PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
15/06/15

Rather a grey day in north-east Hampshire at 05.30... It's Monday, and 'one of those days', regret time does not allow me to hover over the keyboard today.

I'll leave you with a photo from brighter times..


One half of RAF Cranwell's support for the celebrations to mark Blackbushe's 50th Anniversary

Day one of the event it poured a la Monsoon all day, day two was perfect...there is a God!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
16/06/15

Another day where time is being rationed, so it'll have to be a quickie....


Eagle Airways DC-6 boarding at Blackbushe, 1950's style

Passengers did not have far to walk from the main Terminal, but the age of piers, fingers and the such like never arrived at Blackbushe, she was blighted by ancient rights - and still is.



To some this is far more desirable



Main entrance, mid to late fifties

Not the sharpest quality, but gives a slight idea that the Yateley Jungle once looked somewhat different to how it does today.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
17/06/15

I'm sure the resident snakes, creepy crawlies, and bunnies that inhabit Blackbushe 'east', or the part of Yateley Common that it now comprises, must have wondered why a human was wondering through their wilderness yesterday taking photographs of the detritus left courtesy of his fellow humans.

On passing the aerodrome - and having my camera for once - it seemed a good idea to take a 'walk in the park'... The park being the public open space presented to us all by the local coffers many years ago. The 'park' being where else but the east end of Blackbushe Airport seized by local powers in the early sixties and torn to pieces at a cost that I don't recall being made public? Our prize was to be an open space for all to enjoy, our prize turned out to be more of a travesty of justice, to my mind, as the opportunities to save it for aviation and provide a boost to the local community's finances were totally rejected. The Terminal was allowed to rot until the County Council owned half had to be demolished due to its hazardous nature and unsightly appearance.

Yes, I know I've rabbited on about this many times, and I make no apology for walking over old territory, but there lingers in the mist a funny taste as to who did what, and why, and who paid for the destruction of Blackbushe 'east'? The speed with which the entire Blackbushe was flattened by a 'blitzkrieg' campaign was astounding as London's second airport vanished into the mist's of time as if it had never existed. The east end of the airfield suffered a further lingering death under the hands of local influences.

Yesterday's ramble amid the rabbits seized many old memories, my personal feelings again brought to boiling point as I walked/stumbled through the acres of Blackbushe now known as Yateley Common.



The following may not be for those of a delicate disposition, not that any of our Forum members are so disposed, but the initial and early stage of my expedition suggested that wild life larger than rabbits is alive and well and on the 'common'... Maybe t'was a rhino, or an elephant...but the deposit blocking the narrow track that runs down the eastern boundary of the airfield spanned the entire path. Flies were loving it, and one had to take a leap of faith in hopes of reaching 'the other side'...with shoes unsoiled! Must say I failed to find any big game, but who knows..?? I took a photo of the offending blockage, but have decided not to share it to maintain the Forum's 'high standards', I'm sure the originator of the photo's subject must have felt much better, however...


The walk commences looking back at the Terminal as it was before being extended in the fifties - and subsequently half destroyed by HCC decades later



or as seen from the A30 mid sixties. Half owned by the AVM, the other half in unsafe hands..




The consequence of 'unsafe hands'..property of Hampshire County Council.



Today's Terminal, but something just isn't right...half the building gone and the apron covered in trees!









Looking south across the apron in the fifties





similar view in 2015, at least we've still got aeroplanes!




The eastern taxiway

All that remains of the taxiway leading from the main apron to the 32 hold or onwards to the 26 hold. A journey past the Airwork complex and behind the Control Tower..ahhh



Yes, the old place has changed a bit....



But, I think I'm right in saying that the old spirit of Blackbushe still lives on - in some of our hearts at least...

The walk was good for me...perhaps?

PB
Apologies for being a bore and banging on about the past - somebody has to...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
18/06/15

Before I launch into the day's wander down memory lane, and now that I have your undivided attention, I'll grab the moment to encourage you to look at "Future Events" further down the Forum's span. A few words will be found relating to the Blackbushe Fly-in on September 19 & 20 this year. A lot more detail will be posted in the fullness of time, but at this stage we are seeking volunteers to get involved with the proceedings. I'm always optimistic, it's the only way, optimistic that a return payment for my unfailing services to you and our Forum will result in a good show of hands from those who would like to help, or be involved, come September.

