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Post by PB on Dec 12, 2016 6:04:46 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 12/12/16Another Monday dawns, or it will be dawn before too long, but the daily sortie into the vaults has just completed with the editorial staff emerging clutching a couple of photos.. Before they hit the press just a word of thanks, grateful thanks, to all who take that second to hit the "like" button conveying appreciation to our crew who daily risk all down there in the vaults. Yesterday we had 8 "likes", albeit several were from the same source, nonetheless each received with equal gratitude. How long POTD continues is a question I'm always asking myself - it's quite funny how an idea that originated three of four years ago as an add-on to another forum is still going, happily now going on its very own Blackbushe platform. If nothing, it stirs the grey matter into function mode ready for what the day may demand..Yesterday's POTD was a scrappy affair, the power of pain killers does tend to blunt the senses while sharpening the mood to do nothing but feel sorry for yourself! It's day nine of the 'dry socket syndrome', whatever you do if a tooth needs to be pulled - avoid the dry socket - it is hell on Earth. I'm a fully qualified expert!! Today is 12th December. It's official, so lacking in any particular idea for POTD the expedition to the vaults was tasked with finding one photo relevant to 12th December, year unimportant... They came back with success and failure. Relevant to Blackbushe, "Yes", at Blackbushe "No"... BEA Viscount G-ALWF at Imperial War Museum, Duxford.The reason a Viscount at Duxford appears on today's POTD is simple. On 12th December, 1954, Whisky Foxtrot did a bit a whoopsee and damaged her starboard landing gear while on a BEA training flight at Blackbushe. She was just one of the Viscounts that BEA damaged at Blackbushe during crew training - two were totally written off. The Viscount Network website provides excellent coverage of her life including video clips.. www.vickersviscount.net/index/VickersViscount005History.aspx It's good that one of Blackbushe's 'old girls' is being looked after in her old age. Another movement recorded on 12th December..12th December, 1953, one of many recorded during her years living at Blackbushe Through the mists of time, Blackbushe based Viking, G-AIXR, of Airwork Ltd..Here endeth today's POTD... PB
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Post by PB on Dec 13, 2016 4:27:45 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 13/12/16The last "working" Viscount to arrive - and depart - from Blackbushe, March 1969. She came and went on a revenue making service, if only to play a part in a movie. www.vickersviscount.net/Index/VickersViscount092History.aspx G-AOCB's visit to Blackbushe. The "IN" of Invicta was taken out... Amazing what trickery the movie chaps can come up with. Joined by BUAF Mk32 Freighter to complete the "airport" scene...It was intensely frustrating seeing these so familiar shapes back on Blackbushe for a day. Ghosts from a previous life, the visions were soon gone. The aroma of kerosene was never more evocative than when four RR Darts brought their familiar trade mark sounds and burned fuel scent to the then fairly silent acres of what eight years before had been a major player in London's airport scenario. A couple of Bristol Hercules dragging a Bristol Freighter behind them were just as welcome! The last Bristol Freighter movement at Blackbushe. One more than the Government had planned!G-ANWK's last recorded previous visit to Blackbushe was on 18th April, 1959, wearing her Silver City colours. PB Comment by Bob Carter blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/5989
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Post by PB on Dec 14, 2016 5:31:36 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 14/12/16Couple of quick views from aloft this morning.. Departing 08, probably mid sixties..Circuit height..The "Blackbushe East " erosion has started following the local decisions to excavate as much Blackbushe as they could. Blackbushe "south", the area south of the A30 also completely excavated, the location of the multitude of taxiways that still can be detected from the air today.. That was a lot of tarmac! The last section of runway 19, having crossed the A30, was still still clearly visible back then. North of the A30 the Terminal in its old state complete with the AVM's 'control tower' stuck on the end, the AVM's tin and fibre glass all purpose shed cum Linnet hangar adjacent to our home built windsock, and Three Counties Aero Club (now the Bushe Cafe and Blackbushe Aviation) are all clearly visible. The AVM's derelict Dove, the Rapide and the "Biafran" Anson add a degree vintage quality to the proceedings. Just a normal weekend back then, not a vast amount of change in the subsequent 50 years! The usable airfield has got smaller and the challenge of running air shows where generous amounts of tarmac would be welcome has got the greater.... Same era as above, short finals for runway 14.The full airfield that we enjoyed in the sixties and seventies. Most of what you see now has been 'naturalised', that is allowed to become over grown and no longer in use. Runway 14, now only good for dog walking - if you have a dog - otherwise used for brisk walks to tone the circulation... 