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Post by PB on Jun 28, 2020 7:04:28 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 28/06/20Looks like another lumpy day in the air today, quite extraordinary how that vast volume of air over our heads can change so much so soon recalling the temp gauge clutching at the mid thirties a day or so back in time.. Learning to fly in this country the climate plays its hand with the various cards it can play, dealing its ace too often when lessons are cancelled due weather, but that's what you get living on an island in the eastern Atlantic. This letter from the CAA.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/13917 confirms that weather and flying lessons are able once again conspire as dual and instructional flying may go ahead once again from July 4th...Some happy memories mined from those frustrating yet wonderful years at Blackbushe, just like today, we lived in hope of the airfield escaping the clutches of ancient laws and bureaucratic buffers...The Arrow Active! A delighful and lively lady brought over by Neil Williams on a number of occasions...The BBMF passing through the circuit. During one of the many Farnborough Weeks when our circuit would be closed during the flying display that used to be held over at Farnborough.Heaven is a place on Earth...It was during Farnborough Week when the days were spent at Blackbushe taking over the parking arrangements on 14/32.. With dear much missed Roger Russell and dayglo suited Dave Hill those precious days as visitors streamed in were as near to heaven as one wished to get!!The United States Navy had long departed their Blackbushe base by the time this was taken, but the lingering nostalgia behind the name soon kicked in as these familiar markings returned..
Have a nice Sunday...
PB
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Post by PB on Jun 29, 2020 5:31:06 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 29/06/20"Having just completed the POTD piece for this morning, a busy schedule demanding that it was finished early, I managed to hit the wrong key and deleted the lot. Gone 06.00 one must fly at speed, but not before recall that today marks the first flight of the VC10! This beautiful machine rose majestically from Brookland's short runway as Great Britain took what was hoped to be a bold step forward in the long haul jet business. Developed for BOAC's needs it was a supreme hot and high performer, but global market forces placed Boeing in pole position. The VC10 was a great ship to fly in, built like a rock she carved through rough air while providing a very quiet in flight experience..she was like a glider at the front from a sound point of view. The VC10 never touched Blackbushe, but her trials from Brooklands and Wisley regularly brought the majestic machine directly overhead Blackbushe...A beauty to behold, and no mistaking the type as those four power pods in the tail broadcast her pending arrival over our heads!!A Vickers design that did use Blackbushe for many years, especially during its flight trials. The Viscount! An altogether different sound package, seen here prior to leaving for Nairobi and hot climate trials.That's it... second attempt at POTD appears to have made it....
PB
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Post by PB on Jun 30, 2020 8:22:27 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 30/06/20355,520...to the editorial amazement, the number of visits Photo of the Day has received since ink first touched its pages... Scribing about the same subject every day sometimes requires a bit of head scratching but we seem to get by together. Thanks, as always, to our faithful band of followers and Members. Happily, despite bureaucratic intervention the Airport is picking up well during the Covid crisis. Interestingly, I read that in the USA business jet patronage is rocketing skyward as the benefits of flying to your schedule, to a smaller more convenient airfield avoiding the mass chances of Covid infection at major airports and on large transport aircraft are all proving a significant factor in the business jet's growing popularity. Economic benefits increase as the numbers onboard increase.. I wonder if a flight was to operate, not a "schedule", but at a regular time from a smaller airfield whereby seats could be purchased on a 'share' basis if there might be ways of expanding business aircraft use in the UK? Have to think about that one.. If ever business aircraft operators had a chance to open up new markets now must be the golden time..?
