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Post by chevvron on Feb 3, 2015 0:57:32 GMT
Peter Cadbury (of the chocolate empire then living at Preston Candover, just south of Basingstoke) told me that when he heard AVM Bennet wanted to sell Blackbushe, he was willing to buy it. He arrived cheque book in hand only to meet Doug Arnold coming out of the door having done the deal instead and having sold Fairoaks to Alan Mann. You can't envisage how different it would nowadays had Cadbury been a few hours earlier.
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Post by PB on Feb 3, 2015 6:59:14 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 03/02/1506.00hrs and bleary eyes greeted by fresh snow fallen across the chilly acres of Church Crookham. Car now de-snowed and ready for lift-off, but not before the daily drift of words before your eyes... Chevvron makes a good point above! Had the Cadbury enterprise taken a bite out of Blackbushe the outcome for the airfield could have been a whole lot sweeter, but at least we got a whole load of warbird action, and somebody was able to run the occasional air-show or other flying event. Nice chap, I'm told.... Moving on, to match the weather here's a view of Blackbushe in the fifties under a blanket of snow! Reference to the map I placed on here on couple of days ago will show where the shot was taken as that's the Airwork complex on Blackbushe 'north' at the airfield's eastern end...As you can see, the airport was under government ownership in those hallowed days, t'was long before the notion of the old place falling into the hands of private individuals occurred.. Today's other blast from the past comes in the form of the the dear old Percival Prince, G-AMLZ. A Blackbushe resident in the 'golden' era of the fifties LZ, this charming old lady arrived at her Blackbushe home in 1956, and remained a resident until the end when all were booted out by HM Government's axe man. Property of Stewart Smith & Co her radials could so often be heard rattling in and out of Blackbushe. The photo shows her back at Blackbushe on a flying visit during either the AVM's or Doug Arnold's ownership of the Airport. Slipping back in time to the 'golden era' of the fifties when LZ was a long term home base aircraft, between sorties she would often return to Blackbushe 'south', that is the part of Blackbushe south of the A30. This procedure involved the unusual circumstance of traffic being stopped to allow an aeroplane to cross the road, and indeed the next photo shows her ready to cross from north to south. I recall as a young thing with my Dad our car being halted as a Hermes or some such delight of the times would show it's size as it was silently trundled before us. If only I had realised then how precious such moments were, and that in a few years it would be all but over. While I've got got snow on my mind, here's another cool scene and again captured from the main London to Southampton trunk road, the A30, that conveniently still ran right through the airfield..How good is that for convenient surface connection? It's still there today as well.... Mediteravia's Viking cooling her toes, and no doubt wishing she could trundle back to warmer climes from whence she had come? I-RASC was at least the fifth call sign she'd carried, others being ZS-BNJ, G-AMGJ, D-AHUF, D-BASE, and F-BIUX. I know a number of Viking fans frequent these pages, so that one's for you, and there are many more down in the vaults awaiting liberation That's it for now.. Stay cool, you've probably got no other options today!! PB
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Post by PB on Feb 4, 2015 8:32:58 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/02/15It's that time of day again when as the sun struggles to find the horizon, the grey cell is challenged to another backtrack into long gone days at dear old Blackbushe. My torpid winter state was given an adrenalin boost day before yesterday when mention was made of that great aerial performer under the name of "Aeronca 100"...in particular our once home based example, G-AEXD. This curious assembly of wood, canvas, wire, the occasional metal tube and a few struts to hold it together would sit on the apron and always pose the question, "why does it fly, or who would want to risk their life insurance policy in the process of trying to find out?"... My feelings remain that this bathtub fashioned flying machine would be the perfect blend for somebody who wished to combine their love of vintage motor cycles with a curiosity toward Isaac Newton's laws of universal gravitation - and how to disprove them should it be necessary. The hours of my youth that were given to Blackbushe and trying to fly in any and every aeroplane that came my way led to the inevitable moment when my chance presented to fly the exciting machine described above... My good friend, the late John Chapman, indulged in the curious pastime of flying Aeronaca "XD" around the Blackbushe airspace from time to time. Obviously he didn't use too much of the airspace, that kind of time was not available. John arrived at Blackbushe with a steely look in his eye and said, "Right, we're going flying!".. My initial delight was tempered as our trans-apron walk lead directly to the awaiting Aeronca. Short of suitable excuses, I couldn't refuse and nonchalently meandered toward the awaiting curiosity shop. As any photograph will show, the first challenge the Aeronca 100 presents its potential occupant is the genital challenge of arriving in the cockpit with all that you left the Terminal