14, where we parked our many "Farnborough visitors" during the seventies and eighties and now used for the occasional movie shoot, all under the watchful eye of Natural England... It's ironic how much attention is focused on any activity by the Airport owner on his land north of the runway by the advocates of undisturbed nature yet south of the A30 utter devastation has been reeked by the gravel extractors who have turned magnificent woodlands into a desert landscape that would not have been made more hideous by a nuclear explosion.. good place for shooting movies on the Martian landscape perhaps? One side of the road, the airfield side, any development was detrimental to the visual amenities and prohibited by the caring councils, the other side apparently visual amenities are less important than the disfigurement brought about by the revenue produced by gravel extraction...Our airfield sits on a mighty natural gravel bed, long may it continue to do so? It's hard, it's flat and it drains well. Good place for an aerodrome! That's enough for today.. PB
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Post by PB on Dec 15, 2016 5:41:22 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 15/12/16Yesterday was a good day, very good. Very pleasant train journey to Ton Pentre revealing along the way just how beautiful our country is, after many years of traveling the globe there is still no place like home! It was my first pain free day after several weeks of dental dismay, and the feel good factor leaped even higher come the evening and we signed up another new member to the Forum. If you have read last night's welcome to our latest member in our "Check-in and welcome to new members" at the top of the Forum you'll know that our new member has links with the Hungarian refugees who flew into Blackbushe in 1956 to freedom and a new life. Those of a certain age will remember the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. A nationwide revolt against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies. Soviet troops overran Hungary, the 'courageous' Soviet Air Force bombed Budapest. Some 30,000 died in Budapest as a result of the Soviet invasion and around a quarter of a million had to seek political asylum in the west. Blackbushe was the first time and place many Hungarian feet touched the safe soil of a welcoming land. I've linked a news clip from British Pathe in the Forum's response to our new member, "Brizeguy", below is a photo from those moments when men, women and children arrived in this new and safe land. FreedomHere's the link to British Pathe's relevant page... www.britishpathe.com/video/hungarian-refugees-arrive-in-england-aka-hungarian/query/blackbushe+refugeesThe Eagle Viking in the clip, G-AMGG was recorded in our Blackbushe movements as participating in the Hungarian Air Lift on 29 November, 1956. Same day as the Air Kruise Dakota, G-AMYV, in the photograph. Yesterday was a valuable reminder that our country is not only very beautiful, it's also a land of peace... Proven in 1956, and still being proven today amid the tragedies of the middle east.. PB
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Post by PB on Dec 16, 2016 5:09:06 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 16/12/16Another night with three hours sleep maximum.... The old aerodrome has much to answer for!! POTD staggers to the fore with another view from the past, the 1960's, 1968 in fact and looking south toward Minley Manor.. One of two Mosquitoes that frequented the Blackbushe circuit during filming of "Mosquito Squadron" in 1968.For a few rare days the circuit rejoiced to the sound of two pairs of Merlins and their precious Mosquito air frames as the movie "Mosquito Squadron" was put together. The photo shows a 'stricken' Mosquito with smoke burner effects while the Nazi AA explodes all around as their soot filled shells puff realistic flak bursts. The photo also shows the second entrance gate we had to the airfield car park in those long forgotten days. The RAF were 'attacking' a secret NaziV2 rocket testing facility. Hard to believe that real Mosquito operations were conducted from Blackbushe in significant numbers when we took on the Nazi machine for real. The pair flying around in 1968 sounded truly amazing, but whole squadrons departing our runways on a routine basis....Imagine. Minley Manor, at the time used by the Army, is a grade II listed building located a couple of miles south of the airfield. It's French style architecture lending it perfectly for the needs of "Mosquito Squadron". It's under new ownership now, another purchase by the Chinese, and subject to a planning request for shooting a major 'top secret' feature film. That concludes today's POTD efforts... PB