The future remains under a significant cloud cover at this time, but the past is ever clear.. In particular the past eight years for the POTD editorial team who today are celebrating eight 'extra years' courtesy of Southampton General and their timely intervention amid a coronary artery that was 92% blocked. Never felt fitter subsequently, nor could I be more grateful to the brilliant NHS for what they did following my arrival with blue lights flashing and sirens wailing!! Great fun and the ambulance nurse was absolutely delightful to travel with.. I've become a grandfather, almost a bonus decade with my family (a bonus for me, at least...), and enjoyed occasions doing Blackbushe associated stuff..Letters in the press, Blackbushe 75, the Air Day, Picnics by the Planes, Airlines of Blackbushe Airport sign, the Public Inquiry, the Forum and even leaving the ground in these new fangled flying machines... All I can say is "Thank you NHS" and thanks to Blackbushe for the most wonderful friends and giving me something to do now and again.. BUT, the greatest thanks MUST go to the Blackbushe Management for keeping the ship afloat and maintaining her course to better times - and the volunteers who always come to the fore when needed on the occasions when we've put on a bit of a show.. Reflecting on the past..The warbird era, a full length Terminal and unusual types seen to share the apron with..The movie industry reliving the flavour of RAF Hartford Bridge..Dear old Blackbushe, you've certainly given plenty over the years!Ormond Haydon-Baillies wonderful Sea Fury. Sadly the years at Blackbushe have been unforgiving in the names and characters now missing who have played their part in the past years.
PB
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Post by PB on Jul 1, 2020 6:06:30 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 01/07/20July.
A month of many memories for anyone crazy enough to consider putting on a public flying event on the old aerodrome on the plateau...Blackbushe.
At the tail end of the month back in 1977 it was the Blackbushe Air Festival (OMG...43 years ago), or more recently 2017 when Blackbushe celebrated her 75th Anniversary on July 1st and 2nd.
Looking back, if I may, at 1st July in aviation terms... Blackbushe had been closed for since the end of May in 1960, today in that year British United were formed bringing together some of the 'independent' elements flung out of Blackbushe..namely Hunting Clan and Airwork. Meanwhile, Silver City and Britavia were owned by British Aviation Services who also merged into British United. These old Blackbushe names had become one and formed the largest independent unsubsidised airline outside of the United States of America. In turn BUA became part of the Caledonian Airways operation who in turn were consumed by British Airways. The fate of too many British independents.
Also on July 1st, a year later in 1961, the Royal Air Force deployed Hawker Hunters to Kuwait under a degree of threat from Iraq, while Canberras and Valiants were positioned to Malta.
The weather was very kind to us for the July events at Blackbushe in 1977 and 2017... The 2017 "75th" on 1st and 2nd July was the culmination of months of sweat and tears where mountain ranges of 'situations' had to be overcome, but determination by our team to see the airfield celebrate her heroic 75 years won the day!
As with other shows, come the day it is almost unreal seeing the fruits of your labours growing before you. They arrived, Dakota, Anson, Pembroke, Catalina, Spitfires. Mustangs, a fraction of the shapes manifest at Blackbushe in her former civil and military days maybe, but hauntingly good to see them back again. Sadly I had to cancel some of my star show performers due to circumstances beyond the control of any of us, but nonetheless, with our stalwart volunteers and months of hard labour Blackbushe did indeed celebrate her 75th in style!!Massive thanks - once again - to our ace camera men Steve and Paul - many memories harnessed so well! Would I do it again? At the drop of a hat!! WILL we do it again?
Good question..........
Thanks again to all who came together ensuring that the airfield's first 75 years would not be forgotten!
PB
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Post by PB on Jul 2, 2020 9:28:28 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 02/07/20Back in 2017 this would have been the second day of Blackbushe's 75th Anniversary celebrations - the weather was a whole load better than it is on this day in 2020...