with. Easier said than done, happily the challenge being the less for those of a slim disposition. The access was not too large, it couldn't be seeing as the entire Aeronca design was on the diminutive side, but John and I somehow became nestled in the cosy confines of the cockpit. You needed to be quite good friends. The bathtub resembling lines of the Aeronca with its two little mainwheels very close to where my size 11's were resting necessitated ones posterior riding a very small number of inches - sorry, hadn't gone metric in the sixties - uncomfortably close to whatever you may be taxiing over. A large stone going between the mainwheels would probably have been a rapid cure for haemorrhoids..not that I suffered from such an affliction.. Once secure in ones preflight positition the need for speed was going to be disappointed, but the need for adrenalin release would not be.. This machine had to be tried for size..looking ahead one could see the JAP motor cycle engine's cylinders in their horizontally opposed configuration, complete with the valve rockers waiting to do their pianist's fingers impression once the JAP was fired up. And fired up they soon were once the prop had been swung and the model aircraft like prop was biting the awaiting air... On this occasion the wind was blowing from the south, and these were the happy days when we were able to use all of the Blackbushe runways and were thus able to use the one pointed closest to the incoming breeze. The Aeronca 100 appreciated any breeze that might be available. The drag here was that the duty runway was 19. And for an aeroplane that involved a bottom skimming taxi ride, this was the longest journey to threshold that Blackbushe could offer. It did enable a little longer to enjoy the Blackbushe scenery, best to enjoy it while you can!! Lined up, the little Aeronca's JAP rattled into full song and slowly slowly we moved toward flying speed. The rate of climb was less than impressive as the airfield sank beneath us in slow motion, our performance no doubt limited by flying the aeroplane at maximum capacity. In those long gone days a departure from Blackbushe's runway 19 required a safe crossing of the A30, but as the airfield had not been closed for too long today's forest that awaits on Blackbushe south of the A30 had not grown its Aeronca catching potential.. Nevertheless, our remarkable lack of performance enabled a fascinating view of life south of the main road, and no doubt our passage proved of some interest to the passing motorist. We arrived over the Forestry Commission's mature pine trees still lacking a healthy indication on the altimeter. Providing the JAP motor cycle product that had got us thus far continued to rattle its rockers before us all was well, but the lack of altitude being reported necessitated some unorthodox circuit procedures. Those who frequent Lasham and totally motorless flight will be aware of the locations most likely to offer a bit of a lift when the going gets tough. Tree rich forest can produce amounts of rising air and in pursuit of this the little Aeronca was encouraged to perform some gentle circles while still south of the A30 but not within gliding range of the airfield a few hundred yard behind us. Some lift was also offered by the breeze coming from the south as it was perhaps pushed upward by the ground's incline due to Blackbushe's superb plateau location. Whatever, the upward drafts and our slow climb performance permitted flight to continue away from the circuit and the chance to futher explore the Aeronca 100's performance envelope. Not earth shattering would have been my report had I been test pilot. Even without that exalted status, my report would have been the same. You needed to get used to the fact that thrust was never going to present itself in useful quantities, but the view of your cylinder heads, rockers rocking before you, and the multitude of bracing wides either side that were hanging onto your wings provided an unusual and exciting vista. Nothing wrong with the old girl providing you not were possessed of great expectations when lining up, and you had a degree of gliding knowledge about you when the trees reached out for your wheels!! Our landing was achieved on Blackbushe rather than elsewhere, smooth enough from what I remember, but thinking of the consequences of a heavy landing considering how near your bum cheeks would be to the ground is a toe curling experience!! In a nutshell, the Aeronca 100 is a real fun flying machine,or at least it was... Sadly, John was killed a short while after but it was a Cessna that bit him, not the Aeronca. He was another of the good guys sadly no longer in our midst, well, not in the physical world. Hope you guys digested this OK as I know there are those who like to read their breakfast fix from Blackbushe!! PB
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2015 10:06:03 GMT
Brilliant story Peter and such a disaster that so many similar ones have been lost. However.... Aeronca made a number of more orthodox machines of which I have seen a good number but, sadly, none at Blackbushe. Thanks for making my morning coffee so enjoyable and keep up the excellent work. Bren
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Post by ikarusc42 on Feb 4, 2015 20:44:33 GMT
Hi Peter I put a pic of 'EXD on the 60s thread but you have certainly put flesh on the bones looking at your pic it does make you wonder how it flew most enjoyable reading your comments keep them coming Peter thanks for all the research and memories regards Eddie