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Post by PB on Dec 17, 2016 6:30:34 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 17/12/16Just one photo today surfaces from the vaults..not that I'm being economical, rather that the editorial staff are feeling a bit on the worn side. A side effect of Blackbushe 75thitis, a nasty condition that comes from an endless chain of worries, situations, decisions, frustrations, challenges, disappointments, surprises, being on top of it then swamped and swept away in the flash floods of meetings, red tape, rules, regulations, and the resultant lack of sleep. The load is due for sharing soon, selfish hanging on to it all alone, be not of feint heart if you wish to join this crazy sleep depriving pastime! Stay tuned... Now, as I was saying about one photo of the day..here it is! Back in the sixties, interesting aeroplane mix, the east apron all freshly destroyed by alien forces, and the view east today blocked by the wilderness that's been allowed to take over Blackbushe "east"..Rugged, but happy times.... Dear Bill Freeman, Airport Manager of the time, is seen clad in blazer walking left to right just in front of the blue Tipsy Nipper. Bill, a close friend and an inspiration as I climbed out of darker times, I'll always miss him. Next to the Tipsy a rather rare jet turbine powered Auster, a Zlin Akrobat and home based Auster G-APCY. A Bolkow 207 sits behind the Tipsy Nipper with various home based in the background. Blackbushe Aero Club Linnet, Terriers, and to the left the ex Navy Dragonfly helicopters that sat and declined for far too long. The background shows the magnificent US Navy hangar, and as mentioned in the photo caption, the view way out east as it was before the Common scrub land grew to its present unkempt mess and removed all traces of the view way past the Bagshot mast and other points east. The foreground displays the glorious Blackbushe 'signals square' with the AVM's home built steel and fibre glass 'landing tee'. Judging by its position we must have been on runway 19 at the time. Seems an awful long time since we had 01/19 and 14/32 to add to the wind dependent take-off options. Cross winds were rarely a problem when spoiled with such choices! Enough blab from me, have a great weekend whatever direction you choose to go! PB
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Post by PB on Dec 18, 2016 7:33:56 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 18/12/16A fog shrouded Sunday. Inbounds are streaming in to Heathrow despite the current limited runway visibility. Not always quite like that in the fifties when the fog of today would possibly have turned their noses toward Blackbushe's somewhat better runway visibility. The famous fog diversions would pour into Blackbushe no doubt to the dismay of those who wanted to arrive at Heathrow, but at least they were spared the inconvenience of diverting much further afield... From the mists come SAS, 1950.KLM Skymaster switched to Blackbushe, winter 1950...Foggy fly-in of the fifties...It would be interesting to know if the increased water vapour floating into the atmosphere around Blackbushe of today has increased the incidence of local fog, water vapour from the man made lakes that are appearing thanks to the relentless removal of gravel around the airfield? Blackbushe superior fog free boast was supported by an RAF Dakota service that ran daily to Prestwick. Over a 12 month period only one flight was cancelled due fog.. Pretty good for those days? PB
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Post by PB on Dec 19, 2016 6:34:19 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 19/12/16Another morning of fog across Fleet, and no doubt a few other places too... The POTD editorial department are about to travel to the wilds of Cheshire, looks like goggles and leather helmet conditions although they may be a tad out of place on the train? Seeing as it's foggy again, one's thoughts are once more deflected in the direction of the fifties when Heathrow operators paid homage to the less foggy neighbour called Blackbushe and airline names more associated with the Hounslow Heath aerodrome would be seen lined up at EGLK. Here's another one... SABENA Convair 240, OO-AWS, diverted to Blackbushe December, 1948. ..and a few more BOAC did not only find value in Blackbushe for crew training. Didn't always work, 9 January, 1960, a US Navy R5D diverted to Hurn due fog at Blackbushe! Well, must dash..train to catch! PB