A few operational events this morning at "POTD Towers", but we do have Chris's June report from a Blackbushe where life is on the up. Check it out!! blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/13936 Plus one or two further images from the 75th....A caring wing always useful when the Sun flexes its muscle..The very quiet..The 'not quite' as quiet..Elegant dining..Hungarian Refugees who arrived at Blackbushe in 1956 and the man who saved them, Harold Bamberg (centre) Founder of Eagle Airways. Choirs, singing, dancing..all at the 75th!!Ground Transport by British AirwaysAll our yesterdays in the History Hub..Something for everyone..?Something for everyone? The Gin Bar atop the History HubArmy participation..Engines from British Airways.Welcome to Blackbushe!!Shades of yesteryear.. Another bit of Blackbushe history.Wheels and wings!!Admiring crowds.. ..and the Blackbushe shopping mall! Quite a weekend
PB
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Post by PB on Jul 3, 2020 6:36:15 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 03/07/20Hopefully the past two POTD days have rekindled a few memories amid the crew from whence the Blackbushe 75th emerged?
The more recent past rekindled a few memories too! Yesterday Rob Belcher and I were reunited in the Blackbushe car park, first time since February/March. Great to see you Rob and looking so well after the traumatic times you have been through, mustn't leave it so long in future..
The reason I had arrived in the car park was to await Mike Biddulph's arrival from the blue beyond. Quite amusing having What's App conversations with an inbound aeroplane whilst sitting in the car park, especially receiving photos from the arriving aeroplane. Technology has certainly taken a few strides since my first camera in the 1950's and taking my first Blackbushe photo. Black and while, a tiny 2x2" affair, the subject an Orion Viking aside the A30.
Mike and I discussed many things outside the Bushe Cafe which is now back in business although social distancing has necessitated a few changes at the moment. Mike's company you may recall very generously came to the aid of my proposed plaque to remember the past airlines of Blackbushe and blew the whole thing up into the "Airlines of Blackbushe Airport" sign that daily reminds passers by of an historic commercial past. Mike's enthusiasm for the Airport is no way diminished and we talked for some while on ideas around a future memorial to the airfield's wartime crews who failed to return. The Airport owner agreed long ago that such a memorial was needed, its implementation being part of the future redeveloped Blackbushe. Mike's creative side has an idea as to how the memorial might look and is keeping an eye open for possible materials if and when we get to a time when a memorial becomes reality. Just discussions at the moment, but a very worthy subject. Taking the past into the future....
Time now for our step back to the past, with thoughts of television's "You've been Framed" perhaps? Truly framed during her 'construction' at Blackbushe.. The 'Reindeer', the airliner that co-starred in the movie, "No Highway in the Sky", also known as 'No Highway'.. Black and white, filmed at Denham Studios and Blackbushe Airport in 1951 starring James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich. Based on the Nevil Shute novel from 1948, "No Highway".Another frame-up scene. This time a Britavia Hermes in the great hangar that once stood on Blackbushe "south's" south-eastern corner, south of the A30. Just another day at the Blackbushe that was...the one and only "Blackbushe"
PB.
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Post by PB on Jul 4, 2020 5:50:04 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/07/20July 4th.. Independence Day. On the other side of the pond celebrations may be a little tempered, July 4th will necessarily be somewhat tempered by 'the virus' whose stranglehold shows no sign of loosening. On this side it's supposedly "Super Saturday" when English hospitality flings open its doors and..who knows? Let's hope the mysterious "R" factor is not rubbing its hands too gleefully. POTD's editorial return to normality came to a head this week by drinking tea at the Bushe Cafe. Somehow true 'normality' has a way to go before it returns, IF it returns....?From the skies the world looks much the same. Whilst waiting in the Blackbushe car park for Mike Biddulph's arrival from the sky this week he grabbed a few photos on the way in. As always, photos of Blackbushe Airport from the air convey their message as to the sites suitability for aviation..."In the Middle of Nowhere"..the old Dusty Springfield number springs back to mind with this view. It totally confirms the remoteness of Blackbushe Airport, far enough from significant conurbations to be an environmental splendour, yet within easy reach of the corporate and commercial enterprises that are so prevalent within the area that may be defined as "easy catchment". I still wait for evidence of any other licensed airport in the south east that offers the long hard runway and unobstructed environmentally exceptional approaches that Blackbushe does, yet lies so close to London and the easy access afforded to the nation's financial capital..Overhead join. The division between carefully maintained Airport and unkempt Common is not hard to miss as Blackbushe 'east' continues its journey 'going west' you might say...The 'nerve centre'. That's me down there in the car park. See?Base leg, turning final 25. Another example of the unique and unpopulated approaches to Blackbushe. Atop a natural plateau the airfield is also easy to spot from a distance.Established on final approach, Blackbushe's long welcoming runway awaits..Nearly home, it's very obvious how British Car Auctions have spread across their bit of Blackbushe. It just seems slightly odd that this spread is permitted while the Airport's wings remain clipped as to any permitted development thanks to Hampshire County Council's bureaucratic buffers?Sincere thanks to Mike for his excellent photos today..Oh, and finally....the joy of flight! The Needles and the Isle of Wight this week - as only seen from 'up there'.Enjoy the weekend, the met could be better, stay safe!!!!!
