to the commands and stop in a short space after the ' landing .

Although the characteristics prove suitable for mass production the priority allocated to other models fighter built under license, required to ensure the provision of an adequate number of aircraft for wartime needs, influenced heavily on building the Mercury certifying the amount of units produced in only six units, the last of which resulted in flight in early 1946."

The photo was taken in 1948, and the aircraft described at the time as being a "BEA Communications aircraft"...

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
03/04/15

Easter Weekend...Looking back through the clouded memory banks there comes visions of Easters at Blackbushe during the sixties and seventies.



The predominant recollections look a bit like the above..

However, it was not all raindrops and wellie boots. The sixties and a large part of the seventies saw a preponderance of enthusiasm around the airfield. Clubs such a Three Counties provided a focal point for those who were involved in flying vintage aeroplanes, attending events, or organising events on the turf of our home airfield, Blackbushe.

The PFA had regular fly-ins around the country and in those heady days we had a core of 'Blackbushe people' who were involved with PFA events and this included holding PFA fly-ins at Blackbushe, Easter being a good time for this.

Going further back into the Easter history books at Blackbushe, the Blackbushe Aero Club formed in 1961 held a barbeque fly-in in the early sixties. The weather was 'Easter grey', but quite a few aircraft turned up. To me, and most the rest of us, this was a new adventure/experience, offering the great reward of people and aeroplanes on the flat landscape of Blackbushe. It was still only a year or so since the airliners and the US military had been forced to abandon their Blackbushe home, and the echo of their engines still rang loud in many of the ears attending the Easter fly-in..

The camaraderie of the era was the best. We were in this together, Blackbushe was showing her face again, maybe - just maybe - there was hope for a future involving Blackbushe and aeroplanes?? WE still wonder...



An early gathering of heavier than air flying machines at Blackbushe, the disused aerodrome in north-east Hants. This was the "re-opening Air Display in October, 1962".



The atmosphere was amazing on this great day when aircraft would once again arrive in numbers. Blackbushe was no longer 'disused'.



A day etched indelibly within the memory...

In fact, the October 1962 "Re-opening Display" attracted over 200 visiting aircraft. On that grey October morning it was a dream come true. Seemingly endless distant dots against the far grey horizons continually appeared and grew larger until they became identifiable aeroplanes and joined the circuit to land. Numbers only bettered once when the Blackbushe 50th Anniversary event produced nearer to 300 visitors on one sunny Sunday in 1992.



PFA Easter Fly-in..long time ago, but we did have some very successful fly-ins long ago..





Indeed, we've had many fun days at Blackbushe in the past - let's hope we can launch a few more before too long??

PB