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Post by PB on Feb 5, 2015 8:32:18 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 05/02/15Thanks to Bren and Eddie for appreciation of yesterday's Aeronca experience...nearly fifty years on, some things stick in the mind more than others. Apparently the Aeronca 100 can have that effect on a chap. Today's great news is that the snow talked about by last night's Met Man has failed to materialise, thus my much better half is cleared for take-off en route to work, and I've had some time to venture into the vaults and grabbed a couple of dusty old photos... Those wonderful souls who were regular readers of "Photo of the Day" before it was rather unkindly destroyed for 'reasons unknown' by the host of the forum where it first appeared, will recall my passion for Blackbushe and the various ways that this passion has been utilised over the years. "Photo of the Day" on the 'other forum' had notched up just under 190,000 visits, a figure I was totally amazed by and growing at some kind of exponential rate. Now, we are back at the beginning, I won't dwell on my feelings as to this, but we are down near the bottom of the Blackbushe memories ladder once again. With hardly a glance behind I truly hope we can gather up all who followed the Blackbushe story before, and eventually this will be become a safe enclosure for all with an interest in this special airfield, an interest fuelled either by curiosity or some deeper emotion. As the weeks go by my particular 'broad spectrum' passion, and involvement, with Blackbushe will become evident. It will become apparent that while serving as London's second airport Blackbushe showed what it was capable of, how well located it was for convenience and geographical reasons, how well its plateau location gave it 'natural airfield' qualities by being more fog-free than most, how the plateau made it easy to see from the air - always a good quality for an airfield - no doubt some of the reasons the United States Government decided to create a strategic base there, and of course, how BEA and BOAC - the forerunners of British Airways - used Blackbushe as their preferred aircrew training base. Today's photo, or photos, come from my very dear friend Gordon Wilmer. Gordon, known as "Benjy" to all at Blackbushe, became an avid photographer and his work will appear often on these pages as we walk through the past years at Blackbushe together. Sadly, "Benjy" was taken from us a few years ago, but it was his departing wish that I should inherit his photo collection, especially the Blackbushe material. Much to my dismay, a vast amount of his work covering the Blackbushe 'golden era', namely the fifties until closure in 1960, vanished and it remains a mystery to this day as to where it went. "Benjy" and I would spend hours pouring over his colour slides of the fifties, civil airlines, United States Navy, ete etc ..happily I do have a very useful quantity of his photo work, and I know he would be thrilled to know that it is - once again - being brought to your attention. Some of you will have seen this before in our 'previous life', but I hope all will find these images of old Blackbushe thought provoking. Today's photos I had to rip out of an old album, so apologies if they look grubby, but nonetheless, they convey images that many who look at Blackbushe today find hard to believe!! The main apron as it appeared when Heathrow was restricted by fog. Blackbushe was high enough to keep her head 'above the clouds', thus offering a perfect alternate when Heathrow had vanished into the fog/smog of the times. A Scandinavian DC-6 also enjoys the welcome tarmac of Blackbushe. The old Blackbushe Airport control tower can be seen in the distance. BOAC long haul flights occupy the apron as Britannias of our once state airline take refuge at Blackbushe. I was just a lad at this time who depended on his Dad for lifts to Blackbushe, or my push bike, to get my fix of staring at these wonderful aeroplanes on this amazing airfield. Never occurred to me that it would be destroyed by our government, or that at some distant point in time I'd be running air-shows 'out there' or even that I'd be flying round the world in BOAC aeroplanes as some kind of occupational therapy! The big jets of the future were no more than a bit of lead in the designers' pencils at this point? However, it was my exposure to Blackbushe from a very early age that caused it to mystically creep into my heart and mind. The day it was closed I suffered what felt like a bereavement that indeed broke my heart. I vowed that I would, somehow, do what I could toward her future health, but at the tender age of fifteen I had no idea what, or how, or when. I'm still wondering to some degree, but along the pathway of 55 years Blackbushe and I have grown very close!! I guess that's why I'm sitting here reliving some of it right now... PB PS. Oh, ignore my 'no snow' report at the beginning. It's snowing....
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747eng
Cadet
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email address: hedges1228@gmail.com
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Post by 747eng on Feb 5, 2015 17:57:36 GMT
Peter Its a shame about the old site and all your hard work but it's great to have you back keeping the memories alive!!
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Post by PB on Feb 5, 2015 18:32:10 GMT
Thanks, b747a300fe, I can only agree that it was a shame such action was taken, and such disrespect can only be to the discredit of the responsible party.
