|
Post by PB on Feb 3, 2024 7:35:19 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 03/02/24Blackbushe Airport. Maybe the name means different things to different people? Depends on your vintage and how much time you've spent reading of her unique history perhaps, but to me she holds an aura of what was, what is, and what should be... a mixed bag of memories underlined by a never ceasing optimism for 'tomorrow'.... As a small boy riding in the car as we passed Blackbushe, large aircraft everywhere you looked on either side of the road, approach light gantry over the A30 at one end - at the other the chance of being stopped while a Hermes, Viking, Lancaster, Bristol Freighter, Dakota or what have you was towed sedately across the road journeying to or from Blackbushe's engineering centre south of the A30. Later. a little less small, taking the bike ride to Blackbushe and standing in awe propped against the main car park's fence as untold wonders taxied and clattered past propelled by huge propellers driven by those large radial engines of the era. Airlines, the United States Navy, private aircraft, hangars, aircraft tugs, men in overalls - orange if they were marshallers - and the long row of flags that lined the main car park. Arriving via the main entrance you were confronted by a roundabout with 'Keep left' signs and a neat central flower bed before passing the Police hut and resting the trusty bike alongside the trusty wire mesh fence. It all looked so perfect, the Terminal was pristine while numerous other structures dated back to their wartime origins serving as freight sheds, technical offices, admin blocks etc..
This great airfield on the Hartford Bridge plateau exuded magic to me - and to many others. It was like entering another world as the trees and scrub of Common and military land suddenly gave way to that gift to the eyes - Blackbushe Airport. Then came the closure. One felt a dreadful sense of loss some 62 years ago, but throughout those six decades and since AVM Bennett purchased most of the old airfield the sense of excitement I feel when I set foot on Blackbushe has never waned. Driven by memories, inspired by people like the AVM who fought for what they believed in, and always supported by an endless sense of optimism and visions of a Blackbushe renaissance this airfield is indeed the Holy Grail, Winston's 'bright sunlit uplands' that wait for the day when she is able to regain her sense of pride and become a 'proper' airport. The ghosts of yesterday will always be there, but ghosts they are, the Blackbushe of tomorrow promises to be a new General Aviation airport that will make other airports sit up and look on in admiration as at last those six decades of optimism are set free - and a new Blackbushe is born.Driving down the A30 in the fifties you just never knew who, or what, you might see...Tomorrow, Sunday 4th February, the Blackbushe Heritage Trust will throw open the doors of their new shop. Open from 10.00 until 14.00, selling a huge selection of aviation books, memorabilia, and lots more why not pop in and take a look?? Located alongside the Viking hangar you can't miss it. Going to the Pathfinder? You'll be right next door, so come and say "Hello", you'll be very welcome. Just some of the stock waiting for you, and every penny raised goes toward the Viking restoration project..The "History Hub" is an integral part of the new shop. Browse for a while, soak up old Blackbushe, there's a lot of history waiting to be viewed..And having said all that, I don't need to remind you of the Blackbushe Consultation currently in play. The 'new' Blackbushe needs your support... www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 4, 2024 9:27:46 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/02/24Sunday morning, another day, another week toward the day when Blackbushe is no longer a remnant of days long gone, but a new and advanced General Aviation centre that is going to make the others look up!!