Before I go any further, please keep in mind that apart from putting Blackbushe back in the 'events calendars' and having a few more aeroplanes in the circuit than usual, the basis of the Blackbushe September Fly-in is to raise funds for the events dedicated charity..Aerobility. You will all be aware of the wonderful work they are doing by bringing the wonders, and escape, offered by flight to many who would otherwise not have realised what their lives could aspire to. I would simply ask that you give thought to this as you read the next paragraph. Thank you.

So, there it is... I assume that all our members/guests would like to see an event at Blackbushe after so long a gap from her appearance in the aviation calendars, and your support would motivate the fly-in team considerably toward running this - and maybe future events. This is your chance to be directly involved, for our Forum members to meet other members, have some fun and make some new memories. After reading this perhaps you could take a minute and add your name to the "Future Events" Fly-in thread elsewhere in the Forum. Just leave your name with a, "Yes, I'll help" or a "No, sorry can't help" if you can spare a mo. I appreciate it might not be possible to commit at this stage, but just an indication that you are interested, or may be able to help would be welcome. Either way it will help assess numbers, and, well it'll encourage me with assessing the Forum's value and the value of my time in the past delivering Blackbushe to you personally. Everyday. I look forward to your remarks as invited. I'd certainly like to see some remarks as to whether you're pleased that folk have extracted fingers to actually make things happen, OK?

Thanks to simond, Flyboy and Jeff for their show of hands so far..... Your Airport needs you!!

Now back to normal. How normal is normal..?

While on the subject of "fly-ins" at Blackbushe, let's hope we can recreate the success of the 50th Anniversary when the second day produced somewhere close to 300 visitors.. Some scenes follow from the 1998 celebration when it rained non-stop on Day One, but my suicide was averted on Day Two when the sun shone with all the shine it could muster.








Formation aerobatics from Diamond Nine DH style..




Aerobatics Sukhoi style..



Pleasure flying, DH style..





The United States Navy celebrated their old base becoming 50 and joined us for the weekend with a crew and an aeroplane.



The Royal Air Force sent a couple of chaps down from Cranwell, and a Wessex from t'up north..The Tucanos put on a brilliant display too..




The Royal Netherlands Air Force offered us an F-16 for the weekend, sadly declined over noise concerns, but we happily accepted their alternative as demonstrated by Stuart!!







Aerobatics courtesy of Gary Numan and the late Norman Lees - and a drop of Airport diesel for the smoke.



A gift from Spencer Flack



Spit financed by the late David Herrington. My other two other Spitfires were lost in accidents prior to our event.



Selected private owners received "a call" from the management..it paid off, they arrived!!



Numerous manufacturers displayed their wares...







Many hours of phone calls, bartering and delicate negotiation prised some participants into the Blackbushe sun light



It's amazing how many aeroplanes you can accommodate on our grassy acres - let's hope for fair skies and a memorable celebration of Blackbushe this September.

It's ours for the taking.

See you there...
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
18/06/15

Not quite Friday yet, but as an unearthly departure to the wild west is called for herewith POTD somewhat ahead of schedule..

I'll leave you with a photo from the days when mists and murk at Heathrow often caused Blackbushe to host a 'fly-in' somewhat different to that planned for this coming September.


BOAC & Nigeria Airways Britannia aircraft appear attracted to the Blackbushe Control Tower

Long ago, long gone...
But, what days they were.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
20/06/15

The scum bags return...

Funny old world, yesterday I did a twelve hour mission to support the pension funds and during the night it's spent by the scum bags. The scum bags who decided to launch an arson attack on wheelie bins and fencing under the cover of night...Just a charred ruin waited to greet me this morning, the ruin of our fence and our neighbours two wheelie bins. Reduced to blobby lumps and just two lonely wheel shafts. Can't imagine what the smoke and fumes must have been like... Oh well, we're getting over the recent burglary where my exceedingly better half had all her jewellery taken while we were both out on 'pension support' activity. Sadly, I have to conclude that northern Hampshire is home to scum bags who if I find them will have their ability to screw with my property severely reduced. Happily the boys in red machines and the boys in blue arrived and the inferno was prevented from causing further damage, to those slumbering within, for example! They left a note through the letter box to say they'd popped round, having extinguished the inferno and then gone about their business. Being the wee small hours they graciously decided not to wake the sleeping beauties, what was done was done. There's still a lot of good guys left! Amazing what can happen when you're in the land of nod.