PB
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Post by PB on Jul 5, 2020 5:48:21 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 05/07/20It may be July, but the grey skies, strong winds, and lower than desired temperatures will not affect today's Armchair Air Show complete with 'unseen footage'. Catch the otherwise sadly missing 'air show spirit' and take your seat for the air show flown straight to your arm chair!! Starts at 14.00 BST TODAY!! www.aerobility.com/armchair-airshow-2020Today celebrates a significant step on this day in 1942. While Blackbushe was in the throws of being constructed on 5th July, 1942, the Avro York made her first flight from Manchester's Ringway Airport. A brave venture for wartime without official backing, the York borrowed significant amounts of genetic material from the Lancaster to provide a powerful long haul transport aircraft proving of particular value to British South American Airways and BOAC as the post war need to spread commercial wings grew.
Anyone with awareness of Blackbushe's rich history will know the York was a regular and significant user of her runways. Her three fins and four Merlins reflected not just shades of World War Two and heroic Lancaster operations, they also spoke of this country's part in the post war regeneration of our place in civil air transport. Blackbushe, together with aircraft such as the York played a massive role in the birth of British civil aviation. Elsewhere on the Forum amid his extensive reports on Blackbushe's aircraft of the 'commercial age' Stuart has included the York in his studies. Here's a link.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/4782Dan-Air, the York, and Blackbushe. Three names for ever tied together.Tropic Airways, all the way from Johannesburg enjoyed the benefits of Blackbushe's Eagle Airways for the servicing of their Yorks.Apologies to those who say we should forget the past, some do, this view of a York by the A30 totally epitomises Blackbushe and the 1950's. The age when British independent aviation truly put down its routes, largely at Blackbushe, and some of us caught the spirit of Blackbushe...a condition for which there is no cure.
PB
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Post by PB on Jul 6, 2020 6:06:15 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 06/07/20Wow, it's another Monday, spared for another day, another week or whatever on the good Earth. 06.00, blue skies out there but a cool +10C kinda spoils the effect..
Nothing gives my heart a warmer glow than words of encouragement regarding the deep set considerations that I and many of our members share for Blackbushe, its history and its future prospects. Our Forum is built around memories of the past, appreciation of the present, and hope for the future. When occasionally we are given photos from the fifties by sympathetic souls it feels like winning the lottery, such is the value of photos from the 'glorious fifties' and Graham Jones has done just that by sending over photos taken by his father. Photos that were filed away for years have come to light and will be our "POTD" material for next day or two.. "Thank you" Graham and family..very much appreciated.30th May, 1958. Lockheed 12 of Zomenes Flyvestsseneste. Not easy to pronounce, but a really great image of lovely aeroplane resting on what was a lovely apron on Blackbushe 'east'. Unusually, it includes both the original Blackbushe Control Tower and the very large United States Navy hangar once the proud occupier of the Airport's north eastern territory. If you look directly underneath the Lockheed rather small is a distant aircraft lined up on runway 26 (as 25 was then!)... Proves what a sizeable airfield Blackbushe used to be, and how things were when the airfield had all her bits.. February, 1958. Bristol 170 F-BHVB, ex Silver City G-AGVB, now carrying Compagnie Air Transport markings on a cold and slushy Blackbushe Airport. Dear old "GVB" she worked hard for Silver City at Blackbushe from 1948 through to the mid fifties. Numerous horse charters and a BEA charter included in her Silver City career.All shape and sizes made Blackbushe the citadel for aviation enthusiasts or anybody who found a fascination in flight.. This Apache, ZS-CDI, was caught on 24 May, 1958 whilst on a delivery flight. Trying to locate its position in relation to what's left of Blackbushe today, I've concluded it is in the region, but on the grass east of, the current green plastic hangars with the A30 running from left to right in the background. Eagle's hangar is hidden behind the fin with just the "EA.." of Eagle visible. Eagle's hangar was, of course, located on Blackbushe 'south' on the Airport's extreme south westerly location. Long ago...More of Graham's photos tomorrow..