Those long gone days were responsible for much of our aviation heritage, aircraft such as the Viking appeared at war's end - our first post-war commercial airliner, and happily the Viking's close association with Blackbushe through the years until 1960 when the Airport was closed will be for ever remembered as the Blackbushe Heritage Trust's Viking will carry the responsibility of keeping the past alive..Days gone by, days to come, our Viking G-AGRW is going to continue the story!However, for some us the past still plays it part in recall of an amazing history. Air freight played its part, RAF Blackbushe became an RAF Transport Command base following WW2 its strategic location was already recognised as being highly valuable in the business of cargo shipment..The Ministry of Civil Aviation subsequently took ownership of Blackbushe and until 1960 the airfield grew into London's second airport. Brief recall of just a fraction of our 'heavy-lift' history.... US Marines R4Q-2, 131706, on the main apron 3rd October, 1958. Resting on the eastern end of Blackbushe's once sizeable apron.Belgian Air Force C-119 4th September, 1956. Seen about to enter the huge main apron from the east having just crossed the hold for runway 32. The Whirlwind helicopters may have been part of the regular shuttle service flown between Blackbushe and Farnborough during 'Farnborough Week'. The majority visitors who arrived by air for Farnborough's air show back then would arrive via Blackbushe.Redundant Halifax bombers found their value in the skies as freighters..The seemingly ageless C-130. This USAF visit caught in September, 1958.The ponderous Beverley was a frequent sight at Blackbushe. Often here for para training sorties. They'd pick up a load of para troops, drop 'em elsewhere and then return for the next lot. 17 May, 1957 XB259 takes breather adjacent to the A30.Next please!Here's a shape that took many a ton of cargo into the Blackbushe and the world's skies, the very sedately ponderous Bristol Freighter with her two wonderful Bristol Hercules engines for company.They came no larger than this, the world's largest aircraft at the time, this C-124 of USAF 322 AD 14th TC Squadron arrives at the end of runway 14, September, 1959. The original Blackbushe Control Tower can be seen beyond the aircraft's landing gear.There's so much more, but.....
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 5, 2024 9:06:52 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 05/02/24It's a sign of the times, people jumping into print on social media outlets and blasting a subject with ammunition based on hearsay, getting the wrong end of the stick, or climbing on what seems to be a suddenly popular band-wagon. Take the current and welcome plans for a relatively small land-exchange whereby 35 acres of currently inaccessible land within the boundaries of Blackbushe Airport are planned to be swopped for a similar size piece of land at nearby Cottage Farm. All of a sudden the local population gain a whole new chunk of land to enjoy - but no. Shots are fired from all directions amid the local population, threatening a new housing estate the size of Blackbushe Airport, levels of pollution increased without any scientific evidence at all, these 35 acres are leading to - you would think - another Heathrow outside their front doors. It's a sign of the times and happens so frequently when any form of 'change' is mooted, the NIMBY comes tearing out of the front door and makes public manifestations that have little bearing on reality. No matter how hard the facts are presented, as in the current Blackbushe case, an outbreak of nimbyism armed with false facts is bound to come forth.. But, freedom of speech remains one of our nation's plus points...
We, however, know the true facts and look forward to the day when the new easy on the eye Blackbushe is enjoyed by all who pass her way and after six decades the airfield will become a suitably equipped aviation site that at last offers all the services any airfield should be able to offer. Hangars, for example.Here's a sign of the times, yesterday the Blackbushe Heritage Trust shop opened, star volunteers manned the ship, James and Mike ready for business! Initially the shop will be open on Sundays..Jump back to 1964, a sign of the era... Three Counties Prentice was the most fabulous aeroplane, and so big for a flying club's menu! Feels like five minutes since I took the shot, not six decades.The main entrance prior to May 1960. Through here and "Blackbushe" awaited. No need to explain further, but many happy hours were whiled away soaking up the amazing variety of air traffic the Airport offered, the overall atmosphere, acres of perfectly cut grass, the famous white chain link that sat before the Terminal, expansive main apron, passengers being lead to their aircraft, the coach park with its 'to and fro' of passengers, the main car park and its rows of flag masts with numerous flags forever fluttering in the Blackbushe breeze. Where did that sign go? No doubt destroyed like most everything else?"Boarding now!" These appeared alongside the new fence that separated the operational side of Blackbushe from the Council's east end of the Airport. Considering the damage done during their excavation of the old airfield making illegal any removing of "soil, gravel and turf" seems a bit rich!!Says it all.. Yes, Blackbushe still lives!!A sign of the times..cars £1. Happy days!..and a 1950's sign of the times, Eagle's mighty Blackbushe hangar, (south-side, also long gone) complete with a Tropic Air York looking on.Another quid well spent, our 50th Anniversary weekend..Blackbushe 'south' in the fifties. Security had a different meaning back then. Unsure of the young chap's name, the Britavia/Silver City hangar resides in the background.A sign with a story to tell..Fun times..More fun.....and even more fun!..and right up to date fun! ..and in the beginning! Blackbushe refused to die...and then in a blink, Blackbushe was 80!!Think we'll stop here..