Today was going to be a quiet day amid the recent days of work, domestic duties and now something about a fly-in wanting my time, not to mention time devoted to our Forum!! It does pee me off thinking that the financial rewards for yesterday's long hours all went up in smoke while we slept. Suppose we should be grateful that the night creatures only burned the bins and the fence? Thanks guys (or gals), appreciated!! I, however, will probably be smouldering for a little longer.

Well, there we are, that's the Scum Bag Times report concluded..I'm sorry for using POTD for such trivia, I'm sure life has far more of interest for you! What's done is done, can't turn back time. Or can we?

1962. October. AVM Bennett's Great Re-opening Air Show turns the clock back...


USAF participation - the Stars & Stripes were fleetingly back, almost 18 months after their Navy colleagues had been evicted from their Blackbushe base




The Spartan Arrow helped turn our spartan airfield into a hive of activity









I'll never forget the day. The now derelict airfield changed on that calm, grey October day. No wind, quite mild, very peaceful autumn conditions. The public were welcome to attend, Blackbushe opened its crippled arms to the world and said quite plainly, "I'm here to stay". So far so good, she's managed well over another fifty years! Around 10.30 in the morning things changed. As we ambled around waiting - the dots on the distant horizons started appearing. By midday we'd taken over 200 visitors, aircraft were everywhere, Blackbushe was transformed from a forlorn 'disused airfield' into one of the busiest you could imagine.


new shapes



..and not so new shapes!






No Spitfires, there were none too many flying in those days..



Serving military support..



The Queen Air probably won the 'best sound effects' trophy!!

Simply an amazing day proving Blackbushe wasn't dead after all..I just hope we can live up to it this coming September. We'll be doing our level best!!

PB

Have a safe, crime free day..please!

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
21/06/15


The Longest Day...time flies, the Forum has been up and running for six months, the days are about to shorten. I just hope that the POTD daily 'hits' don't continue to shorten as they are at the moment..perhaps I've simply exhausted all that can be said everyday about a single aerodrome? Do tell me if you think POTD's shelf life is expiring...

Meanwhile, back at Blackbushe, we find ourselves wandering around the bits of the Airport that survived the government's axe and the excavators employed by local influences.

If you were to walk to the far end of the Terminal Building's first floor corridor and lean out of one of the office windows facing the main apron back in the seventies you may have seen a view like this...


Home based singles on the back line, Farnborough visitors occupy the front line



The steamed chicken of Blackbushe, home based but now long gone as happens to many a chicken



The Red Devils were regulars at Blackbushe long ago, but today shows they are still landing in the press..!!




Same apron, another long gone Farnborough Week..



Changing times with changing Airport owners..


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
22/06/15

One of those days you wish was over..two hours sleep, and a long journey ahead. It's raining, nearly 6am and ..well, here are the pics for today....















Some of our 'international' guests from days gone by...

That's all today, the eyelids are fighting to keep the light out.

Hopefully back tomorrow
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
23/06/15

Rabbits eye-view....



Were Bugs Bunny to prove he had an enquiring mind he may well ask himself, "Is this the beginning, or the end?". Here he is standing bemused on Yateley's Common - once the east end of London's second airport - scratching his furry head and asking some very pertinent questions. While he may be quite happy with the burrows he's dug around the old 'east end', his enquiring mind will have received no answers to his pertinent questions.

Why was the south-east's best placed strongest and flattest runway reduced by a third fifty five years ago at huge cost to local coffers? His rabbits eye-view gives an impression of the depth and layers of concrete that produced one of the south-east's most superb runways. Why would those strange humans do this to what is plainly a great asset of theirs and just leave it like this for so long...No chance of bunny burrows in that stuff! Bugs Bunny may not know anything of the 'politics' behind the destruction of Blackbushe's main runway, but from his view point he has every right to ask who did this...and why?

Bugs Bunny, of course, may be heard eagerly digging new burrows for his ever increasing family, but every now and then he'll stop and look at the severed end of Blackbushe's main runway and ask himself, "Is this the beginning, or the end?". Physically it could be either, it's not the end, but neither is it the beginning.

If I had my way it would not be the end or the beginning, but the beginning of a new end...the end being moved to where it was over five decades ago. Bugs Bunny could keep his burrows, and the humans would have a great asset restored to what it should be?

What's up Doc? Who needs pictures of planes with questions like this hanging over your ears?

PB

[PB]

A quick "Thank you" to the guys who have "liked" recent editions of "Photo of the Day". Your names are in the Forum 'hall of fame', ie inside my head, you've no idea how much I appreciate such kind gestures.

PB