PB
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Post by PB on Jul 7, 2020 7:44:05 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 07/07/20Thanks to Graham we're taking another monochrome step back to the golden years, the days of bulbous noses, cars going on holiday, horses might (did) fly as well as various other forms of livestock, and some very young men first came to face to face with such aeroplanes..... I'll never forget a misty afternoon long ago when my father stopped the car so as we could walk back to see maybe three of these bulbous nosed Bristols parked close to the A30. An early encounter with Blackbushe and above all I recall a fear of this machines anticipating what I'm not sure, maybe those doors at the front would open up and devour all who stood before? I think the worry was the noise that would happen should one of those engines start? Today what some of us would give to see/hear such a taste of yesterday? At Blackbushe, of course...February, 1958. G-AIME, this trusty old girl operated from Blackbushe from 1950 and until last seen here in July, 1959... her career spanned such events as a "Pepsi" charter, RAF charters to Karachi and Delhi, Horse charters, and flying helicopters in from Port Sudan. All these years she proudly flew under the Silver City name except for a couple of years, 1956/57, when she was operated by Air Kruise. Captured here on Blackbushe "south'....south of the A30.F-OBDP, another Bristol 170 this time enjoying the benefits of Blackbushe's full sized apron. The background revealing some of the Blackbushe 'east' infrastructure, a bit of Blackbushe Air Traffic centre's infrastructure just forward of the starboard tyre and to the left the once unrestricted views Blackbushe offered to the eastern horizon before the 'wild east' was allowed to grow. F-OBDP was previously G-AIMK before joining Trans Gabon, she was last seen at Blackbushe in April, 1960, just weeks before Blackbushe fell to the axeman's blade.Last of today's POTD candidates, G-AHJD. captured in April, 1958. In November, 1948, this courageous lady departed Blackbushe to join the Berlin Airlift while operated by Blackbushe's Airwork Ltd.. In 1951 she joined the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. September, 1956, she arrived back in England and the reassuring feel of Blackbushe tarmac. Thereupon HJD joined Eagle Airways and flew happily from Blackbushe wearing her Eagle feathers until early 1960 when, as we all know, life and aviation at Blackbushe stopped.Happily the "stop" was only temporary, but the glorious golden years would not be returning. Extraordinarily we still wait six decades later for the bureaucratic mess created by various administrations to be resolved. The time to stop wasting public money in bureaucratic endeavours to prevent Blackbushe regaining some form of viability must end soon as we face an unprecedented time of unemployment, hardship, and economic despair? Hampshire County Council are now saying they are in a financial hard place and seeking Government money to bail them out... Hampshire has the gift of an enterprise waiting to provide new jobs, an asset to their community and in turn additional support of the local economy if only they would smell the Blackbushe coffee. If ever there was a time for common sense allowing Blackbushe to climb back on her feet now must be that time? See the light, smell the coffee...
Thanks again to Graham for today's memory laden photographs..more tomorrow!
PB
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