Have a happy Monday!!
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 6, 2024 7:10:27 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 06/02/24Today is one of those days where everything happens at once - early. Builders 08.00, dentist, POTD, dig up a precious tree (small) before the builders arrive, all following a rather sleepless night listening to the wind stirring the trees and observing all the mind games that the mind can play when deprived of sleep.
What we should be looking forward to, of course, is when the builders arrive at Blackbushe!!Just the one picture today - time - an RAF Comet C2 resting on Blackbushe's 'east end' on a summer's day in the late fifties. The aircraft is located on the end of runway 14 with the magnificent Control Tower beyond. The photo was taken at the extreme end of the main apron when it was very much larger than today's remaining tarmac, the white line across the taxiway is the hold for 32. The runway was rarely used from my recall, its expanse made ideal extra parking space - especially when fog diversions arrived in numbers from Hounslow International....and so to the 'other end'... Runway 14/32's surviving length was perfect in the seventies for parking our Farnborough visitors. Those days were as near to heaven as anyone who has feeling for Blackbushe could get. Aircraft just poured in, we lined 'em up, shuttled crews and passengers across to the Terminal while Doug Arnold came over in his Roller now and again to admire what must have been useful £££'s from so many landing fees. Larger aircraft like CityHopper's Fokker Friendship were parked on the main apron. Much missed Roger Russell and I both took a week's holiday to look after the extra activity for those Farnborough Weeks Remember the song, Heaven is a place on Earth', well for a week it was at Blackbushe.Gotta go.. PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 7, 2024 7:00:33 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 07/02/24The passage of time is relentless...96 years ago today Bert Hinkler ascended from Croydon Airport in an Avro Avian, his destination Australia! On 22nd of the month he arrived in Darwin. Imagine popping off solo hopeful of reaching Australia, without any of today's avionics with screens and autopilots. He did the first solo flight from here to down under, I wonder how he felt as Croydon slipped away beneath him? At a later date he became the first pilot to cross the South Atlantic solo. While we marvel at the man's courage and ability, he would surely marvel just as much if he could have seen how aviation would mature and experience the modern well equipped light aeroplane's capabilities?Press day ahead of Blackbushe Airport's 75th Anniversary celebrations in 2017.. Not quite like Hinkler's achievement, but an epic in its own way.....Epic flights at Blackbushe were remembered too. Harold Bamberg's Eagle Airways put on a number of flights to rescue Hungarian refugees in 1956, flights necessary because of the Russian invasion of Hungary. Some of those who arrived with Eagle were very young, here are some of them 61 years after arriving at Blackbushe, safety and a new life in the UK. They joined us for the press day, newspaper and TV interviews, and on the weekend of the 75th Anniversary.Epics! The Blackbushe story is an epic on its own and hopefully some of the story has been told via the POTD pages during the past few years? If visits to our pages continue as they are POTD will reach its three-quarter millionth visit in less than six months from now. If every visit donated £1 to a project like the Blackbushe Heritage Trust's Viking restoration...but there we go, the only cost is the electricity used in production, and a bit of time to start the day spreading the Blackbushe story..