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Post by PB on Dec 20, 2016 5:02:00 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 20/12/16The perils of trying to organise events at Blackbushe are coming home to roost as 2017 robs me of sleep to such a degree that anything above three hours is a miracle, but at least giving up on sleep by 3am gives time to find something to offer our rock solid POTD supporters. 13 hours away from base travelling yesterday, arriving home late from t'up north, did not leave much time for the real work of nailing together an event at Blackbushe next year... The USAF response re their participation was sitting waiting for me, another long and detailed document to complete and return. Their needs are tough, but I'll continue to try and prize an aeroplane out of them..but don't hold your breath! Much easier looking at Blackbushe past rather than Blackbushe future so far as events are concerned, so....... Home based beauty, G-AJAV. Silver City Dakota that enjoyed life at Blackbushe February, 1948 to September, 1950...Another home based beauty. Shell's Gemini lived here in 1948. G-AKDB, "DB", now a certain Douglas Bader worked for Shell after the war...!!Another image of Blackbushe in 1948. July, as Stirling OO-XAE awaits delivery to the Egyptian Air Force. BB ATC in the background before they got their new glass observation deck..Egypt acquired a number of Stirlings following the creation of the independent state of Israel. Seems that most were lost one way, or another, they were fitted with scrap bits from RAF aircraft, bomb racks for example, one being fitted with a gun turret acquired from an old RAF Anson...or so we're told. A long time ago, and being in a pram at the time I'm unable to bring you first hand reports from Blackbushe '48. Sorry! That's yer lot, nearly 05.00, time to catch up with yesterday's missed meals. PB
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Post by PB on Dec 21, 2016 6:19:47 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 21/12/16Time is a strange beast. One minute we're in the sunlit cum soggy season called summer, the next it's the not very sunny cum soggy season called winter with just a few days to winter's apex of Christmas and New Year when it starts all over again. The seasons and the years revolve ever faster, next year seventy five years will have spun around since Dunlops attached to aeroplanes first reached down to the tarmac we know, not without some affection, as Blackbushe.... One aeroplane that featured greatly in Blackbushe's post war years was the Viscount. Seems to have slipped from our pages somewhat, the type was seen at Blackbushe during her early trials and subsequently through to 1960 either as property of Blackbushe based operators, Airwork, Hunting Clan, Eagle for example, or on trials and customer crew training. The Viscount was born down the road at Wisley where the short runway precluded much in the way of flying. Blackbushe was a major airport at the time and ideal for crew training where a host of 'rare' airlines got to grips with flying their beautiful new Viscounts. The prototype Viscount G-AHRF, known as the Vickers V.630 was given military serial VX211 in October, 1948, RAF roundels being applied to her Vickers-Armstrong colours. Such registration facilitating her flight trials in foreign lands perhaps? VX211 arrived at Blackbushe flown by "Mutt" Summers and BEA captain "Dickie" Rymer the first commercial pilot to receive a turbo prop endorsement on his license. VX211 was accompanied by Ministry of Supply Valetta VX541, flown by Rob Powell and "Jock" Bryce, prior to their departure to hot and humid Khartoum and Nairobi to put the young Viscount through her paces under serious heat. The Valetta was brand new and loaned by Vickers for the trial period. When eventually delivered to the Ministry of Supply she had, "more hours than usual" for a new aircraft on delivery... VX211 returned to the UK, via Blackbushe one month later before going home to Wisley and the successful completion of her tropical trials. VX211 at Blackbushe prior to her departure for the heat of Africa, June, 1950.This view shows RAE engineers involved with preparations before VX211 headed south according to notes left by Gordon Wilmer whose photos these are. The Viscount, a great British aviation success story some of whose pages belong to Blackbushe.. The last Viscount to land at Blackbushe was during the years of the airfield's private ownership when one of Eagle's fleet came home to be broken up. Tragic but somehow symbolic of the way the airport was also broken up in 1960... What a lovely gate guard she'd have made - an aircraft with a very real association with the bustling Blackbushe of the fifties? PB
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