However, as you see we have a new life in a new home, a home from which the memories of precious bygone days will again emerge but this time they are in safe hands.
Your kind words are noted, and much appreciated. Peter
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Post by PB on Feb 6, 2015 7:35:23 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 06/02/15The big hand has reached the top of the clock, the little tiny hand seems to be hovering around the upside down VI, signifying three things to me. 1, First cup of the day needed, 2, It's far too early to be up putting demands on the grey cell and 3, it's gonna be dark down in the vaults - but - down I've got to go in hopes of finding a photo for today.. For those who have visited the 'Valley of the Kings' in Egypt and experienced the totally dark, silent, dusty chambers of history, well you've some idea how life is in the "Photo of the Day" vaults - with spiders and 'who knows' what else for company.. You're beginning to see the risks and sacrifices involved in the production of this classic daily journal, and what strikes me as amazing is that this is the fourth year of such living at life's sharp end in the name of daily pictures from Blackbushe - or from above it sometimes. Yet, we've only got a tiny handful of photographs after four years???...Perhaps I should explain now for any members who are totally new to this 'experience' of daily delight {?) that while this Blackbushe Airport forum is less than a week old it had a forerunner under the name of "Photo of the Day" hosted by another forum. The daily 'photo' from Blackbushe seemed quite popular and had gathered 190,000 visits before, but for reasons I will never understand, the host forum decided in a public fit of rage to totally destroy my four devoted years' work - along with the great work of others. Four years of sitting here quietly doing what I could to keep memories of old Blackbushe alive resulted in my extermination - at the press of a button. You can imagine the evil dictator, world dominator type from a Bond movie with a sly grin across his face, salivating with joy as he goes for the 'red button' and BOOOM, the good guy is wiped out. Well, that is pretty much how it was, but the pushing of the 'red button', as in galactic moments when a super nova spreads shattered star components in all directions across the universe, the 'red button' moment has caused remnants to reform into a new order. The new star AFA, or "Aviation for all" shines brightly in our new sky and is rapidly forming serious pull from its strenghtening gravitational forces, while here on the smaller star of "Blackbushe" we have a lesser force of gravity, but both new stars are shining in a long term, peaceful, binary system where we hope life will continue for many years to come.. Such are the consequences of doing us a favour with that 'red button' moment. Travellers through our local cosmos now find two peaceful friendly 'worlds' where all are welcome to spend time without fear of the 'Forum Police' toying with their buttons and coshing those who want nothing more than to devote hours of their freedom to give you some information, or interest in a world where 'intelligence' may still be found. So as to bind our 'binary' relationship with the other new star "AFA" you will find an express link to their enterprise at the top of this forum. One click and you'll be rocketed direct to their world... So.. having said that guff, it's time for the business of Blackbushe. The old airfield has lived through several 'ages', a wartime fighter/bomber base, a major civil airport, and latterly a smaller privately owned aerodrome. Each age will be visited photographically over the coming months, God willing, and today's visit to the past looks at one aspect of Blackbushe's useful location. The Farnborough Air Show is held some seven miles away from Blackbushe. Today it's every other year, but for many years it was an exciting annual event. Prior to its unseemly closure in 1960, Blackbushe during Farnborough Week provided a spectacle that probably competed with the Air Show itself. Aircraft, civil and military, arrived from all over the world carrying VIP's of all shapes and sizes - the aircraft and the VIP's no doubt - who were destined to attend the Farnborough Show. Royal Air Force helicopters ran a shuttle service between Blackbushe and Farnborough, Blackbushe was host to many RAF transport and liason aircraft, wing tip to wing tip aeroplanes the types of which you would very rarely see in this country. Blackbushe was a mecca for the air enthusiast, and frequently I mounted my trusty old Phillips bike and pedalled my way to the aviation paradise that waited on Blackbushe Airport. These are some of my favourite photos of the time... These were the scenes that passers by on the A30 would have been greeted with!! A majestic visitor who could not really land..the Princess flying boat provides a salute to Blackbushe during Farnborough Week in the fifties. A French Navy Harpoon sits close to the A30 during the 1953 Farnborough Air Show. Such were the merits of Blackbushe long ago, but at least we have some photos to remember the days with, and my vaults still hold many more.. That's it for today, my tea has gone stone cold!! Cheers PB
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Post by grahamdevizes on Feb 6, 2015 7:38:27 GMT
Morning Peter, lovely story ( and insight) about the Aeronca. Thank you
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