Do not forget...the Blackbushe Consultation is still open and ready for your input, by now hopefully all who support and appreciate the benefits of Blackbushe will have submitted their responses - if not it is still here www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation The Consultation is in respect of the planned exchange of 35 acres of Common Land that will allow the construction of long awaited and much needed hangars. Wind down to the end of the Consultation accessed from the above link, fill in the boxes, you only have to say you "support" the Land Exchange and hit send - that's all you have to do - and think of Blackbushe's future when you do!!
Thank you...
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 8, 2024 8:03:43 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 08/02/24Yesterday witnessed an additional year added to life's log-book, and a most enjoyable day it was. Lunch with my far better half at Fleet's "Heron on the Lake" and a superb lunch it was too. Lots of changes and obviously heavy investment with a month's closure coming for a refurb..
Returning home the birthday cake awaited...Hopefully this will be the year I get airborne in the Spitfire, my cake reflecting that optimism. Obviously the absence of candles was due to consideration for the climate, not to mention saving on boxes of matches!You will hopefully have observed that Spitfire flight weekends will be taking place at Blackbushe during the summer!!
The Heritage Hangar at Biggin Hill have chosen Blackbushe as one of their 'out stations', obviously the location of Blackbushe lends itself well for ease of access and summer days with Merlins telling their story. Heritage Hangar have long supported our events with Hurricanes and last year their 'Me109'...New pages to be written in the Blackbushe story!The Heritage Hangar's Hurricane on arrival for the 2016 Blackbushe Air Day..Heritage Hangar once again, this Hurricane came for the weekend marking Blackbushe's 75th Anniversary, 2017..Our most recent Air Day, last June, and a very different colour scheme flew in from the Heritage Hangar!!Next stop - June 15th 2024!! Air Day '24....
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 9, 2024 7:05:51 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 09/02/24Seven days to go...
Seven days before your chance to make a significant contribution to the current Blackbushe Airport Consultation.
Upon this and deliberations of the Planning Inspectorate we find the future of the Airport. It's a totally democratic and unbiased chance for you to say as little, or as much, as you wish toward supporting the planned Land Exchange. The Land Exchange that will end sixty years of frustration, sixty years of lost time when the Airport, jobs, the local economy, and General Aviation could have prospered. We need to put that behind us, if at all possible, and look toward the benefits of Blackbushe given that the construction of hangars and other facilities is finally approved.
I know, we've covered the subject a number of times, but it is of such importance that I have no hesitation in bringing the subject up once again. When you are offered a chance to make a difference take it!!
www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation
It need only take a very few minutes depending on your response, but the Consultation submission is at the very end of the documentation in the above link. Simply fill in the boxes, hopefully say you support the Land Exchange and hit 'send'. Easy. Of course, you can go into greater detail if you wish. The ball, as they say, is in your court. Seven days to go.....
Now, looking forward to June 15th - this year's Blackbushe Air Day. It promises to be another fabulous occasion, but this time with a difference. You will no doubt have become familiar with Aerobility's "Armchair Airshows" where live footage, interviews, and air displays are beamed to our screens? Well, this year the "Armchair Airshow" will be happening during the Air Day in June, a very large screen will be visible to all with live interviews, famous faces, and aerial footage to entertain one and all.. Tickets for the Air Day are already selling well, make sure you get yours in good time! Numbers again will be limited. Aircraft are already booking in, it's going to be a great day - don't miss it!!A few memories from Air Day 2023...an amazing day blessed by wall to wall sunshine! Click the link below for more info...
www.blackbusheairday.com/
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 10, 2024 7:49:04 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 10/02/24
The passage of the years seems - according to mirrors near me - to not improve what you see! However, when it comes to aviation and technology the passage of time has quite the opposite reaction, and no need for mirrors! Aircraft structures, power plants, and navigation systems have all taken huge leaps - as has safety - throughout the story of human flight.
A case in point. An experimental night flight arrived at Le Bourget, on this day in 1923. Through the dark the aircraft had ventured from Croydon. The pilot gave his position by radio and light beacons were used to conduct the approach. What would the pilot of this aircraft have made of making a GPS approach? Impressed no doubt, but as aviation grew as a part of our means of transport would the sad respect our nation gives to the relevance and importance of airfields nowadays - with so many British airfields earmarked for housing in the 21st Century - have been comprehended before the age of the NIMBY?
Blackbushe is happily one of the rare airfields that has no threat of closure due to house building plans.. With the current Consultation regarding the Airport's Land Exchange the way ahead for a much neater and better equipped airfield should be quite clear. What would happen to the Airport in future if those opposed to any improvements resulted in a hangarless and inviable operation? Impossible to say, opposing the plans for a revitalised Blackbushe might come back with a nasty bite...A view back to the Arnold era and a hoped for Warbird museum. The image reflects on Blackbushe's history from wartime bombers, transport aircraft, through to the days of jets at Blackbushe, today's light aircraft and business types too. No need to mention it again? Here's the Blackbushe Consultation wherein we all have the chance to have our say about the future, time is running out - closes 16 February. www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation
PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 11, 2024 7:03:15 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 11/02/24Without wishing to be an absolute bore, IF you have not made your submission to the ongoing Blackbushe Land Exchange Consultation you are running short on time. It closes on 16 February, your response before then will be another step toward the long awaited improvements to the Airport - improvements that will move the Airport from being a bit skin of the teeth from a business perspective to a totally viable proposition with hangars, new Terminal, Control Tower etc., an airport that looks as if it belongs to the 21st Century. Don't let the chance go by, if you haven't made your submission please make it TODAY!!
www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation
The above will have been seen many times, but have they all added to a successful outcome for Blackbushe by simply completing the Consultation? Next weekend it will be too late - you've got until Friday.
Imagine, the 'new' Blackbushe!! Your submission to the Consultation will be another vital brick in the wall..
Over to you..and THANK YOU so very much to all who have already done the deed! PB
|
|
|
Post by PB on Feb 12, 2024 7:42:09 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 12/02/24If there's one thing about aviation in its brief share in the history of mankind, it has got bigger and bolder, faster, higher, longer, wider, while playing a pivotal role in human occupation of our planet. Our diets have grown accustomed to globally supported ingredients, 'we' holiday across Europe, the Atlantic, and visit our friends and relatives in Australia. 120 years ago we had no means of being propelled into the air in any way that would sustain our flight for any period of time. Modern home sapiens evolved some 300,000 years ago while archaeology indicates that our more complex technology and cultures evolved some 50,000 years ago. In only 0.24% of those 50,000 years have us humans conquered the air and accepted its value for our civilisation. Putting it another way, only 0.04% of our time as homo sapiens been involved in the pursuit of heavier than air flight.
Sorry to bore you with such facts, but today marks the day when the world's first heavier than air aircraft engine was run for the first time. 121 years ago today! The engine designed and built by Charlie Taylor who worked in the Wright Brothers cycles shop. He designed the engine and did most of the machine work on it, tested it on this day in 1903 and as we all know it was on December 12th of that year the engine propelled the Wright Flyer into the air - humanity had found its wings - and a way of staying in the air with them!Quite leap from 1903, the largest engine to ever visit Blackbushe. British Airways kindly added this RB211 engine to their participation in the 2017 75th Anniversary of Blackbushe Airport...The 747 from which it had come remained at Heathrow! If 16th February, this Friday, does not ring any bells it perhaps should do!! The closing date for the Blackbushe Land Exchange Consultation, your chance to make a vital contribution toward the hopes held for the construction of new hangars and facilities at Blackbushe.. It's been covered in "POTD" on numerous occasions, but now is the time to submit if you have not already done so! That time is here - or very close...
Should you still need it.. here's your link to helping save Blackbushe. www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/consultation
Let's hope man's conquest of the skies does not preclude Blackbushe in future? If ever there was a natural airfield where aviation truly belongs - it is Blackbushe. Let's keep it there.
Thank you.. PB
|
|